Ne-Yo: Year of The Gentleman

On his third studio album, ‘Year of The Gentleman,’ Ne-Yo takes a different approach to his music. Says Ne-Yo, on his Myspace page, “As a songwriter as well as a singer, I think it’s important to cast my words wide. In other words, I am not trying to contain myself in some little box marked urban. I have traveled the world, and I want to bring that across in my material. Forget about urban, pop, or whatever, ‘Year of The Gentleman’ is a worldly album.” Although Ne-Yo certainly explores new territory on his new album, it isn’t exactly worldly. In fact, the album still has strong elements of R&B, but what makes it different from his previous work is the techno-house sound added to it. “Closer,” the first single off ‘Year of The Gentleman’ and the first track, is a perfect example of this. The song has an up-tempo rhythm intended to make the listener dance, heavily making use of various electronic sounds. “Nobody,” the second track, sounds similar, but comes off much smoother than “Closer.” Sings Ne-Yo, sounding reminiscent of Michael Jackson, “She hit the floor and make the club ignite/She’s like a sexy little fire/She keep em’ begging for more, if you play it right/she’ll fulfill your every desire.” As a songwriter, Ne-Yo is just as good as when he writes for other music artists, however sometimes when he sings you can’t help but wonder what the song would sound like if someone else was to sing it (call it an occupational hazard). Ne-Yo stated that he has traveled throughout Europe, visiting clubs and getting the feel of the music. Europe is big on techno-house and it’s clear Ne-Yo is drawing influence from that, but ‘Year of The Gentleman’ strays off course a bit in a number of tracks, taking him back on the R&B side of things. “Single” and “Mad” are examples of this, however the songs lack the tenderness found in Ne-Yo’s previous R&B songs. In addition, the lyrics aren’t as captivating, coming off a bit generic. Tracks such as “Why Does She Stay,” a heartfelt song that has Ne-Yo singing about not being the man he’s suppose to be to his lover, and “Fade Into The Background,” an intriguing song that places Ne-Yo as a guest in his ex’s wedding, helps the listener remember why Ne-Yo has become so popular today as a singer/songwriter. Although ‘Year of The Gentleman’ stands out from Ne-Yo’s previous albums, it isn’t exactly a leap forward or a departure. The album almost seems as if Ne-Yo is testing the waters, tentatively exploring whether straying away from his traditional sound and style is a good move or not. When it comes right down to it, ‘Year of The Gentleman’ may be a must-buy for fans of Ne-Yo, but for newcomers, it may not resonate with them.