Track Listing
1. Closer
2. Nobody
3. Single
4. Mad
5. Miss Independent
6. Why Does She Stay
7. Fade Into The Background
8. So You Can Cry
9. Part Of The List
10. Back To What You Know
11. Lie To Me
12. Stop This World
| Details | | Producer: | Chuck Harmony, Ne-Yo, Polow Da Don, Shea Taylor, Shomari "Sho" Wilson, Star Gate, Syience | | Distributor: | Universal Distribution | | Recording Type: | Studio | | Recording Mode: | Stereo | | SPAR Code: | n/a |
Album Notes
Personnel: Ne-Yo (vocals); Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Syience, Shomari "Sho" Wilson (various instruments); Bernt Rune Stray, Brandon Thomas, Jesse Bond (guitar); Robert "R.T." Taylor (guitars); Igor Szwec, Emma Kummrow, Rob Martin, Olga Konopelsky, Gregory Teperman, Charles Parker (violin); Alexandra Leem, Davis Barnett (viola); Jennie Lorenzo (cello); Shea Taylor (strings, piano, synthesizer, bass instrument, drum programming); Micayle "the Mack" McKinney (keyboards).
Audio Mixers: Kevin "KD" Davis; Jaymz Hardy Martin III; Phil Tan.
Arrangers: Chuck Harmony; Larry Gold.
The R&B singer, songwriter, producer, and all-around hit-making machine known as Ne-Yo works his magic yet again on YEAR OF THE GENTLEMAN. Different from your average R&B crooner of the day, Ne-Yo backs away from overt sexuality, instead aiming for subtle romantic ballads that vary from playful innocence to brooding melancholy. Lead single "Closer" is unique as Ne-Yo works his silky smooth voice over a poppy house track. Overall, YEAR OF THE GENTLEMAN is consistent in this respectfully seductive approach to the fairer sex. In "Nobody," an awed Ne-Yo sings the praises of his love interest--"Can't nobody strut like her/Can't nobody touch her"--and the second single, "Miss Independent" is as close to a feminist anthem as the R&B genre has come in years. Production work comes from Polow da Don, Stargate, Chuck Harmony, Stereotypes, and Ne-Yo himself.
Editorial Reviews
Ne-Yo excels with his heartfelt lyrics, but tear-jerking moments are not all he has in his arsenal...
XXL
[T]he 28-year-old Southerner with the Michael Jackson falsetto not only wears his heart on his sleeve, he lets it bleed down his cuff... Grade: B+
Entertainment Weekly
Ranked #33 in Rolling Stone's 50 Best Albums Of 2008 -- [B]ringing harmonically rich songcraft back to hip-hop soul...
Rolling Stone
4 stars out of 5 -- Beyond its genuine lyrics, GENTLEMAN also proves that Ne-Yo is a brilliant pop omnivore, gifted with a silky voice and an ability to pull everything from the Beatles to Stevie Wonder to clubland synths under his sonic umbrella.
Rolling Stone
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