Usher is releasing his brand new album, Hard II Love, this Friday, but if you’re a Tidal subscriber, you’ve got the opportunity to stream it on the service right now. Hard II Love is the R&B crooner’s eighth overall record, and fans haven’t gotten an album from him in over four years since he came out with Looking 4 Myself in 2012.
Though it’s been a long time coming, all is forgiven if Hard II Love turns out to be a great album, so was it worth the four year wait? So far, it’s shaping up to be worth it, as over the past few months we’ve got the chance to hear album tracks such as the beat-driven “Rivals,” the groovy club-bumper “No Limit,” and the R&B throwback, “Missin U.” Additionally, the Latin-influenced “Champions” and the Future-assisted “Rivals” show that no one track is the same, and once you hear the record in full, you see just how well they fit together in context with the rest of the songs.
Other notables and can’t-miss Hard II Love jams include “FWM,” which is perhaps the catchiest on the record, and “Tell Me,” an eight minute epic with Usher’s voice soaring throughout.
Hard II Love, despite its title, is actually not all that hard to love. With some of the best material that Usher has released in years – and arguably even in his career – it’s a solid addition to the singer’s extensive discography. If you’re craving some more Usher in avenues other than just music, you can check him out in the new film, Hands of Stone, which is now in theaters.