Over recent years previously die-hard R&B haters have found themselves unable to keep their hip-hop reflexes from getting the head nodding, their Garage inclinations from allowing the feet to tap. In fact, even spotty electronica nerds can't get enough of those techie soul producers that are running contemporary R&B.
Usher isn't amongst that frontline of innovators so beloved of the latter bunch, the Missy and Tims, Shek'spere, Neptunes, Aaliyah and Rockwilders of this world. Neither is he languishing in the cultural wasteland of that nasty 'romantic' swing soul sound still peddled by R. Kelly.
Rather, he sits somewhere between these two poles, ultimately still wedded to the ideals of his idol Michael Jackson and the fully rounded Jackson entertainment package - the singing, the dancing, the personality cult. Nonetheless, '8701' sees Usher reaching for the right balance between street and smooch, sharp edged electro funk and smooth acoustic soul.
Kicking off with the pop genius of 'U Remind Me' - what Craig David's next album ought to sound like - is a sensible way to get things rolling. A track that's perfectly at home on Top Of The Pops whilst also developing into one of the summer's anthems on the Garage dominated dance floors of Ayia Napa, it can stake a reasonable claim to being this year's 'Fill Me In'.
The snag comes when it begins to dawn that 'U Remind Me' is something of a one-off. 'Twork It Out' and 'U Got It Bad', whilst impeccably produced, are also smoochy enough to send the aforementioned R. Kelly running for cover. 'Pop Ya Collar' speeds up just in time to rescue things briefly with its Shek'spere produced minimalism providing '8701' with its most contemporary moment.
Of course, this wouldn't be an R&B album in the year 2001 if it didn't have its very own production from the Neptunes and, sure enough, the hardest working fellas in the game lend their touch to 'U Don't Have To' (can U see the theme developing here?). It's an impressive production that provides Usher with his most Jackson-esque moment with Williams and Chad's familiar harsh drum clack, ethereal chords and digi sounds all coming together with heavenly results.
Then, at just over the halfway point, the album largely descends into tinkling piano and plinking acoustic guitar territory as Usher concentrates his attention on insulting the intelligence of his female audience. The ubiquitous Latin vibe - a constant on the BMG agenda ever since Carlos Santana started to sell and then refused to stop - even makes an appearance on 'How Do I Say'. One harp thrum too many combines with an excess of unforgiveable lyrics ("love, such a lonely place, to have the world yet no one to share it with") to make for pretty painful listening.
Yeah, there's much pleasure to be taken from the production on '8701', which is never less than hugely impressive, in its proficiency rather than radicalism. And, although there's much here to reconfirm the worst suspicions of the recovering R&B hater, Usher always comes through with one for the hip-hop heads, the Garage crew and even the trainspotters amongst all that slush that's strictly for the laydeez.
