Ne-Yo should need no introduction: he’s a famed R&B singer that’s been around since the mid-2000s, and this is his seventh studio album, and first since 2015’s “Non-Fiction.” While that album didn’t receive the best reviews out of his discography, it did include the big Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 single “Time of Our Lives,” and it did nothing to damage the legacy of the iconic R&B star, who dropped memorable albums like “In My Own Words,” “Because of You,” “Year of the Gentleman,” “Libra Scale,” and “R.E.D.,” and has released very popular songs like “So Sick,” “When You’re Mad,” “Sexy Love,” “Because of You,” “Closer,” “Miss Independent,” “Mad,” “Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself),” and many, many, many more. And that’s not to mention the many prominent features he’s seen on songs like Rihanna’s “Hate That I Love You,” Keri Hilson’s “Knock You Down,” Calvin Harris’s “Let’s Go,” and, of course, Pitbull’s “Give Me Everything.” In case that laundry list of singles didn’t tell you this already, Ne-Yo carved out quite a reputation for himself in the 2000s and the early 2010s.
Now, personally, I grew up on the man’s music. Ne-Yo was a big deal in the mid-to-late 2000s when I was in elementary/early middle school. It felt like Ne-Yo was always part of a hit song, and he was an artist that I definitely loved. Songs like the aforementioned “So Sick,” “Closer,” “Mad,” “Hate That I Love You” and “Give Me Everything” were everywhere at that time, and I used to bump them. Hell, “Give Me Everything” came out at a time where I didn’t really care to listen to what was charting, and I still quite enjoyed that song. I did end up moving away from Ne-Yo for a bit in my early high school years, but in 2015, I suddenly regained interest in his music and I would regularly listen to it once again. Not only did I rediscover those songs that I loved as a kid, but I found out about a number of his other songs that I would end up loving, like “Miss Right,” “Single,” and “Jealous.” So, being that Ne-Yo is an artist that I love, I was very excited going into this record. However, I was somewhat disappointed to learn that “Another Love Song,” a single he dropped last year that I loved and found to be very infectious and exciting, would not be on the album. I love that song and I feel like it deserved a bigger push than it got. Even so, let’s see if Ne-Yo can come through on this latest record, shall we?
“Caterpillars 1st” (Intro): So, Ne-Yo seems to start the album with the theme of growth and evolution. Caterpillar, cocoon, struggle, and then becoming, in his words, a “fly-ass butterfly.” And he also wants to “lead by example” with this album by talking about being a “good man” in this current era of sexual misconduct accusations. And I totally appreciate that, but when the vocalist on this one tells the “ugly girls” to get out of the way, I start to wonder if, in his mind, being a “good man” comes with a caveat of only being a “good man” to the “dimes.” Either way, I think that for those reasons, this intro track doesn’t do a good enough job of framing the album’s theme, and it leaves me more confused than anything.
1 MORE SHOT: On this song, Ne-Yo takes on something of a laid-back, tropical feel to start things off, and I was really digging it at first, but I feel like the song loses just a little something when it gets to the hook. Maybe it’s the 808-driven beat or the sudden busyness of it, but the hook does admittedly feel a bit clunky to me. Still, I do think that Ne-Yo retains his typical vocal charm on this one, and I think he does the best that he can with some hiccups in production and a lackluster hook. I dunno, though, maybe I need to listen to it a few more times and let it grow on me.
LA NIGHTS: I’ve heard some people say that Ne-Yo’s intent with this album was to recapture his old sound? Well, given the 808s on here and Ne-Yo’s pseudo-rapping on his verse, I do feel like he’s trying to play catch-up with modern-day music trends on this one. I do like some of the production, though (like the very smooth, beautiful keys), and I think Ne-Yo’s vocals remain very smooth and beautiful as always, but I’m not sure if I dig that pseudo-rapping I was talking about earlier. The whole start-stop flow he has just isn’t all that fun to me. Again, though, maybe it’ll need a few more listens to grow on me.
