Artist: Keri Hilson
Album: In A Perfect World…
Genre: R&B/pop
Sounds like: Ciara, Brandy, Michelle Williams
***Recommended

1. Intro
2. Turnin’ Me On (featuring Lil Wayne)***
3. Get Your Money Up (featuring Keyshia Cole & Trina)***
4. Return the Favor (featuring Timbaland)
5. Knock You Down (featuring Ne-Yo & Kanye West)***
6. Slow Dance
7. Make Love
8. Intuition
9. How Does It Feel
10. Alienated***
11. Tell Him the Truth
12. Change Me (featuring Akon)
13. Energy***
14. Where Did He Go

In a perfect world, this album would be a lot more interesting, but the fact of the matter is Hilson, 26, for all her glitz as a fashionista and techno-hop alterna-R&B chick, lacks the material it takes to make her transition from songwriter to performer solid. Despite seemingly fool-proof executive producer credits (Timbaland and Polow Da Don) and a bevy of high-profile guests, the tracks either drown Keri’s vocals out or fail to launch so that even her pleasant if unremarkable singing cannot save them.

“Turnin’ Me On”, the album’s most successful single to date, represents the album at its most “perfect” — an infectious beat, sly, teasing vocals by Keri, and the obligatory (but not tired) verse from Weezy. Elsewhere, though, Keri is made a background player on her own songs by other guests, like Keyshia Cole and Trina on “Get Your Money Up” and Kanye West and Ne-Yo on “Knock You Down”.

Hilson’s at her best on uptempo pop numbers (like “Alienated” and “Energy”) that easily double as heartbreak jams. She has just the right amount of pain in her airy voice to pull off these kind of songs without coming across as totally cheesy (though they do admittedly have a certain ’80s prom feel). Elsewhere, dated beats like the Timbaland throwaway on “Intuition” make the album feel sluggish and dated.

With the right focus from her label and mentors, Keri could craft herself into a pop star with her own niche, but for now, it seems she’s trying to find her voice among the sensory overload of noisy beats and featured artists.

Grade: C+

–John Juan
“The Cool Down”, Mondays 8-10 pm