Not above being freaky

The drought is over and it's all because of Ne-Yo. The lead single from his upcoming Know Me album, "Because of You," has been the soundtrack of my life for the past two weeks (at 110 bpm, it's a great track to hustle around the city to, and if you want me to stomp down 180 stairs...). That propulsive beat is 4/4, which makes "Because of You" this weird hybrid of disco and MOR R&B (is that arpeggiated keyboard mimicking a harp?). To me, it sounds like it was written slower and the disco element was some ingenious afterthought -- the pre-chorus bridge (starting with: "I got a problem..."), wherein Ne-Yo calls and responds to himself, is exhilarating because for a moment, it seems like he's not going to fit in everything he needs to say, that his own beats are planning to stampede their master. Sonically, this track is about as bizarre as music you can listen to with your mom gets.

But then, like "I Want Your Sex" or the moany breakdown of Jade's "Don't Walk Away," you might not want to listen to it with your mom, after all, for backing up the sonic discord is a lyrical one. Ne-Yo has the voice of a goody-two shoes, sweetly competent and never aggressive, which means he can get away with a lot. Last year's single "When You're Mad" was basically about sexual masochism ("Everytime you scream at me / I wanna kiss you / When you put your hands on me / I wanna touch you"), and similarly, "Because of You" takes on sex addiction. Though the "you" of the title is probably supposed to be a woman, he's really singing to a vagina. Certainly, he's singing about it: "Think of it every second / I can't get nothing done / Only concern is the next time / I'm gon' get me some / Know I should stay away from / 'Cause it's no good for me / I try and try but my obsession / Won't let me leave." If you think this is a song about general co-dependency, I have a patch of Melody Beattie's pubic hair that I'd like to sell you.

Ne-Yo is an asset to R&B on his songwriting ability alone -- he loves pre-chorus bridges that strike tension so that the chorus becomes this pay-off. His songs feel good. They're catchy, but more importantly, singable, which makes his appeal probably have more in common with that of Stevie Wonder than anyone else actively shaping R&B today. Factor in the subtlety subversive subject matter, and Ne-Yo is like Stevie with a surprise in his pocket. A surprise like a shiv. Or, I don't know, precum.

After the nuclear holocaust there will be three things: cockroaches, Cher and a drum loop from Taana Garnder's mid-tempo disco classic "Heartbeat." The-Breaks.com lists 16 songs that have sampled the track (two Top 10 hits among them: Ini Kamoze's "Here Comes the Hot Stepper" and the remix of SWV's "You're the One"), but it's missing the newest entry in the I-can't-believe-it's-not-a-pantheon: Musiq Soulchild's "B.U.D.D.Y." If invoking "Heartbeat" yet again is cheap, it barely matters -- the freshness (in a gimme-a-piece-of-Ice-Breakers-because-I-have-macking-to-do kinda way) of "B.U.D.D.Y." is testament to "Heartbeat"'s perfection. A more explicit ode to the fuck buddy than its obvious inspiration and fellow "Heartbeat" sampler, "Buddy" by De La Soul, Musiq's message is "We can fuck, but don't cry to me." You wonder if he's butching it up because of the disco musical context. You wonder if he's protesting too much, but you know how straight guys can be.

Bobby Valentino's "Anonymous" is yet another Timbaland fast slow jam featuring an ascending synth that sounds like it's disintegrating under the weight of the hollow beat's slight stutter (Justin Timberlake's "My Love" and Omarion's "Ice Box" preceded it). Oh, and it has that beatboxing with a split-tounge thing, also in "My Love," that Tim's been doing for years. Not that I'm complaining -- each of these tracks in the lineage sounds better to me than the last, as though Timbaland is constantly refining and perfecting. Can you imagine how great this song is going to be, whatever the incarnation, in a year's time? But with all this ballady repetition from a supposedly future-minded auteur, I can't help but wonder: is Timbaland the new Babyface? Will he eventually not achieve perfection but mundanity because he's repeatedly hitting us with what is essentially the same thing? After years and years and years, I think I finally understand what "whip appeal" means.