NIGHTS LIKE THESE (ft. Romeo Santos): This song once again takes on a bit more of a laid-back feel, with a slower tempo and a guitar-driven instrumental melody. Ne-Yo’s vocals are strong as always, even when he jumps up into his falsetto, and I think the hook on this one is quite fun. Featured artist Romeo Santos provides some smooth Spanish vocals on this one, though part of me feels like Romeo Santos was actually Ne-Yo’s Spanish alter-ego since their vocals sound so alike. Still, they both come through on this one, and the production around them provides a good support structure. Yeah, I dig it! Does actually feel a bit like older R&B, in fact.
U DESERVE: Taking things up a notch, this one’s got a danceable drum beat, but it’s also got a nice sensual vibe to it. It’s a song that feels like a nice compromise between Ne-Yo’s old sound and Ne-Yo’s attempt at playing catch-up. It feels like he’s got a grasp on what today's "radio music" sounds like, even though he’s been gone for several years. I do wish there was just a little bit more beef to the hook here, but at the very least, it does sound nice and it’s very catchy, so I’ll take it!
SUMMERTIME: Another more busy song, this one’s got a few weird things going on sonically. It’s got a very booming drum beat, but there are also some very pretty, dreamy synths behind the overpowering drums. Ne-Yo sounds wonderful as always, and I think his vocal flow throughout this one is pretty strong as well. I wasn’t crazy about the hook at first, but I actually think it’s quite sticky and fun. I do wish the song was a bit longer, though; right as I was really getting into it, it was over. I feel like it just kinda shrugged and ended, and I wished it had a bigger ending to it. Still, it’s definitely a nice song, even despite its short length.
PUSH BACK (ft. Bebe Rexha and Stefflon Don): Ne-Yo apparently still knows how to get stars on his tracks: here, he recruits the continuously-rising pop star Bebe Rexha (who is releasing an album next week that I plan to review), along with one of this year’s recently announced XXL Freshmen Stefflon Don, who you may remember appeared on the Deluxe Edition of Demi Lovato’s “Tell Me You Love Me” on the track “Instruction” with Jax Jones. That’s a pretty big combination right there, seeing two rising stars working with one of the biggest R&B singers of the 2000s, and overall, I think the song delivers on that level of promise. It’s a dancehall track that has a really neat, electronic beat and overall sticky production, Ne-Yo continues to bring effortless vocal charm, and I think the hook here is one of the most captivating choruses of the album. Bebe Rexha also brings some very gorgeous vocals to the song, and Stefflon Don’s patois-driven rapping is extremely fun. It’s a really different direction for Ne-Yo to try dancehall, but he and his fellow artists really stick the landing here and put together a really rock-solid single. I hope this one actually gets some more push on the charts, it’s pretty damn good!
BREATHE: Changing things up quite a bit, we have a much slower-tempo track that sees Ne-Yo taking on a more raunchy feel, as he continuously reminds the girl on this track to breathe during their sex so that she doesn’t pass out. Reading the lyrics definitely made me feel dirty, but hey, at least he’s still being a “good man” by reminding her to breathe and looking out for her safety. In any case, the song takes on a more trap-flavored feel, and while it’s certainly interesting and it’s got a nice drum beat, I think some of the percussion drowns out Ne-Yo’s vocal charm, which is a shame because I think the song has a really cool post-chorus, but it’s again drowned out a bit by filters and the percussion. Definitely not a bad track, though, even if the lyrics made me feel a bit like I needed a shower.
ON UR MIND (ft. PARTYNEXTDOOR): Ahh, now this was a collaboration I was looking forward to. While I don’t regularly listen to PARTYNEXTDOOR, he’s shown up on several of Drake’s projects that I’ve reviewed (pretty much everything since “Nothing Was the Same” minus the collaboration tape with Future), and he also showed up on Kanye West’s latest album “ye.” So, I have my experience with PARTYNEXTDOOR, and I’ve gotta say I’ve generally liked him quite a bit as a feature (not sure how he does as a lead artist, though I wouldn’t be opposed to reviewing his projects in the future), so I was pretty excited to hear this and, overall, I’m happy to say I enjoyed it! Great, very groovy electronic production, a really fun drum beat, and I think that Ne-Yo and PARTY mesh well together vocally. Even as he tries these new dancehall-flavored songs, Ne-Yo proves that he’s still got his musical chops after all this time, and he also seems to pick some pretty solid features as well. Really liking this one!
