EchoVib

Usher opens his heart to listeners in "Confessions", The Vines go pop on their second album, N.E.R.D. delivers pure pop bliss in "Fly or Die" and soul crooner Carl Thomas ends his three-year exile in this week's new releases.

“Confessions,” Usher
Usher has been using his considerable sex appeal to woo fans since he was just a kid — who can forget his hit, “Can U Get Wit It,” in which the 15-year-old warned that he wasn’t looking for romance — “it’s only a sexual thing?”

Ten years later, matters of sex are still foremost on Usher’s brain on “Confessions,” the follow-up to his triple-platinum CD “8701.” Whereas that album, released three years ago, focused more on the search for love and its eventual heartbreak, on “Confessions,” Usher delves into lust, temptation and the dirt people do that causes love to go bad.

“If I’m gonna tell it, then I gotta tell it all,” he croons on the title track — a mournful song in which he admits to getting his girl on the side pregnant. Raw with emotion, Usher sings the guilt-ridden lyrics so convincingly, and with such passion it almost seems easy to forgive him for his transgressions. On the jaunty “Truth Hurts,” though, Usher finds himself on the other side of the equation, nervously questioning whether his lover’s been up to no good — wicked, for sure, but wickedly entertaining.

Then there’s the smooth breakup ballad “Burn,” on which he tenderly, reluctantly yet firmly bids goodbye to a lover who just wants to hang on. Given all the drama surrounding his recent breakup with TLC’s Chilli — she very publicly accused him of cheating — it almost seems as if you’re listening to a juicy, audio version of the National Enquirer.

But “Confessions” isn’t all about love gone wrong. There’s plenty of sensual pillow talk expertly designed to get a rise out of both sexes — depending on your perspective. On “That’s What It’s Made For,” Usher talks about wearing out something that does not come with a manufacturer’s warranty, while on “Superstar,” he seductively offers to be the groupie for his girl.

He also does his best Prince imitation on “Do It to Me,” which borrows so much from “The Beautiful Ones” it should include a sampling credit.

Though plenty of male R&B singers warble on and on about lust, love, passion and infidelity, there are only a select few who do it with any intelligence — many rely on songs riddled with both musical and lyrical cliches, bereft of any spark.

Usher’s “Confessions” is an artistic gem just about all levels, thanks to top-notch material from a variety of producers and songwriters including Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Jermaine Dupri and even Robin Thicke (Usher is also credited as a songwriter on the majority of the tracks).

At the tender age of 25, Usher has already proven himself to be among music’s most popular stars. But with “Confessions,” he should also be mentioned as among its artistic elite.— Nekesa Mumbi Moody

“Winning Days,” The VinesThe Vines’ second album, “Winning Days,” begs the question: if you push rock ’n’ roll too far, will it turn into pop?

The band’s debut, “Highly Evolved,” helped further the then-fad of retro rock. But its follow-up sounds more like the early Beatles’ than it does the next installment from a band of twentysomething Aussie scofflaws pushing the limits with nothing more than an electric guitar.

The title track is almost mellow and a stark contrast from where it seemed the band was heading. With finger-picking acoustic melodies and complex vocal harmony, “Winning Days” is a good song, but listeners are likely to be left asking for more.

“Rainfall” adds to the album’s calm — and maybe even the panic over where The Vines are going with this new sound. It’s a pretty ballad with a pretty melody — rainfall lulls in the background — but little about it is memorable.

And “Amnesia,” though it starts out with a drum beat calling out to explode, falls easily into that mold The Vines are clearly trying to follow on the album.

“Winning Days” isn’t quite a Dylan-plugging-in kind of surprise, but after each song you have to remind yourself what exactly is in the CD player. The only indication it is The Vines is on the final track, “F.T.W.” It’s an after thought, really, but it’s raucous, rude, and absolutely wonderful.

The Vines wouldn’t be alone in trying to reinvent their music after a highly successful debut album. And “Winning Days” isn’t a complete loser. But it seems to finish closer to the bottom this time around.— Ryan Lenz

“Fly Or Die,” N.E.R.D.
The N.E.R.D. recipe is simple: goofy raps, driving beats, layers of guitar, Pharrell Williams geek-pimp falsetto and a heavy dose of keyboards. Remix. Repeat. It’s a surefire formula and it’s put to good use on their second record “Fly Or Die.”

Despite the recipe, N.E.R.D. (the Neptunes’ Williams and Chad Hugo with rapper Shay) still manage to sound fresh, and make music that is blessedly unique by not being afraid to throw in unpredictable spices.

