Confessions [Bonus Tracks] (CD - 2004)

Personnel: Usher (vocals); Ludacris, Lil Jon (rap vocals); Thicke, Rich Harrison (various instruments); Bobby Ross Avila (guitar, piano, Wurlitzer piano, keyboards, Moog synthesizer, programming, vinyl scratches); Daniel Marino (guitar); James Wright (Wurlitzer piano, bass); Jimmy Jam (Fender Rhodes piano); Larry Cox, L-Roc (keyboards); LaMarquis Jefferson (bass); IZ (drums, percussion, vinyl scratches); Sean Garrett, Darcy Aldridge, Paula Patton (background vocals).

Producers include: Just Blaze, Valdez Brantley, Jonathan "Lil Jon" Smith, Usher raymond, James Lackey.

This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.

Personnel: Usher (vocals); Ludacris, Lil Jon (rap vocals); Thicke, Rich Harrison (various instruments); Bobby Ross Avila (guitar, piano, Wurlitzer piano, keyboards, Moog synthesizer, programming, vinyl scratches); Daniel Marino (guitar); James Wright (Wurlitzer piano, bass); Jimmy Jam (Fender Rhodes piano); Larry Cox, L-Roc (keyboards); LaMarquis Jefferson (bass); IZ (drums, percussion, vinyl scratches); Sean Garrett, Darcy Aldridge, Paula Patton (background vocals).

Producers include: Just Blaze, Valdez Brantley, Jonathan "Lil Jon" Smith, Usher raymond, James Lackey.

Personnel: Usher (vocals); Alicia Keys (vocals); Kanye West, Lil Jon, Ludacris, Shyne, Twista (rap vocals); Bobby Ross Avila (guitar, strings, flute, piano, Wurlitzer organ, keyboards, drum programming, scratches, background vocals); Craig Love, Dan Marino, E Bass, Ken Lewis (guitar); Stevie Wonder (harmonica); Jimmy Jam (Fender Rhodes piano); James "Big Jim" Wright (Wurlitzer organ, keyboards); L-Roc, Larry Cox (keyboards); Darcy Aldridge, Sandy Garrett, Patrice "ButtaPhly" Stewart, Faith Evans, Tony Tolbert, Paula Patton, Jonathon "Lil' Jon" Smith, Usher Raymond (background vocals); Iz (guitar, keyboards, drums, percussion, scratches).

Audio Mixers: Jermaine Dupri; John Frye; Manny Marroquin; Ken Lewis ; Jon Smeltz; Jonathon "Lil' Jon" Smith; Andre Harris; Phil Tan; Serban Ghenea; Tony Maserati; Vidal Davis.

Audio Remixer: Jermaine Dupri.

Recording information: Baseline Recording Studios, New York, NY; Blue Jay Studios, L.A., CA; Brandon's Way Recording Studios, LA, CA; Chicago Recording Company, Chicago, IL; Circle House Studios, Miami, FL; Doppler Studios, Atlanta, GA; Enterprise Studios, LA, CA; Flyte Tyme West, Santa Monica, CA; Hitland, Atlanta, GA; Lacoco Studios, Alpharetta, GA; Larrabee North, North Hollywood, CA; Larrabee Sound West, West Hollywood, CA; Oven Studios; Record One Studios, LA, CA; Right Track Studios, New York, NY; Rondor Studios, LA, CA; Sony Studios, New York, NY; SouthSide Studios, Atlanta, GA; Studio Atlantis, LA, CA; The Hit Factory, New York, NY; The Record Plant, LA, CA; The Village Recorders, LA, CA; Underlab Studios, LA, CA; Wavelab Recording, Philadelphia, PA; XXX Studios, Paris, France; Zac Digital, Atlanta, GA.

Photographer: Anthony Mandler.