BACK CHAPTERS: Hearing this song gave me some vibes to Ne-Yo’s “Forever Now” from "R.E.D.," though it feels like it has a bit of a trap flavor to it. Even so, I don’t think I dig it all that much compared to some of the other songs on the album. Ne-Yo retains his usual vocal charm here, but nothing about his performance feels all that sticky, and the rather bombastic percussion just feels a bit bland as well. I also think the hook is one of the clunkier ones on the record. It’s a song that doesn’t really have a whole lot going for it outside of Ne-Yo’s vocal charisma, and while some songs can be sold on charismatic performances alone, this one just doesn’t seem to do that.
HOTBOX (ft. Eric Bellinger): Now, originally I thought this one was starting just like the last one ended (with moody instrumental production and an 808 beat), and while it does, the song reads as more of a slow-jam, and it’s got a more sensual vibe to it than the last track. Ne-Yo’s keeps himself in his lower register, but he retains his usual charisma on this one, and I find the hook here to be one of the more fun ones on the record. Featured vocalist Eric Bellinger also provides some very pretty vocals, though once again I did wonder if Eric Bellinger was another one of Ne-Yo’s alter egos because, as I said about Romeo Santos earlier, I didn’t think Eric sounded much different than Ne-Yo. Still, the two sound great up against the moody, airy production on this one, and I’m definitely really liking it!
OVER U: Right of the bat, I love the strings on the intro of this one! They sound gorgeous, and they mesh nicely with the more upbeat 808s. Ne-Yo’s vocal flow is also very strong, and the hook is once again very captivating and exciting. It’s another song that feels like Ne-Yo experimenting with some new elements sonically, but also sticking close enough in his comfort zone to appeal to listeners that grew up with his music in the 2000s. I definitely like where this one’s going, and I can definitely see myself coming back to it quite a bit in the future.
WITHOUT U: A much more spacey track with a very danceable beat, this song actually surprised me. As someone that’s very used to Ne-Yo having a squeaky clean, radio-friendly image and very school-appropriate lyrics, hearing him say “shit” and also drop the N-word actually made my heart skip a beat. Seems weird to say, but given that he was more “squeaky-clean” than his contemporaries (like Usher and Chris Brown), it just came off as weird to me. Either way, the song itself is very woozy, it’s got a very exciting hook, and Ne-Yo’s vocals sound great up against the instrumentals here. Good song!
APOLOGY: Hey, I mentioned Chris Brown and Usher when talking about the last track, and now I hear this one, and I definitely feel like I’ve heard things like this out of Usher and Chris Brown. It’s got the same kind of 808 beat, Ne-Yo’s vocals are filtered similarly, and I think his vocal inflection even reminds me of Chris and Usher, the former especially when he jumps up into his head voice. Even despite that, it’s a nice-sounding song and I think it’s got an emotional feel to it (it helps that Ne-Yo spends the song apologizing to many girls from his past), even though I think it could use a better hook, and some of the ad-libs are a little bit obnoxious. Still, it’s a decent song, just far from the album’s best.
OCEAN SURE (ft. Candice Boyd and Sam Hook): In a few ways, I hear this song and it just feels to me like a number of the cuts on the rest of the record. It’s a slow jam with a very similar 808 drum beat, and while Ne-Yo’s vocals remain as smooth and gorgeous as ever, I can’t say the same for one of his features: Sam Hook’s…ahem, “hook” is nothing all that special, and I’m also not all that crazy about his falsetto on this one. Candice Boyd does bring some nice vocals on her verse as well, but I think her performance takes a bit of a step backward when she tries to sing the hook, a hook that I think might be one of the album’s weakest. Yeah, I wasn’t all that crazy about it.
“The Struggle” (Interlude): This is just a ~30-second interlude where an anonymous, filtered voice just talks about that theme Ne-Yo brought up before of “caterpillars, cocoon, struggle, and butterfly.” Remember that theme? No? Don’t worry, I didn’t either because it’s hardly there for the record. I appreciate that Ne-Yo tried to go for something more conceptual with that, but given that he does little to develop it throughout the record, what’s even the point?
