Ne-Yo's fourth CD, 'Libra Scale'

OK, so the back story for Ne-Yo's fourth album, "Libra Scale" (Compound/Def Jam), is that he and his friends are garbagemen who are granted special powers to become a group of crime-fighting superheroes called The Gentlemen.

Really. There's a Stan Lee comic book and everything.

It's an interesting concept, though a more fitting one would probably be where the talented songwriter channels his respect for Michael Jackson into a collection that honors him in the best way possible.

While "One in a Million" calls to mind the R&B ease of "Remember the Time," and "Champagne Life" feels like it could have come from the "Invincible" days, it's the update of the "Off the Wall"-era disco on "Cause I Said So" that should make the biggest impact, along with the thrilling Euro-dance smash "Beautiful Monster."

Ne-Yo- "Libra Scale"

THE GRADE B+

BOTTOM LINE Smooth criminal, er, superhero