Confessions' most detracting factor is its length. At an hour in duration, it could be stripped of five songs and be far more powerful, especially since no one would have to do any wading to get to the meaty parts. On the other side of the coin, the smartest move Usher makes here is in allowing the Lil Jon-produced "Yeah!" to take its rightful place as the only club track; any attempt at doing something stylistically similar would've failed miserably in its presence. "Yeah!"'s crunk-meets-R&B foundation, featuring an instantly addictive eight-note keyboard vamp and one of Usher's most muscular turns, is so absorbing that Ludacris' 1500th guest verse floats by with little notice. The following "Throwback," produced by Just Blaze, sounds like it was made for the sole purpose of trailing Alicia Keys' "You Don't Know My Name." Like that hit, "Throwback"'s sensitively treated soul sample provides a nostalgic tint that complements the wistful, regret-filled tone of the lyrics. A small batch of Jam & Lewis productions, including the effortlessly gliding "Truth Hurts," continue to help raise Usher's loverman stock. Another pair -- the upbeat "Caught Up" and the aptly titled "Burn" -- also rate as some of the vocalist's best moments yet. He's been doing this for ten years now. Numerous chart hits have spun off each of his albums. Needless to say, the time is right for the phrase "just another" to be banned from use when discussing him. ~ Andy Kellman

Usher has been a symbol of tender sexuality ever since he shifted from teenage sensation to soulful superstar. He's breathtakingly good at what he does; possessing that undefinable essence known to a select few soul crooners (Al Green, D'Angelo, etc.) who radiate sensuality through song, Usher has reached an apex on the sultry CONFESSIONS, his fifth studio album.

After the obligatory intro, Lil Jon kicks in with his exhortations on the catchy, dance-floor-ready single "Yeah." Usher follows that up with the sublimely sweet "Throwback," a torch song with a fantastic Motown hook. On "Confessions Part II," he exposes his most vulnerable side when admitting to his lover that he's fathered a child with another woman. Exemplifying his versatility, Usher follows the standard pop ballad "Simple Things" with the guitar-riff-driven "Bad Girl," somewhere between 1970s funk and '80s Prince. CONFESSIONS is the sound of an R&B luminary at the top of his game.

Usher has been a symbol of tender sexuality ever since he shifted from teenage sensation to soulful superstar. He's breathtakingly good at what he does; possessing that undefinable essence known to a select few soul crooners (Al Green, D'Angelo, etc.) who radiate sensuality through song, Usher has reached an apex on the sultry CONFESSIONS, his fifth studio album.

After the obligatory intro, Lil Jon kicks in with his exhortations on the catchy, dance-floor-ready single "Yeah." Usher follows that up with the sublimely sweet "Throwback," a torch song with a fantastic Motown hook. On "Confessions Part II," he exposes his most vulnerable side when admitting to his lover that he's fathered a child with another woman. Exemplifying his versatility, Usher follows the standard pop ballad "Simple Things" with the guitar-riff-driven "Bad Girl," somewhere between 1970s funk and '80s Prince. CONFESSIONS is the sound of an R&B luminary at the top of his game.

Confessions' most detracting factor is its length. At an hour in duration, it could be stripped of five songs and be far more powerful, especially since no one would have to do any wading to get to the meaty parts. On the other side of the coin, the smartest move Usher makes here is in allowing the Lil Jon-produced "Yeah!" to take its rightful place as the only club track; any attempt at doing something stylistically similar would've failed miserably in its presence. "Yeah!"'s crunk-meets-R&B foundation, featuring an instantly addictive eight-note keyboard vamp and one of Usher's most muscular turns, is so absorbing that Ludacris' 1,500th guest verse floats by with little notice. The following "Throwback," produced by Just Blaze, sounds like it was made for the sole purpose of trailing Alicia Keys' "You Don't Know My Name." Like that hit, "Throwback"'s sensitively treated soul sample provides a nostalgic tint that complements the wistful, regret-filled tone of the lyrics. A small batch of Jam & Lewis productions, including the effortlessly gliding "Truth Hurts," continue to help raise Usher's loverman stock. Another pair -- the upbeat "Caught Up" and the aptly titled "Burn" -- also rate as some of the vocalist's best moments yet. He's been doing this for ten years now. Numerous chart hits have spun off each of his albums. Needless to say, the time is right for the phrase "just another" to be banned from use when discussing him. [Six months after its initial release, Confessions was re-released with an expanded booklet and four additional tracks, including his duet with Alicia Keys, "My Boo."] ~ Andy Kellman minimize