As ripe as he seemed on albums like Here I Stand (2008) and his world hit Confessions (2004), singer Usher Raymond sometimes comes across on his new album Raymond v. Raymond. The title was inspired by the movie Kramer Vs. Kramer, who tells the story of a divorce between a married couple. Since the entertainer also became involved in a widely discussed divorce after his last CD, we expect an album
… with mature, personal revelations à la Confessions. It is therefore very disappointing to hear that the singer falls into old tricks and is apparently too busy in 'the club' to provide his music with any depth. Sexually tinged tracks like Lil Freak, She Don't Know, OMG and So Many Girls seem out of place on a record with this title, to say the least. The theme of separation is not mentioned enough to speak of a credible, coherent whole. For a record with an album title that suggests the complexity of certain commitments, Raymond v. Raymond sounds too casual. In addition, there is a shortage of memorable tracks due to a marginal production. (GL)more