Neyo’s In My Own Words: A Songwriter’s Solid Debut

Songwriter Shaffer C. Smith a.k.a. Neyo has crafted a magnificent collection of songs for his debut effort. There had to be a lot of pressure for Neyo being that he had one of the most anticipated albums of the year thanks to his previous successful songwriting experiences. His debut album, In My Own Words, does live up to the hype. In topics ranging from his love of music to making love, Neyo paints vivid pictures of life and love and the situations surrounding the latter.

When I heard Neyo’s first single, Stay, I enjoyed the song so much and thought he showed so much promise that I knew he would become a hit. However, Stay didn’t really catch on, but thanks to his follow up single, So Sick, Neyo has found success as an artist and I’m sure he’ll be around for years to come.

Track 1: Stay featuring Peedi Peedi (5/5)

Stay is a lyrically astounding song. When I first heard it I assumed Neyo was talking about his love for a girl. Upon further listening of the song, I realized he was talking about music. The line “wearing my heart on my sleeve, music” really confirmed it. I loved the metaphors included in this song. Also the song has great production and features a guest appearance by rapper Peedi Peedi a.k.a. Peedi Crack. Although this song failed to become a huge hit like I though it would (and I’m usually right), it still was a great introductory single for Neyo.

Track 2: Let Me Get This Right: (3/5)

There’s not a lot to say about this song. It’s basically a song about taking a relationship to the next level and Neyo is trying to see if he and his girl are on the same page. The annoying thing about this song is that it reminds me of Bow Wow’s “Let Me Hold You” especially when Neyo sings “Let Me Get This Right.” Other than that it’s an okay song.

Track 3: So Sick (5/5)

This is one of the best R&B songs released so far this year. In this song, Neyo is telling his ex that he’s “So Sick” of the things that reminds him of her. No matter where he goes or what he does, he is reminded of her. However, he can’t force himself to stop doing things that reminds him of her. The lyrics are great as well as the production and the hook is very catchy. With all of these great qualities, it’s no wonder this song became a number one hit.

Track 4: When You’re Mad (5/5)

Neyo’s singles just keep getting better and better. When the intro to the song starts, you know that you are about to hear a masterpiece. This is musically one of the best songs on the album. It has that carefree laid-back vibe to it. This song finds Neyo telling his girlfriend how sexy she looks when she’s mad and how much he wants her when they argue. It may seem kind of cheesy but it’s the truth.

Track 5: It Just Ain’t Right (2.5/5)

On this track, Neyo is telling his ex how much he thinks about her even when he’s with his current lover. I wasn’t really impressed with this song. Lyrically it’s okay but the production is annoying and it seems all over the place. I would have given it lower than a 2.5 but the vocals are excellent.

Track 6: Mirror (2.5/5)

I thought this was a weird song when I first listened to it. It’s basically about making love in front of a mirror. No one can say that Neyo isn’t original. I’ve never heard anyone sing about this before. Overall I thought it was just an average song which is why I gave it the middle ranking of 2.5.

Track 7: Sign Me Up (2/5)

In this song, Neyo is trying to convince a girl that he’s committed to doing everything it will take for him to be her man. The production is a bit bland and so is the melody.

Track 8: I Ain’t Gotta Tell You (3.5/5)

This song finds Neyo praising a young lady for her looks and her appearance. Although I wasn’t “wowed” with this song, I think it’s pretty decent.

Track 9: Get Down Like That (5/5)

This is another masterpiece on the album. Neyo samples the Ojays’ song “I Swear I Love No One But You.” (Mary J. Blige just recently used the same sample on her new album.) A lot of people need to listen and think about this song. It’s a song about resisting temptation. Neyo is telling a girl he met that even though he is tempted he will not cheat on his girlfriend. You can hear it in his voice that he really wants to but he doesn’t give in to temptation.

Track 10: Sexy Love (5/5)

This is by far the best song on the album. When I first purchased the album, I thought that if Neyo released this as a single, it would blow up and I was right. It has very slick but smooth production. It has a great melody and a very catchy hook. The lyrics are also among the best on the album. In this song, Neyo talks about how good inside his girl makes him feel. It’s like he gets goose bumps just thinking about her. The phrase “She makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, with just one touch” summarizes it all and it’s appropriate that he starts and ends the song with this phrase. I thought that was a very smart choice for this song.

Track 11: Let Go (4.5/5)
This song finds Neyo not being able to let go a girl even though everyone tells him it’s the right thing to do. The production and vocals on this song are great. This is another solid track.

Track 12: Time (5/5)

This song is up there with “Sexy Love” as far as having the best lyrics. This song finds Neyo giving advice to the men out there who are taking their relationships for granted. The music for this song fits the lyrics perfectly. Neyo delivers exceptional vocals, especially toward the end.

Bonus Track: Get Down Like That remix featuring Ghostface Killah (5/5)

It’s basically the same song as the original version except Ghostface adds a rap to it. He’s a great lyricist and it shows on this remix.

Overall, Neyo’s In My Own Words is a brilliant masterpiece that every R&B fan should have. It’s one of the better debut albums in the last few years. There were a couple of missteps on the album, but overall it’s consistent. I expect Neyo to be around for a while and not only as a songwriter but as a successful artist as well.

Overall rating for the album: (4/5 stars)