(Def Jam Records)
- reviewed by Danitha Jones
The album Because of You is worth buying; it's filled with beats that draw the listener in and the usual R&B topics.
"Addicted", "Say It", and "Angel" are not Ne-Yo's greatest pieces. The songs are not trash; they're just the ones that take a while to get a feel for.
The hottest song on the album is of course, the collaboration done with Jay Z, "Crazy".
The track "Leaving Tonight" with Jennifer Hudson is a possible hit, no complaints on that.. well maybe one, it drags by. Of course Jennifer Hudson outshined Ne-Yo on the track, as she did the alleged 'star' of Dream Girls. "Go on Girl" sounds like the male version of "Irreplaceable"; the beat and his flow are very similar to Beyonce's sound.The album does not seem like a good follow up to In My Own Words. There are a few songs that have 'bring it back' potential. I wouldn't run the whole album over again, just selected tracks. It's a possibility that it could have been rushed because the R&B game is hot right now, and his competition is on their way back out.
| -- Degrees -- | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 90 | 100 |
| 1. Because of You |   | |||||||||
| 2. Crazy | | |||||||||
| 3. Can We Chill | | |||||||||
| 4. Do You | | |||||||||
| 5. Addicted | | |||||||||
| 6. Leaving Tonight | | |||||||||
| 7. Ain't Thinking About.. | | |||||||||
| 8. Sex With My Ex | | |||||||||
| 9. Angel | | |||||||||
| 10. Make It Work | | |||||||||
| 11. Say It | | |||||||||
| 12. Go On Girl | | |||||||||
Entertainment Weekly - B+ "Ne-Yo sometimes lets his polite style shade into stiffness. But when he finally gives his id room to breathe.. he shows he can handle racy themes and aggressive beats without dumbing down or sleazing up his songwriting. Hopefully next time he'll feel ready to take a few more risks."
Los Angeles Times - 2.5 stars "This Ne-Yo album makes no secret that it's mainlining Michael Jackson and Prince for inspiration.. But the young songwriter lacks enough artistic weirdness to follow in the deified footsteps of the King or the Prince.. "Sex With My Ex" and "Addicted" are adequate Prince homages, with their chugging electric guitars and churchy organs. But most of the other songs are too formulaic to be truly addictive."
Slant - 2 stars "nothing here matches the smooth pop of "So Sick" and "Sexy Love," and there are at least two other young stars out there doing the MJ thing better. If Ne-Yo is a Michael acolyte, he's also got a bad case of Janet.. Ne-Yo is pictured in the album's booklet with a pen in his hand, a not so subtle reminder that he's a "writer," but if "Sometimes I love you more than you'll ever know/Other times you get on my nerves" is the sign of quality R&B songwriting then the genre is in more serious trouble than ever.
Steam Meter Rating
I LOVE "Addicted". I loved this song the first time I heard it. It is very catchy. I believe that Neo is a very talented songwriter...not dancer. So Neo please leave it to Chris Brown.
good album. expectin better, since the first one was blazin but this one still good.
ne-yo i think this is a good cd i love you
this albut is the panty wetter----SAY IT will make me always say it
The album is absolutely fantastic. There wasn't any club bangers, however the slow jams made up for it. Good Job Ne-Yo
I love this CD. Its one of those albums that i can put on and play the whole thing back to back without changing it. Although I like his first CD, Im really feeling this one alot better. Hell as a matter of fact Im listening to it right now! Na but my favorite songs are LEAVING TONIGHT, SAY IT, ADDICTED and GO ON GIRL. They might not be his best work but i still love them. I'm looking forward to his upcoming hits.