And speaking of great hip-hop/R&B producers from the South, Polow da Don isn't one. Yet. He's responsible for some greatness (Ciara's "Promise"), some garbage (Fergie's "London Bridge") and a lot of mediocrity (Pussycat Dolls' "Buttons," Luda's "Runaway Love"). He handles the bulk of the beats on his protege Rich Boy's self-titled debut, and suffice to say, Rich Boy is no Supa Dupa Fly. Sure, the first single, "Throw Some D's" is dumb Southern fun with a twist: a fairly bizarre integration of Switch's 1979 ballad "I Call Your Name." The rest of the album doesn't have such unlikely samples and most of the time, it isn't even that fun. A major exception is "Touch That Ass" which will probably bunch up the panties of those who are especially proud to wear them. If you must, ignore Rich Boy's lewd come-ons, and the track will pay off -- Polow uses the template of the futuristic-in-'05 "Drop It Like It's Hot" as a springboard into forward-thinking. Like on "Drop," things start out with little more than a beat and a seconds-long instrumental flare-up every 16 bars or so (here it sounds like a magically synchronized marching band popping in and out). Instead of continuing the quiet/minimalism fetish that "Drop" kicked off (and sustained throughout), though, Polow piles on the layers throughout -- it feels like he has a destination he's driving you to and when you get there, you find Rich Boy practically singing over whistling and an electrocuted bass line. It feels like progress. And though Rich Boy is crude all the way through ("If I fly you first class / Can I touch that ass?...Now, I don't mind throwin' cash / Can I touch that ass?"), there's also something gently absurd about his lyrics. If taken literally, he's got some mild tactile fetish that'd be perfect for a John Waters movie. He's on the verge of molesty throughout, but never quite there because he asks for what he wants so nicely. "Let's play a little game, Simon says / Simon says won't you give Rich Boy some head?" Well, when you put it like that, who could resist?!

To counter all this testosterone, ladies lead the throwback of the week, Kut Klose's "I Like."

Kut Klose were a group of Keith Sweat proteges -- you can hear them on "Twisted" and "Get Up On It" (and, additionally, frontwoman Athena Cage sang with Keith on "Nobody"). Under Keith's tutelage, they released their sole album, Surrender, in 1995. "Nobody" turned out to be a prophecy because that's about as many people that bought it (though my then-16-year-old ass did). It was a mid-tempo- and ballad-heavy post-new-jill-swing disc, nice enough but lacking in personality. The undeniable highlight was the single "I Like," which wasn't a smash or anything, but from a certain segment of the population, still elicits a strong response. I'm not even sure why I like this track so much (or why I've been listening to it on repeat lately) -- I think it has to do with the fact that at the time, a lot of quiet-stormy slow jams of this style were sort of maudlin despite themselves and "I Like" offered a rare flicker of unabashed sweetness. That and the fact that, "I like the way you sex me," is among the most bluntly kind things you could tell a person. Again, I ask, who could resist?!?

Comments

[Josh]

Definitely going to have to check this out. Thanks, Rich.

[James Derek Dwyer]

wake me up when straight-up disco is back. It's coming sooner than you think...

[b_g]

thanks for the update. unfortunately, I was distracted by the weird "video" for the Ne-Yo track (nice!). Kids are armed w/iMovie and taking names....why?!

[Michael]

I've been listening to "I Like" regularly since 1995. I adore that song.

[true]

i thought you were going to write about xibit (the rapper), which would be strange.
that first picture of Ne-Yo looks just like him.

[don beezy]

i love kut klose i like i thought i was the only one that played it on repeat or gave it four stars on launch. nice to know i'm not alone

[ochimama]

Heartbeat is my jam!

As for B.U.D.D.Y., I'm wondering, did R.Kelly produce that track?

[grownnsxc]

I love Ne-Yo's writing ability. But his actual persona is kinda annoying...

There's something not genuine about him. Like he's hiding something. And I don't quite think that he is singing to a vagina but rather to another part having to do with male anatomy...

Something told me that the remainder of Rich Boi's album was going to be shit...

