Ne-Yo’s planning something a little different for Year Of The Gentlman, his third album in as many years. “There’s some stuff on there that sounds like something the Beatles might’ve done. There’s some stuff on there that sounds like something Billy Joel might’ve done. I can’t do just straight urban music no more, because to be completely honest with you, I’m a little bored with it. I’m just moving with what music excites me now.” While “What Would Billy Joel Do?” isn’t a game I’d recommend to anyone, Ne-Yo’s earned some faith after making my favorite single of 2007 and one of the best albums of 2006. Judging from the oft-quoted “I won’t attend your pity party/I’d rather go have calamari,” from “So You Can Cry,” maybe he’s just into “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant.”

Still, the best reason to be excited about the new album is the single, “Closer.” Vocally he’s moved from “Because Of You”’s Off The Wall ease to the claustrophobic hottie-fear of MJ’s later work, but the music is total house. I’m curious to see how they’ll try to hide Ne-Yo’s glamtastic eyebrows in the upcoming video. Sunglasses? Tilted at? Sunglasses and tilted hat?