On his third album, "Year of the Gentleman," Ne-Yo reins in his Michael Jackson complex, aiming for a more "mature" sound. The result is his most accomplished work but also his most boring. From the tastefully restrained album cover, all subtle creams and browns, to the CD sleeve, filled with pictures of Ne-Yo in a suit and tie, "Year of the Gentleman" clearly marks the singer's move from young man to adult. It's just a shame that he's lost some of his sense of fun in the process. See, to me, maturity doesn't mean excessive ballads. To Ne-Yo, though, being an adult seems to equal being sad a lot of the time, and a quick look at the track list confirms that this is almost a concept album about heartbreak: "Lie to Me," "So You Can Cry," "Fade into the Background"... I could go on.
Of the album's 12 songs, only two could fairly be called "upbeat." Luckily, "Irreplaceable" was no fluke: Writing catchy songs seems to have been cemented into Ne-Yo's genes, and even the slushiest tracks have infectious melodies. "Part of the List," despite being about as soppy as Celine Dion on a bad day, has an instantly memorable chorus. The same goes for the simpering, cringe-worthy "Stop This World." It's not that the downbeat tracks are bad, per se; it's just that there are far too many of them one after the other. Taken separately, most of them are brilliantly composed and arranged songs, from the crystalline melodic perfection of "Mad" to the falsetto-laced sympathy of "So You Can Cry." But placing the album's two upbeat tracks right at the front of the album is really a very silly idea, and after the adrenaline rush of the already massive single "Closer" and the MJ-channeling "Nobody" has died down, the album quickly becomes a somewhat repetitive rut of melodious moaning.
I don't want to sound too damning, though. Certainly, of the new wave of R&B crooners swamping airwaves these days, there's little doubt that Ne-Yo is the most talented, and not just because he seems physically incapable of writing a song that's not catchy. Two tracks in particular prove that Ne-Yo has the originality and ambition to keep going for years to come. First up is the slinking, seedy funk of "Fade Into the Background," in which Ne-Yo drunkenly raves at the marriage of an ex-girlfriend against a backdrop of popping bass lines and muted pianos. Even better is "Lie to Me," which, with its simmering synths and edgy lyrics, is convincing proof that Ne-Yo really can be mature and interesting at the same time. And of course it helps that the chorus is about as contagious as the plague.
In the end, that's what's so reassuring about an album like "Year of the Gentleman." Sure, it may be a bit syrupy, but Ne-Yo's refusal to succumb to contemporary pop music's obsession with production over melody is a refreshing change from the norm. No Timbaland single here, folks; no guest spot from will.i.am. The closest Ne-Yo comes to satisfying mainstream pop's obsession with flashy production is on the second single, "Miss Independent," and the song is one of the weakest on the album. Maybe, in the end, the album artwork did get something right: It shows Ne-Yo as a '40s man, bringing back the "Rat Pack" vibe of pin-striped suits, fancy ties and stylish hats. Well, his music may hardly sound like Frank Sinatra's, but there is something nice and old-fashioned about his steadfast commitment to solid songwriting.
3 out of 5
Pros: Strong songwriting and several stand-out tracks, especially "Lie to Me" and "Fade into the Background."
Cons: Too many downbeat tracks and a tendency to mistake slushy sentimentality for maturity.
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