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)

Karina Pasian, “16 @ War” (Def Jam). Quincy Jones’ goddaughter debuts with a song that, from a production standpoint, does not offer much more than listless thudding — pretty surprising, given that it was put together by “Tricky” Stewart (Rihanna’s “Umbrella,” Mary J. Blige’s “Just Fine”). Lyrically, it’s another story (the lyrics were written by frequent Stewart partner the-Dream), beginning with “Ain’t no daddies where I’m from, it’s just mad mothers/And eyes that still seem they can’t look past color” and working its way through a number of pressures placed upon young females of color. The remainder of the songs on Pasian’s MySpace page are in the slow, dramatic, inspirational vein. There will hopefully be more variety on her Def Jam debut, but at least it seems she is making a major effort to provide alternatives to glamorous/brainless escapism while relating to young women her age.

Paris Houston, “Make It Bounce 4 Ya” (Grand Slam). A stripper’s anthem — “You make it rain like it’s summer, I’ll do anything ya wanna” — or Ciara gone sleazy. (Houston’s next single: “Lo-Cutz.”) This is definitely in “Enjoy it now, forget about it a few weeks from now” territory. In fact, it debuted on the chart for the 12th at number 78 and slid all the way off by the time the chart for the 19th was published.

Here is the full roster of new R&B entries on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for April 5 and 12, listed in order of position, along with ratings on a 0-to-10 scale and links to samples.

April 5, 2008
81. Lloyd f/ Ludacris, “How We Do It” (7) MySpace
88. Raheem DeVaughn, “Energy” (6)

April 12, 2008
74. Chris Brown, “Take You Down” (5)
78. Paris Houston f/ Kid Kutta, “Make It Bounce 4 Ya” (6)
88. Keyshia Cole, “Heaven Sent” (6)
93. Karina Pasian, “16 @ War” (6) MySpace
100. Mario, “Music for Love” (5)

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)

Michael McDonald, “Love T.K.O.” (Universal Motown). All respect due to the voice of “What a Fool Believes” and “I Keep Forgettin’,” not to mention the background voice of “Peg,” but please — no. If Teddy Pendergrass had a grave, he would be rolling in it.

Here is the full roster of new R&B entries on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for March 22 and 29, listed in order of position, along with ratings on a 0-to-10 scale and links to samples.

March 22, 2008
71. Liv Warfield, “I Decided” (7) MySpace
74. Jordin Sparks f/ Chris Brown, “No Air” (5) MySpace
92. Michael McDonald, “Love T.K.O.” (3) MySpace
98. Tiffany Evans f/ Bow Wow, “I’m Grown” (7) MySpace
100. Teyana Taylor, “Google Me” (6) MySpace

March 29, 2008
65. Mary J. Blige, “Stay Down” (5) MySpace
83. Jaheim, “Have You Ever” (7)
84. Grind Mode, “She’s So Fly (I’m So High)” (6) MySpace
90. One Chance, “U Can’t” (6) 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).

The New York Times has launched Measure for Measure, a songwriting blog with Andrew Bird, Suzanne Vega and Roseanne Cash among its contributors. [nytimes.com]

Razorlight’s Johnny Borrell will play an “Irish murder victim” alongside Samantha Morton and Robert Carlyle in Irvine Welsh’s upcoming film The Meat Trade. [nme.com]

The Velvet Revolver split is getting ugly. [AOL.com]

Mötley Crüe continues to exist; hypes new album. [RollingStone.com]

Ellen DeGeneres will not be co-hosting American Idol’s “Idol Gives Back” fundraiser show next week. [nydailynews.com]

Looks like Myspace is going to be taking on iTunes with a digital download site. [nytimes.com]

Jay-Z is close to completing absolute world takeover. [NYTimes.com]

Elvis Costello is preparing to host his own TV show. [NME.com]

Estelle, Flo Rida, and Duffy all continue to top the U.K. charts. [acharts.us]

A nice tribute to late Kraftwerk/Neu! drummer Klaus Dinger. [mog.com]

Noel Gourdin, “The River” (Epic). Like Jaheim, who just re-entered the chart with the excellent Keyshia Cole duet “I’ve Changed,” Noel Gourdin is a protégé of producer KayGee (Naughty by Nature, Zhané, Next) and sounds like an old soul. Expect Sam Cooke comparisons to be made as often as Jaheim has been likened to Teddy Pendergrass and Luther Vandross, especially on the strength of “The River,” a nostalgic (but not the least bit sappy) narrative-testimonial that will have many listeners ready to classify him (both positively and problematically) as a throwback. Judging from the remainder of the tracks currently on his MySpace page, that might be justifiable, but there is evidence (at least with the Ryan Leslie-produced “All About U”) that he — again, like Jaheim — keeps at least a couple toes in the present.

