8701 [LP]

1	Intro-Lude 8701 0:44
2	U Remind Me 4:26
3	I Don't Know 4:26
4	Twork It Out 4:42
5	U Got It Bad 4:07
6	Pop Ya Collar 3:35
7	If I Want To 3:46
8	I Can't Let U Go 3:28
9	U Don't Have to Call 4:29
10	Without U (Interlude) 0:53
11	Can U Help Me 5:35
12	How Do I Say 5:39
13	Hottest Thing 3:49
14	Good Ol' Ghetto 4:00
15	U-Turn 3:11
16	T.I.P. 3:41
17	Separated 4:24

Barnes & Noble

Singer-cum-actor Usher Raymond provides a happy medium between flamboyant showboats like Sisqó and seasoned romantics like Brian McKnight. Since his multiplatinum sophomore disc, My Way, exploded onto the charts and airwaves with the inescapable singles "You Make Me Wanna" and "Nice and Slow," Usher assumed the role of the badass young prince of R&B-flavored pop -- which is where his third disc, 8701, picks up. This time around, the Atlanta native once again joins forces with his mentor and the disc's executive producer, Jermaine Dupri, and under his tutelage Usher's conceited vibrato gains momentum on songs such as the Neptunes-produced club jam "You Don't Have to Call" and the bouncy "If I Want To," on which he boasts: "If I wanted I could take you from your man." But the real payoff arrives when Usher teams with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis on the catchy, up-tempo first single, "U Remind Me," and heartfelt ballads such as "Can U Help Me," where Usher sounds like he's being brought to his knees by the threat of his woman leaving. 8701 packs enough charisma to satisfy Usher's diehard fans while delivering the vocal maturity to silence critics who may have written off this young Romeo as just another two-hit wonder. Neo Brentacious

Vibe

[*** stars] Usher, the Prince of Pop Soul, is back at ya with a consistent third album that has a good chance of staying afloat in a marketplace overflowing with crooning R&B clones. Pop ya collar to that, O Royal One. Jason King