Music : Ne-Yo 'Year Of The Gentleman'

Album Review :

Artist : Ne-Yo
Album : Year Of The Gentleman
Release Date: September 16, 2008
Number of Discs: 1
Label: Def Jam
ASIN: B0018QCXGO
Genre : R&B, Contemporary R&B, Soul, dance pop

Description :

"Closer," written by Ne-Yo and produced by Stargate, is the first single from Ne-Yo's upcoming third album, YEAR OF THE GENTLEMAN, set to arrive in stores June 24th. It is the follow-up to Because Of You (released May 2007), which received this year's Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album, and In My Own Words (February 2006) - both of which debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.

In addition to his Contemporary R&B Album award, Ne-Yo earned four other Grammy nominations this year, including two for his collaboration with Rihanna, "Hate That I Love You" (which he co-wrote), namely Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance Duo/Group; as well as Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for his #2 hit "Because Of You"; and Record of the Year for Beyoncé's "Irreplaceable" (which he co-produced). Ne-Yo's Grammy recognition followed up the UK's 13th annual MOBO (Music Of Black Origin) Awards in September 2007 - the only televised European Awards Show solely dedicated to urban music and culture - at which he won for Best Song ("Because Of You") and Best R&B Act.

Ne-Yo's RIAA platinum debut album In My Own Words was nominated for a Grammy as Best Contemporary R&B Album. It spun off three chart-topping hits, starting late-2005 with his debut Def Jam single, the #1 Grammy-nominated "So Sick," followed by "When You're Mad" and "Sexy Love." Ne-Yo capped 2006 as Male R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year at the Billboard Music Awards. At the The 21st Annual Soul Train Music Awards in February 2007, Ne-Yo won the Coca-Cola Award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap new Artist for "Sexy Love."

Album Review :

By Mark Edward Nero, About.com

Ne-Yo's third studio album, Year of the Gentleman, released Sept. 16, 2008 in the U.S., will probably be remembered most for the singles "Closer" and "Miss Independent," but its legacy will probably be about much more than hit songs. Because this is the album where Ne-Yo makes two significant career moves: No. 1 he starts to create some separation between his vocal style and that of Michael Jackson, whom he's been accused of imitating throughout his career; and No. 2, he firmly establishes himself more on the pop side of the pop-R&B label that's been hung on him by music critics and fans since ever his debut album.
Versatile
Breaking away from Michael Jackson's vocal style is great - there should be only one Michael Jackson (and for many reasons, too). But heading in an even more pop - some might say watered down - direction and away from traditional R&B is something that might not sit well with some fans. But what Ne-Yo is actually doing is showing how versatile he is as an artist and how he can cross several different music genres and make them all work for him.

The first example is the album's opening track, the aforementioned "Closer." The pop-dance track is quite different from most things Ne-Yo's recorded in the past, and it takes a little time to adjust the ear to hearing him sing over the techno-light backing music, but his voice manages to ride the track effortlessly. Likewise for the snap music ballad "Single," in which he romantically croons about being a girl's replacement boyfriend - but only for a short while. And on the soaring, almost Gospel-like "Stop This World," which is arguably the album's best song, his vocals expertly straddle the line between strong and tender as he sings about being giddy in love, singing: "Okay, I woke up in heaven today, She kissed me, I floated away ... never felt anything so great." On the song he wants to freeze time because he knows that as great as love is, there's always two sides to it: "Alright, now I brace myself for the fights, somethin' must go wrong 'cause it's way too right," he muses. Honest, insightful, lyrics like these add to Ne-Yo's reputation as one of the best songwriters in all of music.
Great Style

Regarding his vocals, as mentioned above, he's toned down the Michael Jackson-isms, except on "Closer" and a couple of other songs. This is a good thing, but at the same time, in stepping outside the box, he reveals himself as a merely ordinary singer. A singer with a lot of passion and incredible lyrics, but still pretty ordinary when it comes to vocals. Which is another reason why his shift toward pop is easy to understand: pop music is filled with singers with mediocre voices, but great style and song production.

