No one converts an apology into a come-on more suavely than Usher, who releases his eighth solo studio album, “Hard II Love,” this week. It’s a stratagem he perfected as far back as 2004 with “Confessions,” which became his best-selling album. “Hard II Love” begins with Usher speaking a blunt, three-word mea culpa in “Need U,” but he’s not even done with the first verse before he has begun his defense, arguing, “You hate to admit it, but you’d still take me back.” Soon enough, he’s trying to turn his remorse into a selling point: “I’ll take the blame, that counts for something/Man up and say I’ll own my mistakes.” Some sincere contrition, a request for mercy, an appeal to a longtime bond, a reminder of physical chemistry and voilá - he’s sweet-talked his way to another chance. Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs. Overall, though, the album showcases Usher at his peak, as Confessions allowed the then 25-year old artist to show his versatility and impeccable vocal talent. Then again, he concludes, “you could win it all.” That’s not the only show of regret on “Hard II Love.” The title song, with Usher mostly singing over the picking of a lone guitar, puts a Michael Jackson ache in his voice as he warns that he’s “hard to trust” and that loving him is a gamble. with over eight million copies sold, Confessions is a tour de force and one of the greatest albums of its time. It’s tricky terrain, being a penitent seducer, but Usher makes himself and his listeners comfortable there, where virtue is impure and temptation takes countless forms. Confessions Part I Lyrics 198.9K About Confessions This is Usher’s breakout, and considered by many his best album to date. Achieving critical acclaim, including a Grammy award for Best Contemporary R&B Album, as well as ending the decade as the second highest-selling album in the U.S.
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