Rating: 7/10 – VERY GOOD
Usher’s latest venture, Coming Home, is an album that deftly encapsulates the breadth of a career spanning over three decades. With this album, Usher doesn’t just tread the familiar ground of his R&B roots; he takes a grand leap into a myriad of sounds and emotional depths, making “Coming Home” a multifaceted exploration of genre, feeling, and artistry.
The album kicks off with the title track, “Coming Home,” featuring Burna Boy, which immediately sets a tone of warmth and introspection. The collaboration is seamless, blending Usher’s smooth R&B vocals with Afrobeats in a way that feels both novel and familiar. This track, along with others like “Good Good” featuring Summer Walker, shows Usher’s knack for choosing collaborators who enhance, rather than overshadow, his sound.
However, Coming Home is not without its moments of experimentation and, at times, inconsistency. Tracks like “I Am the Party” and “Cold Blooded” find Usher in his element, delivering performances that are both vocally impressive and emotionally resonant. “Cold Blooded,” in particular, stands out as a testament to Usher’s ability to convey deep emotion through his music, with its sultry, trap-infused beats and operatic backing vocals.
Yet, for all its highs, Coming Home sometimes stumbles into areas that feel less inspired. Tracks such as “Kissing Strangers” and “Keep on Dancin'” may not hit the mark for all listeners, suffering from a blend of unremarkable beats and lyrics that don’t quite live up to the rest of the album’s storytelling.
Despite these moments, Coming Home is ultimately a reflection of Usher’s evolution as an artist. It’s an album that doesn’t shy away from exploring new territories while still grounding itself in the R&B sensibilities that made Usher a household name. The production, handled by stalwarts like Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox, ensures that even the less stellar tracks are well-crafted.
One of the album’s most striking qualities is its emotional range. From the introspection of “Ruin” to the unabashed romance of “Luckiest Man,” Usher navigates a spectrum of experiences and sentiments. “I Love U” is a particular highlight, channeling ’80s funk with a performance that might just be one of Usher’s best vocal displays to date.
Coming Home is an album that, much like Usher himself, refuses to be pigeonholed. It’s a testament to Usher’s continued relevance in the music industry, showcasing his ability to evolve while still paying homage to his roots. While not every track may resonate with every listener, the album as a whole stands as a compelling addition to Usher’s discography, offering enough variety to appeal to fans old and new. Coming Home is not just a return; it’s a renaissance. Check out “Good Good” below: