I don't need to tell most of you that it sure has been a long time coming. But after what seemed like a lifetime for us--& what has been for her--Keri Hilson is finally releasing her debut album In A Perfect World.... After the infectious "Turnin' Me On," featuring Lil' Wayne, caught on at last, there was no stopping this star-waiting-to-happen from the big time any longer. Keri Hilson is an exquisitely fresh talent that the world hasn't been ready for... until now. Has she in fact managed to create the music heard In A Perfect World...?The intro is spot-on when Keri announces that she's "'bout to get it poppin'," as it heads straight for "Turnin' Me On." Probably my favorite track on the album, the Keyshia Cole & Trina-assisted ladies anthem "Get Your Money Up," follows with a sick beat & is quite the collaboration. "Return The Favor" with Timbaland, the official second single, is next. Its accompanying video was one of my favorites from last year, but it saddens me that the song went with little additional promotion because it's a hot one. However, the album version has an extended ending that is pretty much unnecessary because it practically puts a 30-second silence right in the middle of the album. No time is wasted getting back on track though with the Kanye West & Ne-Yo assisted forthcoming single "Knock You Down." This one is sure to get radio & the clubs bumpin'.
In A Perfect World... gradually moves in a different direction with "Slow Dance," which goes hard. Slow jam perfection, however, can be found on "Make Love," which demonstrates Keri's magic with Polow Da Don at its best. I love the middle eastern flavored beat on "Intuition." "How Does It Feel" is good too, but note to Timbaland about the beat in the chorus: it's hot, but how about we only use it once on a single album ("Return The Favor")?
At this point, while the album doesn't get bad by any means, it could've used "Hey Girl," the uptempo originally planned to be included exactly here. Nonetheless, Keri brings it once again with the excellent beats on "Alienated," which finds this incredible vocalist right in her comfort zone. She isn't quite there on "Tell Him The Truth," but the funkiness of the track makes up for it. Akon guests on "Change Me," which is alright, but their other collabo "Mic Check" would've been a better fit. The album gets back on track in a big way with the official first single "Energy," which I fell in love with when it originally came out. I've always thought the track was generating enough buzz that it could've carried the album, but I think the pushback ended up being for the better, even if the success of "Turnin' Me On" was most definitely not foreseen. In A Perfect World... ends with "Where Did He Go," a song that isn't exactly new. It's not the best album closer I've ever heard, but it's definitely a great slow jam.
In A Perfect World... is a near-perfect blend of uptempos & slow jams from a woman who has mastered her craft in both. I can't help but wonder why there wasn't a little bit more life, if you will, breathed into this project when Keri is sitting on tracks like "Do It," which she even performed a time or two, & "Turn Up The Radio." I guess you can't hate on her for trying to minimize the most simplistic material on the final cut though. All that said, Keri Hilson is such a refreshing force in today's R&B market & I hope she is here to stay.
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
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