thinking clearly

USHER IS THINKING CLEARLY

Author: Jordan Zivitz
Source: The Gazette (url)
Date: September 18, 2003

David Usher is proud to be a freak.

"All of us are crazy now," the Moist vocalist sings on his ethereal third solo album, Hallucinations, a few minutes before declaring, "the freaks are out, we're in force tonight." But Usher stresses he's not writing from an outsider's perspective.

"I think the freaks are the ones that aren't charging ahead with patriotism and conservatism, that still believe in people's choice and that people should be able to live the way they want to," Usher said last week during a Montreal promo blitz. "Those are the people that I'm talking about, and I definitely include myself in there."

Lucid thoughts, considering the album's title. Hallucinations isn't an abstract, dream-world work; Usher, who has become an increasingly straight-ahead lyricist, seems preoccupied on the disc with gaining a clear-headed perspective.

"Usually individuals live outside the moment; you've got phone calls to make, bills to pay, you've got this to do and that to do. Being satisfied with where you are at this moment is very difficult. Usually when you have crises in your life, when someone's ill or somebody dies or there's a big world event, then suddenly mortality becomes very immediate and the moment comes crashing in on you, but other times in daily life, it's very difficult to just live right here. ... That's a very big focus of my life right now."

When Usher released his solo debut, 1998's Little Songs - "a desperate record" whose intimacy couldn't have been replicated by the more anthemic Moist - there was little indication that his solo venture would be more than a one-time thing. The ubiquity of the 2001 follow-up, Morning Orbit, confirmed he had a full-blown second career - one that's now overtaken his primary career, which has been inactive for more than three years.

Although all of Usher's Moist mates contributed to Hallucinations and Morning Orbit, the singer benefits from the freedom of working outside the brand name. "I really like the ability to use all sorts of different instruments, all sorts of different players, and the freedom to take sounds from anywhere. Go with whatever musical style or vibe or groove that I feel is right for the song. I'm very motivated by that - the idea of building a soundscape the way I see it in my head."

Usher's solo success was clinched with a Juno win last year for best pop album. When the singer stepped up to accept his award, he was visibly ... "stunned? I was sure Leonard Cohen was going to win.

"Awards shows generally frighten me. I'm very comfortable on stage and in interviews, when I'm talking about things that I sort of know about, but I find awards shows like speaking in front of the class. And I was terrible at that. ... I try to talk myself into it: 'You've played in front of tons of people! You can do this!' and it still freaks me out."

David Usher's Hallucinations is stores now. David Usher performs Wednesday, Oct. 22, at Club Soda, 1225 St. Laurent Blvd. Tickets cost $23.50. Call (514) 790-1245.

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