Usher- Raymond vs Raymond

So Usher's 6th album Raymond vs. Raymond is finally here after almost a year of push backs. The diamond selling artist has yet to garner any huge buzz or even get any of the 3 singles he has released in the Top 40. Pretty rough, considering that every 1st single he has since the My Way album have been #1 hits. After his last album tanked and lukewarm reception of his latest ventures, the question in the back of everybody's mind is Usher over? I pretty much got the answer after listening to the new album.
I know I bashed the album as each song leaked, but as a whole I enjoyed the album. The standout tracks are of course Little Freak (mad he put the edited version on here), Monstar, & There Goes My Baby. The album flows very nicely aside from an occasional slip like the Will.i.am produced OMG, which sound like a horrible Black Eye Peas left over, and so many girls which sounds even more dated then the rest of the album. And there lies his problem. Usher peaked at 8701, his music and sound haven't evolved since then. Even though the last two projects were solid they fell into the generic r&b category. And about time he put out Here I Stand he already had a replacement, Chris Brown. And that's the same problem he's facing now, Trey Songz. Trey has the generic r&b lovers on lock and no one is paying Mr. Raymond any attention.
So is it a wrap for Usher? No. Will he ever have the success of My Way, 8701 or Confessions again? No. But he will continue to keep his urban fans happy. Usher, like many of his peers failed to grow from heart throb into man hood.
If you enjoyed Here I Stand you will enjoy this solid effort. Its the same bland formula, nice love ballads, decent dance tracks, nothing single material.
Grade: C+
Download: Monstar, There's Goes My Baby, She Don't Know