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CD Review: Ne~Yo
Title: Because Of You
By: Kenneth
Ne-Yo has spent the past several years writing hit songs for artist
such as Mario, Rihanna, and Beyonce. Last year, Ne-Yo finally released
his long awaited debut album titled In My Own Words, which
debuted in the top five on the album chart. Now on his sophomore album
Because of You, Ne-Yo wants to re-capture that magical pen and
pad ability that won him recognition on his debut and on the work of his
peers.
The album starts off with the Michael Jackson influenced title track Because of You. The dance groovy Because of You is reminiscent to pop icon Jackson’s work done on Off The Wall. Along with Because of You, Crazy which features a cameo from label boss Jay-Z is another standout track. In his 30 second rap, Jay-Z refers Ne-Yo to that of a young Michael Jackson and himself to Quincy Jones, leaving Ne-Yo to shine on the rest of the track. The Heavyweight produced Do You seem to pick up where Ne-Yo’s No.1 hit So Sick left off. Where he asks his ex-lover does she still reminisce about him after she has moved on with her life? Rapper Jay-Z and Academy-Award winner Jennifer Hudson are the only guest and cameo appearances made on the album. Hudson appears on the duet Leaving Tonight with Ne-Yo, which at times Hudson’s theatrical vocals make the song sound like part of a Broadway musical. Other standout tracks on the album are Make It Work, Say It, and Go On Girl. The last track, on the album Go on Girl, could be like the male version to Ne-Yo’s No.1 hit with Beyonce Irreplaceable, with its similar arrangement and lyrical content.
Overall, the album is less impressive than his previous works. The album seems to be flooded with Michael Jackson, Prince, and Usher influenced songs which take away from the originality we are used to from Ne-Yo.
B-