GOOD MAN: Interestingly, the title track of the album is actually the final song (not counting the bonus tracks, of course). I’m sure that’s happened on other albums that I’ve reviewed, but I’m just so used to it being one of the first few songs, so this is odd. Either way, this is a much slower song with a very smooth guitar melody, and Ne-Yo uses this cut to sing about what is the theme of the album: being a “good man.” Even though the track is more downtempo, it’s still plenty energetic and Ne-Yo’s effortless vocal charisma remains intact. I do wish there was a tiny bit more to the song (maybe the chorus one more time to round it out), but overall, it’s a very nice end to the Standard Edition of the album.
POUR ME UP: The first of three bonus tracks exclusive to the Deluxe Edition, this one actually takes on something of an electro-pop feel, and it honestly came across to me as a bit of a throwback jam. I like the very bouncy beat and the extremely bright synths on it, and Ne-Yo’s vocals remain as smooth as ever, meshing really nicely with the electronic instrumentals. I definitely think this is one of the most different songs on the record, and it’s definitely something Ne-Yo fans won’t be used to, but I definitely think it’s got a lot going for it, and I really dig it!
WON’T BE OFTEN: The second of the Deluxe Edition’s bonus tracks, this song keeps in with the electronic feel that the last one brought in, and I once again really dig the bright synth keys on here. The beat is also very snappy, and I like some of the vocal effects that Ne-Yo utilizes on this one, as they make it feel very vibrant but still unique. I also find it pretty interesting that, while the song is really upbeat and exciting, Ne-Yo’s vocals on the hook are pretty relaxed. It’s a very good track, and I definitely dig it a lot! Certainly gonna get several repeat listens out of me!
RESET THE NIGHT: Ending off the Deluxe Edition, the final song also retains the electronic instrumentals of the last few tracks. They’re a bit different than the instrumentals on the last two (they feel somewhat darker than the instrumentals on those ones), but the song still has a very thumping beat and a really groovy vibe to it. Ne-Yo’s vocals are gorgeous, the hook is one of the best on the record, and I tell ya, Ne-Yo seems to be taking well to this electronic music. His natural charm allows him to take on something like this, and stick the landing perfectly. He flows so effortlessly over the song, and it's definitely a great ending to the record!
Overall, I can definitely say I’m very impressed with this record. While it’s not quite Ne-Yo’s best (not by a long shot, in fact), I definitely think he comes through with some very solid tracks here and he continues to show us why he was one of the bigger musicians of the 2000s. It’s a nice compromise between the R&B style that made him who he is, but with some newfound electronic and dancehall crossover that feels like a natural evolution, as opposed to change for the sake of change. He also remains an excellent vocalist even after all this time (honestly, I’d say he hasn’t skipped a beat vocally here) and he also has an ear not only for very solid, spacey, and moody production but for some decent features. Grabbing big names like Bebe Rexha, Stefflon Don, and PARTYNEXTDOOR, the features help round the record out nicely and help it to become another solid record for Ne-Yo.
Now, of course, that thing I mentioned about the “caterpillar, cocoon, struggle and butterfly” theme still feels like it’s not developed as well as it could be, but that’s actually not too much of a bad thing, since it’s not the essential theme of the album (being a “good man” is), and that doesn’t really take away from my enjoyment of the project. And, yes, the album does get off to a bit of a slow start, and the fact that he’s putting out a 20-song record that’s just over an hour is a bit scary, but he overcomes that somewhat slow start and, for the most part, the album is pretty consistent from there. Actually, I was originally gonna give this a “Good” (and I probably would’ve if I had just listened to the Standard Edition of the album), but the Deluxe Edition’s tracks were so strong that they pushed the rating up a bit. Odd, right? Either way, Ne-Yo comes through on “GOOD MAN” with a pretty great album, and he proves that, even after all these years, he hasn’t lost his touch.
Nice work, "Good Man!"
Favorite tracks: NIGHTS LIKE THESE, U DESERVE, PUSH BACK, ON UR MIND, HOTBOX, OVER U, WITHOUT U, GOOD MAN, POUR ME UP, WON’T BE OFTEN, RESET THE NIGHT
Least favorite tracks: BACK CHAPTERS, OCEAN SURE, and the Intro and Interlude tracks (for feeling a bit tacked on)
Rating: Excellent
No comments:
Post a Comment