I had Kut Klose's entire cd...couldn't get enough of "I Like"

[ME]

I'm loving all those songs

[Barbara]

Speaking of Ne-yo getting away with a lot in his lyrics how about in Sexy Love when he says:
she makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up just one touch, and I erupt like a volcano and cover her with my love

That shit is pornographic(but it made me fall in love with him)!

[ETS]

Rich, I've told you once. I'll tell you again. You really are a great writer. We disagree sometimes, but when we're on. We're on.

Isn't it sad that this song sounds new, fresh and innovative? I mean, the song doesn't deserve those adjectives, but given the current climate, I'm pretty accurate.

I totally feel you on this:
"To me, it sounds like it was written slower and the disco element was some ingenious afterthought -- the pre-chorus bridge (starting with: "I got a problem...")"

Musiq's Buddy is just lukewarm. It won't be a hit. We need more.

Glad I'm not the only one who tought Runaway Love was just OK.

I like Anonymous' production. I do not like Bobby's voice.

"Get Up On It" is my SH*T!

That is all.

[reddahlia01]

The first time I heard "Because of You," I instantly liked it, but then I realized it was because it reminded me of some old-school Jackson (Janet, Michael, pick one). It's a good jam on its own, though.

[Tremayne]

I'm sorry, but Ne-Yo is a man that I simply cannot stand. Porn is around for a reason, and I don't really need to hear an entire album about it. God he gets on my last nerve. Also, dude is butt ass ugly.

[Ed]

That Ne-Yo song ain't a hit. I can see radio playing it though just cause it's Ne-Yo.

Regardless, you have great taste in music Rich. I want to steal your iPod. I love any Whyte Boi that can appreciate R&B beyond Teena Marie, Justin Timberlake, and Robin Thicke (Lost Without You is my jam of the moment though). I would marry you just cause you like the same music as me.

Keep up the great R&B posts.

"How you doing?"

[B*tch please]

I've never liked any of Neyo's songs, really nice lyrics but his mediocre singing turns me off.

[Milan]

I actually disagree wholeheartedly about the Ne-Yo. I caught this single at a really opportune moment and was looking forward to the song building up onto itself, but it didn't.

The qualities you admire about him are consistently overshadowed by mediocre vocal technique, misstep in lyrics, and generic beats. The recipe for this "...you're the sweetest drug..." single? Throw some 'Human Nature'-era Michael Jackson over some sped-up porno beats from the early 90's.

I'll take Robin Thicke over any of these Ne-Yo's. There's something promising in such raw talent.

[fendie]

Have u heard the new Elliott Yamin track "Wait For You". It sounded like something Neyo and Stargate would do. Maybe its a leftover..But Im likin it. If only they have given him Neyo's lyrics too it sure will be fun to watch. haha.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/elliott-yamin-wait-for-you-myspace-rip-lem-blogbus-com-mp3.html

[fendie]

link got broken.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/elliott-yamin-wait-for-you-myspace-rip-lem-
blogbus-com-mp3.html

[Carly]

Rich Boy's forehead is so Kenyan, it kills. <33333

[IDJ]

I LOVE THIS SONG! i agree wit everythin u wrote about it! I also wanna add that hes a great person and very humble. Im always surprised by how nice he is since hes so successful. (perks of workin at a record label) From what I been hearin I can tell u this albums fire. They need to release the other singles asap cuz they even better (if u ask me)

[Sumsayer]

Rich I feel u when I heard the song I heard the little disco groove .. definitely a song to bump in the ipod, it will groove in lounge setting and bang on the floors.. some felt this song wasn't his best effort but like IDJ said they have more songs on the album that are even better.. Ne Yo gonna build with us on this album.. first song next song even better.... progression....that is what it is all about..

[Iman Miller]

I can't wait to cop Ne-Yo new album I love his because of you song and I know he's going to have a lot of hot joint on his new album Because of You. I am so in love with his sexy self. I hope he doesn't have a girlfriend.

[1AM]

I think the album will be hot .. he is spreading his pen and paper as a songwriter.. ha ha and being sexy can only help a brother..