Libra Scale by Ne-Yo
Libra Scale is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Ne-Yo. It was released on October 27, 2010 in Japan, followed by a release in the United Kingdom on October 29, as well a release in North America on November 22, 2010 by Def Jam. The album is preceded by three singles: its lead Europop-oriented single, and the UK number-one hit "Beautiful Monster", as well the R&B singles "Champagne Life" and "One in a Million". Upon its release, Libra Scale has received favorable reviews from most music critics, the album opened at number 9 on the US Billboard 200, selling 112,000 copies in its first week sales, becoming his fourth consecutive top-ten album in the United States. It currently holds a 73 out of 100 on Metacritic, which indicates "generally favorable reviews", based on fourteen reviews, and has attained three singles that have achieved moderate Billboard chart success.
Ne-Yo is a musical triple-threat; singer, songwriter, and producer. Born in Arkansas and raised in Las Vegas, he spent many years grinding and paying dues before getting his big break in the mid-2000s, when he wrote the hit "Let Me Love You" for Mario, topping the charts for over two months. Signed by Jay-Z to Def Jam, his 2006 debut album <i>In My Own Words</i> spawned several huge singles, hit number one, and went platinum. <i>Because of You</i> and <i>Year of the Gentleman</i> followed setting the stage for this, his fourth album. Where his earlier releases were pretty much straight modern R&B, <i>Libra Scale</i> is a conceptual piece, centering on three men who must choose between true love vs. money/power/fame, while also paying homage to one of his biggest influences, the late great Michael Jackson. Produced by StarGate, Ryan Leslie, and others, it is his most interesting work to date, with unique story lines, highly danceable beats, and dominant vocals. Check out "Know Your Name", "Crazy Love", and "Beautiful Monster".
