Summer Music Preview: 14 Hot CDs

Image credit: Erin Patrice O'Brien

NE-YO
YEAR OF THE GENTLEMAN

Ne-Yo has won a reputation as a go-to guy for R&B hits. The Atlanta-based singer-songwriter's first two sets of sleek, soulful tunes — 2006's In My Own Words and 2007's Because of You — went platinum; meanwhile, he has lent that same sound to the tracks he's co-penned for Beyoncé (''Irreplaceable'') and Rihanna (''Unfaithful''). But for his third album, Year of the Gentleman, Ne-Yo, 28, is citing some surprising influences, from pulsating Europop to the debonair stylings of the Rat Pack. ''I'm just getting into different kinds of music,'' he explains. ''The album won't really be 100 percent urban.'' So expect the trademark Ne-Yo sound�with some twists along the way. (Scheduled release: Aug. 5)

TRACK BY TRACK

''So You Can Cry''
Finger snaps and loungey orchestration breeze by as Ne-Yo consoles a dumped friend (''I'm sorry, I won't attend your pity party/I'd rather go and have calamari''). ''It's about a homegirl of mine who...turned into a complete recluse.'''

''Closer''
A propulsive house beat from producing duo Stargate powers the first single. ''I spent a lot of time in London last year. That's where the inspiration came from — the whole dance thing. 'Cause that's all you hear over there, and it feels good.''

''Nobody''
Tight guitar rhythms climax in a gnarly solo, as Ne-Yo describes a sexy lady in a spot-on Michael Jackson falsetto. ''Every album, I do at least one song paying homage to him. This year I actually got to meet him — I'm working on his new album — so it was really important to do a good one this time!''

Previews written and reported by Jason Clark, Clark Collis, Josette Compton, Eric Ditzian, Leah Greenblatt, Shirley Halperin, Gregory Kirschling, Jeff Labrecque, Loren Lankford, Tim Stack, Tanner Stransky, Simon Vozick-Levinson, and Margeaux Watson