Usher: 'Moving Mountains'

While Usher may lack the credibility of fellow US stars Kanye West and Jay-Z, he more than matches the hip-hop heavyweights when it comes to sales. Despite a lukewarm critical reception, his Here I Stand album equalled the chart success of his last two LPs, debuting at number one in the UK. His smooth falsetto croon isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it certainly sells.

'Moving Mountains' finds the Dallas-born R&B star regaling a tale of romantic woe: "I've been standing in gas and you have been the flames," he squeals over a slow-tempo groove. It's a decent vocal performance technically, but it's hard to take Usher completely seriously when he insists on wailing each line as if an elephant's just planted itself on his baby toe. Proof, if any were needed, that Usher Raymond VI should stick to party bangers in the future.


> Click here for our review of Usher's album