CONCRETELOOP.COM

Keri Hilson is ready to take off with her second studio album, No Boys Allowed, IN STORES NOW.

Keri released her debut album, In A Perfect World… just last year. The album spawned many singles, a couple Grammy nominations and solidified Keri with a successful transition from behind the scenes to the forefront.

With the sophomore effort No Boys Allowed, Keri again shows why she was one of the top writers in the game. The album title alone describes the fact that Keri’s dealt with her share of boys, but at this point and time in her life, she’s not even looking for or considering anything except a man. The album opens with the J. Cole-assisted, “Buyou,” and then explores female empowerment (see, “Pretty Girl Rock”), sexuality and, of course, the high and low points of a relationship.

What’s most interesting about No Boys Allowed is the fact that Keri chose to use a series of interludes as a means of creating a seamless flow to the album. The songs all make sense together with the melodic interludes that Hilson created for transition. She fuses soul elements, pop sounds, ’80′s synths and even touches on some reggae all through the album, with great cohesion. This isn’t much of a surprise, considering Keri’s musical versatility and background.

No Boys Allowed shines best on songs like “Toy Soldier” (written by Ester Dean, produced by Danja) and the Timbaland-produced, “Beautiful Mistake.” There’s a great mixture here, which is the best for listening. There’s a mood and sound for everything, with still staying consistent to the concept of the album.