Here is the full roster of new R&B entries on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for March 8 and 15, listed in order of position, along with ratings on a 0-to-10 scale and links to samples. Banner times for Auto-Tune:

March 8, 2008
56. Noel Gourdin, “The River” (8) MySpace
84. Ledisi, In the Morning (7) MySpace
96. Estelle f/ Kanye West, American Boy (7) MySpace
97. Casely, Emotional (3) MySpace

March 15, 2008
72. DAY26, Got Me Going (5) MySpace
88. Sean Garrett f/ Ludacris, “Grippin’” (4) MySpace
91. Jaheim f/ Keyshia Cole, “I’ve Changed” (9)

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).

Usher f/ Young Jeezy, “Love in This Club” (LaFace). If beats lived and breathed and ran out of energy from overuse, a rather worn-down “What You Know” (Toomp/T.I.) would sound quite a bit like the Polow-produced “Love in This Club.” Initially, the whole thing sounds sluggish, like Polow and Usher can’t really be bothered to put much effort into it, but after a while, the track’s hypnotism takes effect and all becomes well in Usherland. Maybe it’s the fluttering synths. It’s definitely not Jeezy, whose stilted, out-of-character loverman rhymes (”I’ll bag ya like some groceries”) are nothing if not impedimentary.

Ashanti, “The Way That I Love You” (The Inc./Universal Motown). While “Only U” was one of the standout R&B singles of late ‘04/early ‘05, it was the only hit off Concrete Rose, so it seems like Ashanti’s career might be on life support. Her upcoming album, The Declaration, is due later in the year and features no production input from Irv Gotti, but she remains with The Inc. This track, produced by longtime Death Row associate L.T. Hutton, goes more the route of “Rain on Me” than “Only U,” full of effective melodramatic flourishes to embolden Ashanti’s scorned lover tale. The video is far more theatrical, replete with knife-wielding shots and a blood-soaked fantasy-revenge scene. In the apparent in-reality scene, Ashanti flips the two-timer his Sidekick — the object containing the incriminating evidence — and shoves off.

Here is the full roster of new R&B entries on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for February 23 and March 1, listed in order of position, along with ratings on a 0-to-10 scale and links to samples:

February 23, 2008
51. Usher f/ Young Jeezy, Love in This Club (7) MySpace
62. Janet, Luv (8)
78. Mariah Carey, Touch My Body (7) MySpace
83. Mary J. Blige, Hurt Again (7)
87. The-Dream, I Luv Your Girl (8)
92. Rihanna, Don’t Stop the Music (7)
95. Fergie, Clumsy (3)

March 1, 2008
84. Alicia Keys, Teenage Love Affair (7)
93. Ashanti, The Way That I Love You (7) MySpace
98. Razah, Rain (4) 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).

Charlie Wilson f/ T-Pain, “Supa Sexxy” (Jive). Veterans hooking up with young producers and collaborators have Ron Isley, JS, and R. Kelly to thank; since the Isley Brothers’ R.-produced “Busted,” each May-December studio fling has seemed relatively un-outrageous. (Even the most devout Justin Timberlake haters were all but completely inaudible when Snoop paired JT with the 40-years-older Wilson on “Signs.”) The first single from the Gap Band singer and instrumentalist’s forthcoming album, “Supa Sexxy” is an upbeat T-Pain production notable mostly for its sweeping synths. They nearly override everything else, including T-Pain’s amusing switch from talking like a hyper Sir Mix-A-Lot to singing like… T-Pain. Wilson never sounds out of place, as if he’s putting effort into being with-it, and leaves the silliness for his collaborator — granted, “You remind me of my Lamborghini” would sound silly coming from someone of any age, Mr. Pain included. The track is fine but could use some more bottom. We all know the voice of “You Dropped a Bomb on Me” would have been able to handle it.

Here is the full roster of new R&B entries on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for February 9 and 16, listed in order of position, along with ratings on a 0-to-10 scale and links to samples:

February 9, 2008
88. Critical Condition Band, Phatty (6)
94. Johnta Austin, The One That Got Away (7) Universal video
98. P.K. Carter f/ Angie Stone, Ain’t Nothin’ Like a Sista (6)

February 16, 2008
69. Trey Songz, Last Time (7)
74. Emily King, Walk in My Shoes (6)
92. Boyz II Men, Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) (5)
99. Charlie Wilson f/ T-Pain, Supa Sexxy (7) MySpace
100. Keith Sweat f/ Raisley Bettis, Suga Suga Suga (6) MySpace

Previously: January 19 (Ryan Leslie, Usher); January 26 and February 2 (Dear Jayne, Raheem DeVaughn, Cherish).

