REVIEW: Usher new single 'Good Kisser' not quite a sloppy mess but it's no sensual R&B jam either [LISTEN]

Usher's last album, 2012's Looking 4 Myself, found the music industry veteran mixing his signature brand of R&B with electronic house music, EDM and a more generalized version of pop. While the album received generally favorable reviews from critics, fans largely rejected the album and it sold a mere 128,000 copies in its first week. Today (May 5), Usher released the first new single from his upcoming eighth studio album "Good Kisser," and possibly in a response to the so-so performance of his last record, he's returning to some good ol' R&B roots.

Usher first teased "Good Kisser" last week with a dance-filled music video that featured a stripped down thumping beat and a whispered refrain of "good kisser." That same bit of music opens up the new single, but after roughly 40 seconds, that beat drops and a far more retro, throwback R&B melody kicks in.

Little twinges of a Latin-inspired cowbell and a funky high-hat cymbal are sprinkled throughout "Good Kisser," which benefits largely from its funk-infused bassline and hard hitting vocals from Usher.

Though the music of "Good Kisser" may signal days of yore, Usher's actual vocals are insanely modern. Though Jason Derulo typically channels Usher in his performances, the half sung, half spoken delivery in the verses feels more like, well, a less talented vocalist than we know Usher is.

Luckily, he recovers in the pre-chorus and , which feature a falsetto so sweet and buttery that transitions into a silky near-baritone... with vocals like that, it'd be hard not to want to see whether or not Usher is a "Good Kisser" at 5 in the morning.

If it seems like "Good Kisser" is an inconsistent track, both musically and vocally, that's because it is. While Usher succeeds in each individual part of the song, the wide array of vocal styles and melodies don't really work well together. Thus, it makes "Good Kisser" more like a clunky first date kiss instead of a smooth, sensual and passionate act.

At least it's not a big sloppy wet one... ain't nobody got time for that.

Listen to Usher's new single "Good Kisser" below:

After playing around as a coach on The Voice and a guest act on several albums, Usher is prepping the release of his eighth studio album for 2014, with "Good Kisser" as the lead single. It will be his first effort since 2012's Looking 4 Myself.

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