Libra Scale is Ne-Yo's fourth studio album that was first released on October 27, 2010 in Japan and in the United States on November 22, 2010 by Def Jam Recordings and Compound Entertainment.
Tracklisting[]
- Champagne Life 5:23
- Makin' A Movie 3:52
- Know Your Name 4:07
- Telekinesis 4:22
- Crazy Love (featuring Fabolous) 3:50
- One In A Million 4:03
- Genuine Only 3:56
- Cause I Said So 3:49
- Beautiful Monster 4:11
- What Have I Done? 3:51
Album Background[]
According to Ne-Yo, the idea for "Libra Scale" emerged from three influences: his desire to do something different instead of a standard compilation; his interest in science fiction, comic books and Japanese animation; and inspiration from the works of Michael Jackson (particularly "Thriller", "Moonwalker" and "Bad").
Originally a short movie was to accompany the album, but such proved not to be viable given time and monetary constraints, so Ne-Yo chose to develop a series of six extended music videos instead.
Nevertheless, the film concept continues to influence the work, as he has stated the songs on the album are inspired by the script of the film that he wrote.
The album features a number of songs which follow the story of Jerome and Pretti Sinclair. The album's title is a reference to Libra, Ne-Yo's astrological sign.
The album's concept explores a story questioning morality and both sides of the Libra Scale: the decision between money/power/fame versus love.
The story follows three garbage men: Jerome, Clyde and Leroy, who are offered everything they have wanted in return for protecting the city against a forthcoming threat. However, there's a catch: they can never fall in love.
When Jerome (Ne-Yo) falls for Pretti Sinclair (Galen Hooks) disaster ensues, and he has to choose between his love for her and the fame, power and money that he had been given, as he must choose between her life and his own.
Chart Performance[]
"Libra Scale" debuted at #9 on the Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 112,000 copies in the United States.
Critical Reception[]
"Libra Scale" received generally favorable reviews from most music critics.
At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 73, based on 14 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".
Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone awarded the album with four stars out of five, commenting that "the real concept here is: Michael Jackson tribute album. And a damn good one."
Andy Kellman of Allmusic gave the album three and a half out of five stars, stating that "Ne-Yo remains a premier source of R&B that is both traditional and contemporary."
Todd Martens of Los Angeles Times gave the album two and a half out of four stars, commenting that "Ultimately it's admirable that Ne-Yo felt the need to take listeners on a out-of-this-world ride, but he's at his best when sticking closer to home."
Elysa Gardner of USA Today gave the album a score of three stars out of four and said, "This electro-savvy song cycle, involving a squad of superheroes and a love interest with a femme fatale alter ego, may not boast Ne-Yo's strongest hooks to date. But Libra Scales [sic] does confirm his affinity for balancing old-school romance with a youthful, fluid sensuality."