“Don’t Worry About It” is laced with 70s-style wah-wah guitar; “The Way She Dances” builds a cheeky melody around a Police-esque riff and smooth synthesizers; and “Wonderful Place” is packed with soulful horns and wide-eyed optimism.

The lost-love track “Maybe” incorporates crashing drum beats from The Roots’ ?uestlove, and a sweet singsong melody. There’s also the carefree dancefloor-as-mosh-pit anthem “Breakout” and “Drill Sergeant” — a defiantly danceable anti-war track with the witty chorus “You must think you’re Orson Welles and this is 1954. You don’t understand liberty until someone speaks for yours.”

But the best execution of the N.E.R.D. sound is “She Wants to Move.” It’s a driving track that manages to layer all the elements of the band’s sound perfectly — starting with drums a thumping bass line, adding piano, crunching guitar and sci-fi synthesizer blips as the boys sing. It’s hip-hop for the Nintendo generation.

The record is not as edgy as the bands debut, “In Search Of ...,” but it’s pure pop bliss. And if seems too radio-friendly it’s mainly because the Neptunes sound is so prevalent in pop music. In that regard they’re merely victims of their own popularity. But the formula works, and if it rocks, don’t tweak it.— Angela Watercutter

“Let’s Talk About It,” Carl ThomasAbsence may make the heart grow fonder, but when a new artist goes AWOL for three years, he risks losing a healthy crop of loyalists. Fortunately, soul crooner Carl Thomas has something to lure fans back with on his sophomore offering, “Let’s Talk About It.”

Thomas does what he does best: assuaging the fairer sex with moonstruck ballads of love, devotion and imminent nuptials while giving voice to tongue-tied men who secretly covet fidelity and romance.

However, the club-friendly debut single “She Is,” which features a prologue from LL Cool J and samples 1987’s chart-topper “Happy” by R&B’s Surface, is disappointingly humdrum. Thomas, who set a symphonic standard by avoiding hip-hop collaborations, label shoutouts and outros on his 2000 platinum debut, “Emotional,” nearly sabotages his artistic standing by adopting the lead of today’s trite of R&B singers.

Thankfully, it’s the only evidence of overt commercialism on this album, which boasts bounce-heavy tracks such as “Anything,” on which he promises his lady the world, and “My First Love” where he searches for a woman who reminds him of his high school love, respectively.

While there are several inspirational love songs such as “Make It Alright,” “Dreamer,” “A Promise,” and “Let Me Know,” the stimulating “The Baby Maker” is a welcome throwback to 1970s bedroom ballads — romantic and sexy, and devoid of bump-’n’-grind antics.— Kenya N. Byrd

“Good Side, Bad Side,” Master P
The No Limit Soldiers are back with a vengeance. Master P’s latest album “Good Side, Bad Side” is a double-disc treat filled with some seriously heavy beats and P’s signature crowd-pleasing vocals.

On the “Good Side” disc, the rap goes “I ain’t no homewrecker, but baby look at what you missed, 24s on the ride and ice on my wrist,” on “Let ’Em Go,” featuring guest rapper Curren$y. That song reminds other men competing for the hearts of women not to cling too tight, or risk driving their sweeties into the arms of swarthy rappers. Solid stuff and probably not the worst advice.

The “Bad Side” disc starts out funky with “Ghetto Honey” — Theresa Esclovon provides smooth vocals on the hook to support P’s rap. “We Like The Girlz,” has a more unconventional backbeat than the usual fare, which is a nice change of pace. No Limit veteran Silkk the Shocker (Master P’s little brother) and Curren$y provide the vocals there.

The beats and bass surpass the rhyme content on both discs, but P’s soldiers everywhere should like this one — and the bonus DVD.— Ron Harris

“Launchpad,” Particle
Particle grooves so hard on their debut CD “Launchpad” that even the listener is weary afterward — yet definitely satisfied.

The frenetic four-man groove band infuses funk, rock, electronica, and even free jazz over 10 instrumental tracks that can only be classified under the “headtrip” category. The disc gets off to a high-powered start with the title track, with wailing guitars and hypnotic drums; add the alien spaceship-like audio effects, and it’s like you’re preparing for liftoff.

But although much of the album revolves around high-energy guitar grooves, “Launchpad” is not a just a one-note aural attack — each track shows the diversity of the band’s material. The mellow “Below Radar” recalls Santana with its sensual guitar. On “Kneeknocker,” the keyboards take center stage for a wild electronic ride.

This is a record that demands your attention from start to finish — and one you’ll have trouble putting out of your head even after it’s over.— Nekesa Mumbi Moody

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