Ne-Yo - Year of the Gentleman

September 22, 2008 by Willis
Filed under New Album - R & B

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Ne-Yo - Year of the Gentleman

“Earlier this year, Ne-Yo told Billboard he was bored by the R&B sound of his previous albums and wanted to take a different direction on “Year of the Gentleman.” However, it seems he still has a heavy—yet welcome—case of the (rhythm and) blues on the finished product. He masochistically instructs a partner to fib about her cheating ways on “Lie to Me,” while dismissing another love interest on the guitar-heavy “Back to What You Know.” The production is less dawdling elsewhere, as on “So You Can Cry,” where he offers aid to a heartbroken friend, and the pulsating, Polow Da Don-produced “Single,” where he suggests he become a fellow female club-goer’s temporary boyfriend. And while it got off to a slow start, the pure house single “Closer” has emerged as a durable hit; it’s No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week. —Mariel Concepcion”