Lessons In Love (album)

''Lessons in Love'' is the third studio album by American singer Lloyd. It was released by Young Goldie Music, Sho'nuff Records, The Inc. Records, and Universal Motown on August 4, 2008 in the United States. The singer reteamed with Big Reese and Jasper Cameron to work on the majority of the album. Additional collaborators included Adonis, Oak Felder, Eric Hudson, James "JLack" Lackey, and Polow da Don.

The album earned largely mixed reviews from music critics, some of whom felt that it was inferior to his previous work. It debuted at number seven on the US ''Billboard'' 200 and number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, with first week sales of 51,000 units. ''Lessons in Love'' spawned several singles, including " Girls Around the World" which peaked at number 13 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. It was Lloyd's final project to be released on The Inc. Records.

Production

The album was originally to be titled ''Sexual Education'' but was later changed to ''Lessons in Love'' for a more suitable title. Lloyd commented on the title in an interview with ''Blues & Soul'': "The title concept derives from a schoolboy fantasy of mine, where I become a professor of a classroom full of gorgeous girls, and I feel the best thing I can give them that's really worth having is lessons in love!" he said about the issues worked into the tracks. Following their participation on previous album '' Street Love'' (2007), the singer re-teamed with producers Big Reese and Jasper Cameron to work on the majority of the album, with additional production resulting from collaborations with Polow Da Don, Adonis Shropshire, James "JLack" Lackey, Oak Felder, and others.

Promotion

The first single, "How We Do It (Around My Way)" features rapper Ludacris, peaked at number seventy-seven on ''Billboard''s US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It also peaked at number seventy-five on the UK Singles Chart. " Girls Around the World" was the album's second single. It features the rapper Lil Wayne. The single was sent to US radio stations for airplay consideration on May 12, 2008. It peaked at sixty-four on ''Billboards Hot 100 and thirteen on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The third and final single was " Year of the Lover". The single version featured rapper Plies. It only peaked at number one on the Billboard Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles. "I Can Change Your Life" was supposed to be the fourth single from the album, but was cancelled due to the lackluster chart performance of "Year of the Lover".

Critical reception

''Lessons in Love'' received mixed or average reviews from critics. It holds a 60 out of 100 from Metacritic. In his review for ''New York Daily News'', Jim Farber wrote: "Lloyd comes off as randy, rather than skeevy, in part because his music avoids the low-down grind. By current R&B;'s slovenly standards, this is brisk stuff. But the crowning element remains Lloyd's light voice. His flutter offers just the right stroke." ''HipHopDX'' critic Crystal Craboy felt that "even though his short but sweet LP borders on being too sexy for his young fan base, there is a saving grace that lies within. Lloyd sings of sexuality within the confines of true love, a concept his counterparts have all but forgotten. And that within itself, takes ''Lessons in Love'' to the top of its class." Alex Macpherson from ''The Guardian'' felt that Lloyd "rarely strays far from a seducer's template, but the way in which he sells the cliche is compelling."

''Rolling Stone''s Christian Hoard gave the album three out of five stars, saying, "Throughout ''Lessons in Love'', Lloyd sounds like he's actually having fun dishing out come-ons, adding an emphatic exuberance to each one." AllMusic editor Andy Kellman wrote that ''Lessons in Love'' "cannot be dismissed, but Lloyd will have to really change it up with his fourth album to evade a real holding pattern." Sal Cinquemani, writing for Slant Magazine, remarked that ''Lessons in Love'' was "largely heavy-beated, midtempo ballads—a trend that is, admittedly, preferable to the schmaltzy AC ballads of the '90s and the drippy baby-makin’ jams of the recent past." ''PopMatters'' noted hat "the greatest tragedy behind ''Lessons in Love'' is that the album’s sporadic moments of charm and promise make it incredibly tricky to dismiss Lloyd’s efforts altogether."

Mark Edward Nero from About.com found that ''Lessons in Love'' was "not a complete waste of time, but unless you're a lovesick teenage girl, there aren't many songs that merit repeat listening. After breaking through with a very entertaining album last year, Lloyd has unfortunately taken a half-step back this time out." ''Entertainment Weekly''s Simon Vozick-Levinson noted that Lloyd "is blessed with a bright, soulful falsetto — the kind of voice that can elevate even mediocre material. Unfortunately, he’s forced to demonstrate that talent all too often on his third LP ''Lessons in Love''. For the most part, this is a bland blur of midtempo grooves and sub-R. Kelly metaphors." ''New York Times'' critic Jon Caramanica called the album "disappointing." He found that "unlike its predecessor, which gave Lloyd's tender alto room to breathe, much of the production here is gooey and distracting, too dense for Lloyd to make a dent in." Marguerite French of UGO Networks Lloyd's newest album has all of the fun and freaky elements of R&B ..Still, the lyrics and concepts are often laughable .."Have My Baby" and "Love Making 101" are some bright points, but more often than not the album tips the balance away from poetic seduction and into an embarrassingly bare description of some very private things."

Commercial performance

''Lessons in Love'' debuted at number seven on the US ''Billboard'' 200 and number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, with first week sales of 51,000 units. It was Lloyd's second top ten album on the US ''Billboard'' 200 and his first to top the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

Track listing

Personnel

*A&R – Henry "Noonie" Lee, Matty P
*Administrator &R Admin– Darcell Lawrence, Meredeth Oliver
*Art Direction – Sandy Brummels
*Coordinator &R Coordinator– Darcell Lawrence, Edward Richardson, Laura Giles
*Design – Lorna Leighton
*Executive-Producer – Henry "Noonie" Lee, Irv Gotti, Lloyd Polite Jr.
*Legal – Vernon Slaughter
*Management – Henry "Noonie" Lee, Ryan Lewis
*Marketing – Amber Noble, Dan "Dan Tan" Cooper, Donald "D-Day" Albright, Tatia Fox
*Mastered By – Seth Foster
*Photography By – Christian Lantry

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Release history

See also

* List of Billboard number-one R&B albums of 2008

References

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2008 albums
Albums produced by Big Reese
Albums produced by Eric Hudson
Albums produced by Polow da Don
Lloyd (singer) albums
Albums produced by Oak Felder