Lalah Hathaway, “Let Go” (Stax/Concord). Written with Rex Rideout (Roy Ayers, Will Downing, Angie Stone) and Rahsaan Patterson (Brandy, Ledisi, Rahsaan Patterson), “Let Go” is an uncomplicated but richly detailed breakup tune in the shape of a gently lapping midtempo groove. What is with the Auto-Tune, though? It’s not a deal-breaker; it’s used only as an accent at the opening and closing of the song, thankfully, but the Cher/T-Pain effect never adds anything to material featuring a voice that can sing in the technically proficient sense. Hathaway’s fourth album, Self Portrait, is due in June.

Ne-Yo, “Closer” (Def Jam). A presumably unintentional re-write of Patrick Swayze’s “She’s Like the Wind” over a straight house beat, plus predictable StarGate presence? Vomitorium on paper, but much more appealing than that on speakers. This will be on The Year of the Gentlemen, Ne-Yo’s third album in as many years, due this summer.

Conya Doss, “What I’d Do” (ConyaDossSongs). Not featured on Doss’ MySpace page, or even the site of her U.K. label (Dome), “What I’d Do” has nonetheless bubbled into the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart with its slow, sinewy sweetness. It’s also somewhat puzzling (if pleasantly surprising) since two or three songs from each of the Cleveland singer’s previous albums — 2002’s A Poem About Ms. Doss, 2004’s Just Because, and 2006’s Love Rain Down, all self-released in the U.S. — could have made a similar (or even a bigger) splash.

R. Kelly, “Hair Braider” (Jive). Somewhere, right this second, this fluttery muck is testing the patience of some otherwise tolerant R&B fan who grudgingly admires Kelly for his way with melodies and arrangements. The song doesn’t just tip the clever/dopey balance scale with which Kelly typically toys — there is a lead brick placed on the balance pan marked “dopey.” Slathered in Auto-Tune, just because.

Here is the full roster of new R&B entries on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for April 19 and 26, listed in order of position, along with ratings on a 0-to-10 scale and links to samples.

April 19, 2008
79. Raheem DeVaughn, “Love Drug” (8)
94. Ne-Yo, “Closer” (7) MySpace
98. Lloyd f/ Lil’ Wayne, “Girls All Around the World” (7) MySpace

April 26, 2008
59. Flagrant Auto-Tune f/ the Voice of R. Kelly, “Hair Braider” (4) MySpace
96. Conya Doss, “What I’d Do” (8) MySpace
97. Lalah Hathaway f/ Some Unnecessary Auto-Tune, “Let Go” (8) MySpace

Previously
January 19 (Ryan Leslie, Usher)
January 26 and February 2 (Dear Jayne, Raheem DeVaughn, Cherish)
February 9 and 16 (Johnta Austin, Charlie Wilson)
February 23 and March 1 (Mariah Carey, Usher, Ashanti)
March 8 and 15 (Estelle, Noel Gourdin)
March 22 and 29 (Tiffany Evans, Michael McDonald)
April 5 and 12 (Lloyd, Karina Pasian, Paris Houston)