Usher "8701" Album

	Title: 8701 Format: Album Label: Arista Released: 2001-07-08
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Tracklisting & Lyrics

Reviews

If it's true that the plug was pulled on Usher's latest album earlier this year because parts of it were being swapped on Napster, then Arista owes Hank Barry and Shawn Fanning a big wet thank-you kiss. Forcing Usher to record eight new songs for 8701 (renamed for its release date) turns out to have been a very good thing indeed. Of course, that's not surprising when half the new tunes come courtesy of R&B hitmaking locks like Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and the Neptunes--but both teams have also done some of their best work here with Usher. Jam and Lewis give him bedroom grooves like "Twork It Out" that suggest modern-day Marvin Gaye, while the Neptunes liven up their monochromatic hip-hop grooves with soaring choruses on "I Don't Know" and "U Don't Have To Call." The new tracks are good enough, in fact, that several of the old ones suffer by comparison--although Jermaine Dupri's hard-rocking "I Can't Let U Go" is a notable exception--and it's too bad the cover of Biz Markie's "Just A Friend" didn't make the cut. But 8701 is still a major improvement over Usher's "old" new album--and maybe his finest outing yet. ~Dan Leroy, LAUNCH.

The rise and rise of Usher continues with the release of his fourth album 8701 this week. At 22 years of age he is fast becoming one of the hottest, multi-faceted talents in the US with the previous album, "My Way" selling seven million copies and finding time to act in four major movies. With so much achieved so soon the question arises as to whether a similar success can be repeated. 8701 sees Usher Raymond taking more control of the operation, developing his producing, singing and song writing skills to a new level and taking responsibility for twelve of the writing credits across the seventeen tracks.
That said this record has had an army of producers working on it, including The Neptunes, Baby Face and She'kespere working along side Usher. Combined with collaborators P. Diddy (formerly Puff Daddy) and Jermaine Dupri on "I Can't Let You Go" it is no wonder that this album sounds so polished and mature beyond his years. However, Usher's expert delivery cannot be denied and his range across the soulful ballad "Can U Help Me" and hip pop "I Don't Know" is both extensive and impressive. The up tempo single "Pop Ya Collar" is certainly one of the albums stand out tracks and, whilst catchy, lacks the universal appeal of "You Make Me Wanna" - the tune which made Usher a world wide phenomena a few years ago. With such a high profile Usher is indeed a pop star for the 21st Century - with writing, producing, performing, acting and making in roads into artist management in his repertoire he is definitely taking care of business. Full of soul and in control! ~Christian Hopwood, BBC.

On his third studio effort (and fourth overall), 22-year-old R&B/pop star Usher Raymond makes the not-so-simple transition from post-teen heartthrob to love man. He does it with solid songs and a generous helping of charisma and vocal acumen, making this much-delayed collection a hot summer treat. Usher is aided in his musical efforts by renowned hit-makers like the Neptunes, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (who deliver soaring ballads like "Can U Help Me"), Jermaine Dupri, and new jack Edmund Clement who penned the irresistible single "U Remind Me." With catchy tracks and emotive vocals, Usher revs up his sex quotient and unleashes a winning blend of street-honed jams and passionate love songs. ~Amy Linden, Amazon.com.