Usher's singing and songwriting have never been stronger and the two lead singles are proof of this. First came the mega-hit, "Yeah!" which topped four Billboard charts (including the Billboard Hot 100) and made it to No. 4 on a fifth. Featuring Lil' Jon (who also produced) and Ludacris, this dance joint is like the sound of two dawgs barkin' at one smooth crooner. All the while, a see-saw synth and clap track provide the groove. It all comes together perfectly. The second single lifted from the album is completely different. An acoustic-and-harmonies R&B ballad, "Burn" showcases Usher's famed impassioned vocal. Here's a singer who just has. . . it.

There's no shortage of from-the-heart ballads on Confessions. "Superstar" takes a more soulful approach and shows his incredible vocal range. A little more risqué is the sexy-steamy "That's What It's Made For," a breezy cut with a faint trumpet line wafting in the background. Then there's "Can U Handle It?" which is probably the disc's gentlest number. Bordering on ethereal, it finds Usher getting his spine-tingling falsetto working.

If you want to dance, you won't be disappointed. The stuttering beat and emotive vocals of "Throwback" are complemented by a soul-soaked fuzz guitar line that will hook you out of your chair. For "extra fizzy," check out "Caught Up," a rhythm-driven, funk/R&B-fest. And James Brown himself would be proud of the super-cool soul of "Bad Girl," another track on which the guitar plays a leading role. It's the album's primo groove.

Meanwhile, the slow but poppy "Do It To Me" is almost exclusively carried by Usher's vocal (underlined by a thudding, echoing bass drum beat) that harks back to '60s Motown, and emphasizes just how confident he is in his unique voice. "Take Your Hand" is soul with a hip-hop heart and "Follow Me" boasts a bumpin' beat, a flickering flute sound and a very warm vibe.

Usher has built a huge following with his precocious lyrical observations and musical crossover appeal. Confessions is an R&B album of such polish, it will surely establish him in the upper echelon of artists in the genre. This is Usher at his best.

By Adrian Zupp

Usher's popularity increased after his 1997 release of My Way, which included the hit single, "You Make Me Wanna." The album and the single earned Grammy nominations for Best R&B Album and Best R&B Song. He received three Billboard awards, including Artist of the Year (1997), R&B Artist of the Year (1998), and Hot 100 Singles Artist of the Year (1998). In 1999, he released Live. In 2000, All About U was released. He released 8701 in August of 2001. 8701 debuted in the top five on both the Top R&B Albums chart and The Billboard 200 album chart.

In 2002, Usher received the Grammy for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and repeated in that category in 2003. He released his next album, Confessions early in 2004. Confessions debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and notched a first week sales total of over one million copies.