Libra Scale

Ne-Yo’s new album is built on a story and dwells on serious issues

In the recent past established hip-hop performer Ne-Yo was well-known for high-tempo activity releasing an album per year. The young man was forced to slow down after his third studio effort, Year Of The Gentleman (2008). In 2009, we expected another fresh album, yet got only a compilation plainly called The Collection. There was nothing to worry about because the new studio record, Libra Scale, was scheduled to be released next year. It did happen so, but Ne-Yo on several occasions announced a delay explaining this with a very packed timetable. As of now, the musician is much into television, takes part in various shows and shoots videos on end. The latter has to be the best promotion for Libra Scale. Ne-Yo is definitely influenced by the all-time legend of Michael Jackson, attempting to make his videos short motion pictures with plots. Besides, the singer has stated that the album itself has a concept behind it, power, money and fame impacting an individual’s life. Common mortals are too distant from problems like that, while Ne-Yo is ripe to think about. This man can afford anything he wants, enjoys unbounded popularity and seems eager to share his personal love stories with the audience.

A young man’s story

Libra Scale is opened by Champagne Life, a track authorized to introduce the main characters of the story. We come to know three young men who waste their lives. The company’s leader played by Ne-Yo himself clearly enjoys all the things happening to him and looks willing to turn this moment into eternity. We could divide the album’s tracks into three groups. The biggest one store the songs depicting our character’s entertainments as he wanders around clubs an restaurants, flirts with beauties (Know Your Name, Telekinesis) and even shoots a film (Makin’ A Movie). The smallest category has only two tracks placed right in the heart of the record. These are soft lyrical compositions about this man’s falling in love mindlessly, One In A Million, and Genuine Only. The third group features songs showing the guy’s disappointment with how he has lived (What Have I Done) and his desire to settle everything (Crazy Love, ’Cause I Said So). Well, on top of it, there is an excellent dance number called Beautiful Monster, one that looks like a hit of the season.

Michael Jackson’s apt pupil

Talking music, we have to admit that Libra Scale is a first class R&B record with supreme dance rhythms and top quality keys shaping beautiful tunes. Ne-Yo did not have to think of anything new here for he has been doing things like that on four albums getting better every time. Ne-Yo takes lessons from Michael Jackson and openly copies his performing manner. Writing a good song and singing it skillfully is not a big deal for this man, but he was too ambitious to record a novel-album or a story-album. To make us understand he would have had to shoot videos for all the tracks off Libra Scale. The idea deserves praise and recognition, but the record will be remembered for its music, not lyrics. We have only ten songs here for slightly more than forty minutes, while none of the numbers looks extra, which is a good sign of high professionalism shared by all those involved in this project. So, we do not find any grounds to expect Ne-Yo’s following records to be any worse.