But other than a guilty conscience, it seems unclear why Usher feels compelled to disgorge his secret life, as he documents his infidelities, transgressions and emotional perfidy in the album's prodigious 17 songs that range from insinuating sultry R&B grooves to the decidedly crunky "Yeah", which pairs an insistent keyboard romp with Lil' Jon's assertive beats and Ludacris' rather humid rhymes. This tracks shines all the more since it's the only club track, but you find yourself pining for more, since most of the other songs tend to get bogged down in his lush, feverish balladry. That's not a bad thing, but the disc would have been better served by a few more muscular tracks. --Jaan Uhelszki, Amazon.com

Description
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.