CONFESSIONS - Usher

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.
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 IV (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.
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.

• Genre: Pop
• Format: CD
• Released: 10/05/2004