HARD II LOVE
| Usher
HARD II LOVE
Hard II Love is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter Usher. It was released on September 16, 2016, by RCA Records. Recording sessions took place between from 2014 to 2016, including the executive production from Usher, alongside Mark Pitts, Jaha Johnson, and its co-production by Coup D' tat. It features contribution for its album's production by Brandon "B.A.M." Hodge, Rock City, Pop & Oak, PartyNextDoor, D'Mile, Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, Metro Boomin and Raphael Saadiq, among others. The album was supported by four singles: "No Limit" featuring Young Thug, "Crash", "Missin U" and "Rivals" featuring Future.-Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Pitchfork
2016 - On his eighth album, Usher sounds better than he's sounded in ages, proving he will not go gentle into that quiet stormy night.
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Rolling Stone
That adventurousness defines Hard II Love, which manages to stretch the boundaries of R&B while winding toward the brooding atmospherics that have enveloped much of pop over the past 12 months.
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Spin
it is the most complete portrait of a persona whose charm lies in vulnerability and sketches of intimacy
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Albumism
proves hard to like
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Vogue
2016 - It’s a tough feat, but on Hard II Love, Usher bends soundscapes favored in today’s music taste to his own advantage. He shines when blending R&B and hip-hop, and he does just so on this album—not as effortlessly as desired
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The National
feels like a low-energy experimental project packed with lacklustre songs
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All Music
this is the most pleasing Usher album in over a decade. In terms of ability, agility, and creativity, Usher's vocals still crush the commercial competition.
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Howl & Echos
It’s easy to listen to, it lets Usher’s voice breathe, where it has been constricted across his last few LPs. It just isn’t quite as memorable as I’d hoped.
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Idolator
Usher has embedded his place in music so deeply that he’s now flying above any current trend.
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You Know I Got Soul
not only his greatest achievement, it’s his greatest curse
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The Observer
Usher’s singing is still unparalleled in his field, and he doesn’t need the big complicated trap-style production or vocal effects and enhancements of this album to make his voice heard
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El Broide
R&B is a genre where the singer shines and I’m glad Usher is staying in his lane – and crushing it.
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Ocolly
Usher’s beats in his eighth studio album, Hard II Love, save him from the dirt bag lyrics weaved throughout a couple of standout tracks.
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Pop Matters
Usher tries too hard to stay current and gets lost in the process
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The Observer
Even the tracks designed to gain some traction at the clubs simply do not have the capability of gripping the audience the way Usher has in the past.
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Immortal Reviews
it might be one of the weakest records in his discography. This sprouts from nothing more than the fact that the album is just plain underwhelming.
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Renowned for Sound
Even if it’s not necessarily the most distinctive, Hard II Love is one of Usher’s best albums, proving once again that he deserves all his success.
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The Musical Hype
an enjoyable effort
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We Plug Good Music
he still delivers a good body of work
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Parle
Hard II Love isn’t necessarily hard to love, it’s just difficult to push replay
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Star2
If you’re looking for thumping dance tracks in the vein of his previous hits OMG, Scream or Yeah!, there really isn’t much here, which contributes to Hard II Love coming across a little glum as a whole.
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Water Cooler Convos
On Hard II Love, Usher is finally carving out a musical identity all his own.
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Cryptic Rock
There is no question that Hard II Love is a solid R&B album. The low-light atmosphere gives older charm to modern ideas, and Usher’s vocals highlight the details.
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Spectrum Oulse
there are moments here that are damn close to spectacular, and if you're an Usher fan, like I am, you'll enjoy the hell out of this
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Roseanblog
Hard II Love is a welcome return to an R&B Usher, and an Usher that makes multiple hits per record instead of just one or two decent singles.
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Bens Beat
a surprising return to form for the aging former child star and world-dominating R&B force
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This is RNB
On his eighth studio album, Hard II Love, he pulls rank—reminding the younger cats that he’s a Trap Soul pioneer.
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Mansfield/Richland Public Library
Usher has made another classic musical masterpiece
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Fresh Thoughtz
The album is very well produced and of course with Usher being the vocal powerhouse that he is every song has potential to be a hit single.
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Blavity
it does offer some great songs
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Z 90.7 FM
did prove to be a cohesive body of work due to the fact that it maintained its focus on its central message, which was established in the beginning of the album
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Banded Box Magazine
Usher has released another great album.
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Soul Bounce
The worst songs on the album are still much better than much of what passes for R&B and pop music these days.
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ABC News
when it hits its marks, it really hits them
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Pop Central
It’s a solid album, a very well-made R&B crossover that shows the maturity and research of a talented and smooth crooner with a lot of talent.
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Survivordean
Usher completely takes his pro career to a higher level.
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Longview News-Journal
This album just wants your phone number but only tries really greasy lines to get it.
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The Saint
proves to be easy to love
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Album Out!
All in all, this home chill type of LP deserves the spot in your new collection
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The Underground
After a few years of experimenting with different genres and tones it seems as though Usher has finally found his groove.
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Traklife Live
Usher is able to stay relevant by constantly evolving with the times, but staying true to his unique artistry. His melodic vocals go so well with the production that keeps his music sounding fresh track to track
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The Sentry
Usher’s brand of sexy, sad R&B goes beyond its use in the bedroom and tries to repair a part of our humanity—most often without us recognizing it
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