Me Enamora
Gotas de Agua Dulce
A Dios Le Pido

Raheem DeVaughn, “Customer” (Jive/Zomba). Yet another track with some resemblances to “Bed” — those gently ricocheting percussion hits, that lullaby twinkle — but it was produced by Ivan “Orthodox” Barias and Carvin “Ransum” Haggins, not McKinney. Some ears are bound to prefer it over Holiday’s hit since it’s less cute, and there aren’t too many songs fronted by openly submissive and appreciative males these days (or ever). While there are stronger songs on Love Behind the Melody, this is likely the least resistible. It should help prevent DeVaughn from being boxed in as just another neo-soul singer. He can be modern and throwback with equal effectiveness. A gorgeous seven-minute ’70s-meets-’00s ballad follows this song on the album.

Cherish f/ Yung Joc, “Killa” (ShoNuff/Capitol). Yet another new entry from an Atlanta-based female group. “Killa” is Ciaraish’s Cherish’s upbeat and glitzy return, debuting one week after another song from the Step Up 2 soundtrack: Missy Elliott’s “Ching-A-Ling.” Though Yung Joc gets the feature here, it’s the group’s best single yet, produced by Don Vito (Jagged Edge’s “Good Luck Charm,” Cherish’s “Do It to It”) and newcomer Blade. Trey Songz’ well-established “Can’t Help But Wait” excepted, it could be the soundtrack’s biggest R&B track, provided Cassie’s “Is It You” doesn’t get a big push.

Here is the full roster of new entries for January 26 and February 2, listed in order of position, along with ratings on a 0-to-10 scale and links to samples:

January 26
89. Raheem DeVaughn, “Customer” (9)
94. Ray J f/ Yung Berg, “Sexy Can I” (4) MySpace

February 2
72. Lyfe Jennings, “Never Never Land” (6) MySpace
79. Cherish f/ Yung Joc, “Killa” (7) MySpace
81. John Legend, “Slow Dance” (6)
96. Angie Stone, “Sometimes” (6)
99. Dear Jayne, “Rain” (9) MySpace

Previously: January 19 (Ryan Leslie, Usher).

Ryan Leslie, “Diamond Girl” (NextSelection/Casablanca). Leslie, who had incredible success with the making and marketing of Cassie’s “Me & U,” and has also produced for Britney Spears and Beyoncé, has hit some speed bumps as a solo artist. This is his first charting single, unsurprisingly reliant on weird synth trills and fillips, as well as what could be an approximation of one note from Prince & the Revolution’s “Erotic City.” From a lyrical standpoint, he puts his Harvard education to unsatisfactory use (”I’ll be your publisher, you can be my centerfold/Long as you do me right, show me how I’m edible”), but it offers enough sonically to make it the week’s standout. If you can wade all the way through RyanLeslieTV, past clips like “Ryan Leslie Performs Diamond Girl at Cassie’s 21st,” “Ryan Leslie Gets Inspired by a Young Rap Artist,” and “Ryan Leslie Orchestrates a Canadian Five-Pin Bowling Tournament,” you might eventually reach “Ryan Leslie Creates Diamond Girl,” in which the ever energetic do-it-all is shown feverishly collaborating with himself.

Usher f/ Ludacris, “Dat Girl Right There” (presumably LaFace/Arista). Compared to “Yeah!,” “Dat Girl Right There” — leaked a couple months ago and finally hitting the airwaves — is much more jolting than catchy and far more potentially irritating. Produced by Rich Harrison, which you wouldn’t know unless you were told, what strikes first is its revving/squeaking/zipping effect. In fact, that might be the only thing that strikes. You might hear the rat-a-tat machine beat, the surprisingly desperate voice of Usher, and Ludacris at various points. (When heard recently on the radio, the effect did sound like it had been mixed down to a lower volume.) Confessions will be turning four in March, so it’s about time Usher snapped back into action. That he did it with something unsafe and polarizing is commendable. If Alicia Keys can score big with a three-drink-minimum karaoke bar Keyshia Cole impersonation, there’s no reason why this can’t go Top Ten.

Here is the full roster of January 19’s new entries, listed in order of position, along with ratings on a 0-to-10 scale and links to samples:

66. Janet, “Feedback” (6) MySpace
67. Ne-Yo, “Go on Girl” (7)
74. Usher f/ Ludacris, “Dat Girl Right There” (7) YouTube
89. Chaka Khan, “One for All Time” (5)
91. Ryan Leslie, “Diamond Girl” (7) MySpace
93. R. Kelly, “Freaky in the Club” (6)
97. Timbaland f/ OneRepublic, “Apologize” (0)
100. Elisabeth Withers, “Heartstrings” (5)

For the sake of 2008 thoroughness: Jill Scott’s knee-weakening quiet storm “My Love” (a solid 8) was the only R&B single to debut on the January 12 chart; it took the 65th position. Nothing debuted on the previous week’s chart.