The combination of these two phenomena spurred a different paradigm for the music industry, where drama, multifaceted personalities and celebrity gossip would mix to market albums. The release of “Confessions” also came at a time when celebrity culture began to arise, with tabloids and magazines capturing the minds of the general public. Showcasing the different dimensions of Usher’s personality certainly created more intrigue around the album. Importantly, the album’s themes represented a more dark and sinister side to the king of R&B, who had been portrayed as an innocent heartthrob during his younger days. The sentimental tone and lyrics add dimension to the tracklist. Despite this, the snare drum and synth pad vocals provide a good background that meshes seamlessly with the melodies of both artists. “ My Boo,” featuring Alicia Keys, also contains a lighter production than what we would commonly see today. Later, it was revealed that the song was actually about the relationship of Jermaine Dupri, who was the major producer of the album. The pair dated in 2001 but broke up within just two years. Some believed the song was about the fallout from Usher’s relationship with Chili from TLC. Unsurprisingly, many fans attempted to ask more probing questions about the song’s content. The song’s narrative form immediately draws listeners in, as the king of R&B weaves a ballad about cheating, unfaithfulness and having to admit his sins to his partner. The tune is a well-known song in Usher’s discography, and for good reason. “ Confessions Part II” features perhaps the best lyrical content on the entire album. Overall, the song is one of my favorite works of Usher, as I believe it uniquely showcases his vocal talent. The change in rhythm in the chorus from more flowing melodicism to a sharper rapping style also keeps the song fresh. I think this is some of Usher’s best overall work on the album, as the notes feel precisely placed and the harmonies keep the song from being too repetitive. “ Confessions,” the album’s namesake, evokes the opposite feeling of “Yeah!” While lighter on the production side, the song’s melodies are some of the best on the entire album. Tracks like “Yeah!,” “Throwback!” and “Caught Up” pushed the boundaries of R&B, allowing more artists in the genre to produce more upbeat songs that differed from the slow ballads of previous eras. However, in the early-mid 2000s this was only starting to come to form. Modern R&B has merged itself heavily with hip-hop, resulting in heavier basslines, more rhythmic flows and faster tempos. While it may not contain the ballads seen on the rest of the album, the song contains everything needed for a legendary club tune, and has overall stood the test of time. Usher’s and Lil Jon’s shouted refrains give the track an elevated energy. Rhythm changes throughout the song, most notably with Ludacris’ verse, keep the song interesting despite its rather long length. The synth instrumentation, which features keyboard and bass prominently, provides the backbone of the song’s iconic beat. The album starts with one of the most famous crunk songs of all time: “ Yeah!,” featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris. Upon further and more detailed inspection, though, it’s possible to see the indelible mark left by certain tunes in the album. With few exceptions, the songs don’t feature heavy production, but instead try to highlight melodies through voice. There doesn’t seem to be much carryover from this album to modern-day R&B from the outside looking in. It also saw considerable commercial success: “Confessions” remains the 21st century’s best-selling R&B album from a male vocalist. 1 singles on the charts and two of the top ten overall songs of the year. In the moment, “Confessions” provided listeners with some of the most memorable cuts of the time period. However, “ Confessions” would take Usher’s superstardom to the next level: the so-called king of R&B began to live up to his moniker and ascended into the pantheon of modern R&B artists. Tracks from the album like “U Remind Me” and “U Got It Bad” certainly made their marks in mainstream industry, both topping the charts in 2001. Welcome to Y2K Hits, a column committed to exploring the most popular albums of the 2000s and the lasting marks they left on the music industry and pop culture at large.Ĭoming off the success of his third studio album “8701”, Usher looked to continue making waves in the music industry.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |