Album Review: Usher - Hard II Love

The title itself is a giveaway: we are off on another adventure with Usher, the loveable bad guy.

It's an act that's kept our attention for more than a decade for a reason: a sinner admitting his sexy sins, apologising and being redeemed - free to sin another day - is compelling. Missin U and Tell Me are good microcosms for this contrast. The former is a massive banging sex jam, while Tell Me is a secret, sensual swoon. No Limit is a stop-start triumph, Usher on the prowl while Thugga brings the mania in the background. After all, if you're Hard II Love, you need a wingman to make you look better by comparison. All told, compelling stuff.