Recent Articles

Recent Articles by Ben Westhoff

National Features >

  • Miami New Times

    Amazons a Go-Go

    Big girls, little guys, lots of fun.

    By Natalie O'Neill

  • SF Weekly

    The Rise and Fall of "The Monster"

    Gay porn star Michael Brandon goes from meth addict to anti-drug crusader--and back.

    By Ashley Harrell

  • Dallas Observer

    My Two Sons

    Andrew and Freddy Velez are the first brothers to die in America's War on Terror.

    By Megan Feldman

Usher

Here I Stand
LaFace/Sony BMG

By Ben Westhoff

Published on July 03, 2008

At least on Usher's last album, Confessions, he was being honest. He was essentially admitting to being a cheating scumbag, and that's what made it interesting. But his followup, Here I Stand, finds him a married father, and he admits to little more than cyber-cruising. "I'm chatting, this ain't cheating, just telling myself a lie," he sings on "Appetite." Rest assured, though, he will "bend them a bit, but never break the rules." Elsewhere, he leaves the debauchery to will.i.am on "What's Your Name," and to Jeezy and Weezy on two versions of "Love in This Club," a monster of a track. You could worry about Here I Stand's blatant disingenuousness — or simply let it whet your appetite for Confessions II.



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