Albums of the Week
Ne-Yo
“R.E.D.”
★★
HOW frustrating. Ne-Yo’s “Year of the Gentleman” (2008) was an R&B masterpiece, but 2010’s “Libra Scale” stiffed; his tossed-off hook on Pitbull’s dance hit “Give Me Everything” got far more play. “R.E.D.” chases that sound with blaring synths (“Let Me Love You,” “Unconditional”), tacked-on dubstep bass (“Be the One”) and heavily processed vocals (the gross oral-sex ode “Stress Reliever,” his nadir). There’s also a Tim McGraw guest spot (“She Is”), just to cover the demographic bases.
But when the production works, things click, as on “Carry On,” a restrained rock ballad, and the outlandishly beautiful “Jealous,” which recalls vintage Michael Jackson.
Aerosmith
“Music From Another Dimension!”
★ 1/2
IT’S been 11 years since the last Aerosmith album, and with Steven Tyler grabbing his time in the spotlight via an “Idol” stint and a horrendous memoir, he’s back in business with the band. This tired album adheres to the strict formula established with 1987’s “Permanent Vacation,” alternating practiced raunch (“Out Go the Lights”) with big, bawling ballads (“Tell Me,” the unintentionally hilarious “We All Fall Down”). It’s all tied together by Tyler singing every good-time cliché there is — including his own, since he quotes “Walk This Way.”
Downloads of the Week
E-40 and Too $hort Feat. Wiz Khalifa
“Say I”
★★ 1/2
THE latest rap-veteran pairing puts two very different Bay Area stylists together: E-40 is rambunctious, Too $hort laid-back. This barreling cut from the double CD “History: Mob Music and Function Music” pays tribute to getting wasted, with a chorus that calls for someone to be a designated driver (or the equivalent).
Kylie Minogue
“Better the Devil You Know”
★★★
FOR her new CD “The Abbey Road Sessions,” the Aussie pop queen remade her great 1990 hit as Adele-style chamber-pop. Kylie can’t sing like Adele, but she can sing like Kylie — and here that means sounding like a grown woman as well as a pop queen. The song remains superb.
Andy Stott
“Luxury Problems”
★★★★
THE deepest, wooziest dance recording of the year is UK house producer Stott’s hauntingly beautiful “Luxury Problems.” The album’s poppiest moment is the title cut, in which an insinuating, grinding low end and the phased, breathy vocals of Alison Skidmore are interrupted, deliciously, by bright disco samples.
Swizz Beatz Feat. Chris Brown and Ludacris
“Everyday Birthday”
★★ 1/2
“EVERYDAY is your birthday and I hit the floor” is one of the more nonsensical choruses to come along in a while. On this track from his new “Limitless” mixtape, rapper-producer Swizz utters it over what sounds like a rave circa 1992: oscillating siren, tinny breakbeat, pulsating synths. Luda sounds wide awake; Chris Brown is Auto-Tuned to a lullaby.
Major Lazer
“Jah No Partial”
★★
INITIALLY a duo with UK dance producer Switch, Major Lazer is now the dancehall-leaning sole domain of Philly super-producer Diplo, whose hits include M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” and Usher’s “Climax.” This stand-alone single combines Jamaican MC-ing with grinding dubstep sub-bass. It’s hooky, but pretty empty, too — more lab result than workout.