And style and good production are two things this album has in abundance. The aforementioned "Miss Independent," an ode to women who've achieved career success on their own, is maybe the album's most instantly catchy song; it's smart, sexy and stylish. "Ooh, there's somethin' about a young woman that can do for herself, I look at her and it makes me proud - there's somethin' about her," Ne-Yo coos on the song. "There's somethin' oh so sexy about a young woman who don't even need my help." And although traditional R&B may have taken a backseat on the album, it's not completely absent. A prime example is "Fade Into the Background," a slightly funky number about getting funny feelings while attending his ex's wedding. It's one of the few tracks on the album with live instrumentation, and it sounds great.

Overall, this is a very solid album. Despite is almost complete emphasis on worshiping women, he never completely comes across as pandering - or worse, as a wimp. Instead the album lives up to its title and Ne-Yo comes across like a complete gentleman.

Taken From : http://randb.about.com



Track Listing for "Year of the Gentleman"

1. Closer
2. Nobody
3. Single
4. Mad
5. Miss Independent
6. Why Does She Stay
7. Fade Into The Background
8. So You Can Cry
9. Part of The List
10. Back To What You Know
11. Lie To Me
12. Stop This World

Ne-Yo Year Of The Gentleman 3/12 - Single



Ne-Yo - Single lyrics

Everybody in the club right now,
Tell the DJ to turn it loud,
Dedicate man your favorite song,
Single ladies you can't go wrong,
Everybody in the club right now,
Tell the DJ to turn it loud,
Dedicate man your favorite song, .

[Verse 1:]
If you came here by yourself tonight,
Because he wouldn't pick up the phone.
He was suppose to bring you here tonight,
Couldn't find him so you came alone.
It don't matter cause you're here now,
And the music you're enjoying,
So for the next couple minutes,
Baby I'm a be your boyfriend.

[Chorus:]
Pretty mama if you're single,
Single, you don't gotta be alone tonight,
So while the DJ plays this single,
Single, just pretend that I'm your man tonight.

Said you don't gotta be alone,
I'll be your boyfriend,
Said you don't gotta be alone,
Girl I'll be your boyfriend,
Said you don't gotta be alone,
Baby I'll be your boyfriend (oh)
Be your boyfriend till the song goes out.
Said you don't gotta be alone,
I'll be your boyfriend,
Said you don't gotta be alone,
Girl I'll be your boyfriend,
Said you don't gotta be alone,
Baby I'll be your boyfriend (oh)
Be your boyfriend till the song goes out.

Everybody in the club right now,
Tell the DJ to turn it loud,
Dedicate man your favorite song,
Single ladies you can't go wrong,
Everybody in the club right now,
Tell the DJ to turn it loud,
Dedicate man your favorite song, .

[Verse 2:]
He don't tell you that you're beautiful,
Let me tell it to you to the beat,
He don't tell you that he loves you girl,
(Loves you, girl)
Let me sing it in a harmony.

Let my song get you higher (higher),
Cause we never have to come back down,
And if baby you should miss me,
Just have the DJ run it back now (oh).

[Chorus:]
Pretty mama if you're single,
Single, you don't gotta be alone tonight,
So while the DJ plays this single,
Single, just pretend that I'm your man tonight.

Said you don't gotta be alone,
I'll be your boyfriend,
Said you don't gotta be alone,
Girl I'll be your boyfriend,
Said you don't gotta be alone,
Baby I'll be your boyfriend (oh)
Be your boyfriend till the song goes out.
Said you don't gotta be alone,
I'll be your boyfriend,
Said you don't gotta be alone,
Girl I'll be your boyfriend,
Said you don't gotta be alone,
Baby I'll be your boyfriend (oh)
Be your boyfriend till the song goes out.

(Oh)
Be your boyfriend till the song goes out.

[Fade:]
Everybody in the club right now,
Tell the DJ to turn it loud,
Dedicate man your favorite song,
Single ladies you can't go wrong,
Everybody in the club right now,
Tell the DJ to turn it loud,
Dedicate man your favorite song