Usher - "Coming Home" | (SB Halftime Show 2024)

[Dreams]

I'm def interested in this but I can't be bothered to stream right now.

@jazzysoul47 what are the best tracks?

[Ling-Ling]

This has steadily been playing in the background, unfortunately I've been SWAMPED at work and haven't paid too much attention. "ATA" keeps popping out of the mix though. What a f**king jam.

[Deleted]

Ok Raymond! I feel you and support what you're doing with this. Stay at Home got my ear on first listen.

[Linnethia Monique]

Stay At Home is that song and needs to be a single ASAP. Urban radio will eat that up.

[Zinc.]

On ‘A,’ Usher Moves With the Times — and That’s a Bad Thing

In May 2014, Usher released “Good Kisser,” which was originally supposed to be the lead single from his eighth studio album. It looped an old break from a Foster Sylvers record — a descending bass riff, a tumble of drums, a festive sputter of cowbell — and Usher sang salacious lines with his customary grace. “Good Kisser” was a rare thing, remarkably untrendy, yet so brazen and entertaining that it still managed to go Number One in the trend-obsessed world of radio.

But “Good Kisser” didn’t do as well as Team Usher hoped, stalling at Number 65 on the Hot 100. The album that became Hard II Love was repeatedly pushed back, eventually coming out nearly two and a half years later, and “Good Kisser” was nowhere to be found on the standard edition’s track list.
Ever since that aesthetic risk “failed” — only in Usher world, by the way, is a Number One radio record considered a disappointment — the singer has adhered to the safest of formulas, singing over the latest rap beats. That accounted for the bulk of 2016’s Hard II Love, and it’s the gist of his new release, A, a collection of songs with the piano-loving Atlanta rap producer Zaytoven.
Catching pop’s waves has always been one of Usher’s greatest strengths, whether that means collaborating with Lil Jon when crunk was going mainstream or charging into EDM as European producers took over the charts. There’s something frustrating, though, about watching this singer make music that he hopes will fit with the Trap Soul generation (Bryson Tiller, 6lack et al.). Usher has the piercing tone and the resources to bury those youngsters, but he chooses to engage with them on their own turf, rather than on terrain that might be more favorable to a singer who released his first single 25 years ago — the Trap Soul kids don’t know how to make “Good Kisser.”

Still, Usher is a pro; when he decides on a path, he goes all-in. The nonsense syllables in “ATA” sound pretty, even though they feel cribbed from Young Thug. In “Peace Sign,” Usher slings snapshots from a sweaty night with infectious zeal; at the same time, he skillfully coats the track with Auto-Tuned backing vocals, offering a luscious lesson in counter-melody.
Elsewhere, A is more unimaginative, with by-the-book beats from Zaytoven and a Future-being-Future feature (“Stay at Home”). On “Gift Shop,” which incorporates a verse from the young Atlanta rapper Gunna, Usher raps in a terse, drilling style. He’s fully committed. But he’s committed to blending in, rather than standing out.

[Caviar]

Based on that review I’ll pass on this. Unbelievable how I forgot about ”Good Kisser”. That was my jam!

[wavey.]

Oct 12, 2018 16:16:04 GMT -5 Caviar said:

Based on that review I’ll pass on this. Unbelievable how I forgot about ”Good Kisser”. That was my jam!

PLEASE don't go off of that review. This actually isn't bad at all.

[Relaxing Cup]

"Zaytoven"  ???

[Nick]

It's not terrible, but this is not what I want from him. I always like his vocals though.

[owenlovesmusic]

I wouldn’t give this an “A” but maybe a “B”

[allow that]

Oct 12, 2018 16:19:02 GMT -5 wavey. said:

Oct 12, 2018 16:16:04 GMT -5 Caviar said:

Based on that review I’ll pass on this. Unbelievable how I forgot about ”Good Kisser”. That was my jam!

PLEASE don't go off of that review. This actually isn't bad at all.

That review sucks. I'd take any track off of this project over "Good Kisser" (which flopped for a reason) in 2014 or NOW.

[Deleted]

Oct 12, 2018 17:50:31 GMT -5 Nick said:

It's not terrible, but this is not what I want from him. I always like his vocals though.

Yeah, this isn't for me.. but it doesn't sound desperate and he didn't stray too far from his own style.

[Ling-Ling]

I can't believe how much I'm liking most of this. I've been over Future for ages, but "Stay At Home" is a jam. "ATA" is my sh*t though, love the production. "Peace Sign" is SEX, on repeat. The chorus to "You Decide" is so catchy, really like his vocal too. "Birthday" is too cute. The instrumental to "Say What U Want" is so good, that jazzy piano is a nice touch. "She Ain't Tell Ya" and "Gift Shop" are the weak links for me, but they're both solid.

It's nothing particularly dynamic, but it's a quick easy listen. I see you Usher!

[SHOOTER]

...

27 minutes of Usher taking a shit to trap beats. Hard pass.

[Rican@]

EP starts for me with You Decide and ends with She Ain't Tell Ya.

Birthday needs a single release. Straight booty poppin'

[Ling-Ling]

Alright, "She Ain't Tell Ya" has grown on me a lot. What a petty, bitter ass song, haha.

[think pink.]

Uh, yeah. This shit is FIRE. Just finished my first listen. Send that Future record out ASAP followed by Birthday.

[Ivy Leegue™]

Haven't even been inspired to listen to this once and I used to LOVE Usher (hell, I even bought and loved his last album). Lemme get through Astroworld (since my physical copy finally came) and maybe LANY and whatever else just came out first.

[George]

11 Usher Songs That Changed The Game Forever

[#LisaRinna]

Still haven't found time to listen, but I will. I just hope it's worth my time.

[Caviar]

Oct 17, 2018 9:00:43 GMT -5 #LisaRinna said:

Still haven't found time to listen, but I will. I just hope it's worth my time.

Same here. I think I'll give this a hard pass.

[George]

Finally listened to it yesterday, and I really didn't care for it. I tend to like Usher's albums, or they grow on me, but the only song I kinda liked was "Peace Sign."

[Ivy Leegue™]

Whelp...this is basically an album of No Limits and FWMs. I actually love it though because I loved Hard II Love. An EP full of ratchet/wild f**king standouts.

[George]

Usher Does Not Have a Burner Account on Twitter Dedicated Entirely to Defending His New Album

[Zinc.]

HITS
SPS
-- 26 USHER & ZAYTOVEN | "A"
BRAND USHER/RCA
14,816

SALES
-- 29 USHER & ZAYTOVEN |"A"
BRAND USHER/RCA
4,302 --

[Caviar]

Ouch

[Rican@]

Oct 20, 2018 18:34:54 GMT -5 Caviar said:

Ouch

Did you expect more?

[owenlovesmusic]

Wow thats low. I was expecting much better like at least #10-15.

[Deleted]

It probably doesn't help that there's zero promo for it (not even a single).

[Sounds from the Other Side]

I'm really liking the EP. Many solid tracks. He can do no wrong!