A CD is always more compelling when you know it's lifted from the artist's autobiography, and that's certainly the case with Confessions, Usher's first record since 2001's 8701. The Atlanta singer's string of hits over the past decade have been decidedly under-18s rated, almost veering towards teen pop, but he's changed all that on this coproduced offering, which he claims is "the real him". It would be too simplistic to just brand this record a break-up record, chronicling his public split with TLC's Rozonda "Chili" Thomas; it is that, but so much more. It would be more accurate to call this Usher's coming-of-age record, bridging the gap from boy to man, as he navigates the emotional fallout from the disintegration of his relationship and the events that led up to it--real or imagined.

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