Split perfectly down the middle between girl-meets-boy, girl-falls-in-love tales and girl-loses-boy, girl-wants-boy-back blues, Hilson plays the part of the protagonist well, using earnest, versatile vocals to underscore the mood and feel of the album’s production and lyrics, making for a two-sided saga that’s more cohesive and creative than Bey’s, and more believable to boot.
With reliably strong production from Timbaland and Powlow the Don (both of whom also executive produce), songs like lead singles “Knock You Down” featuring Kanye West & Ne-Yo and “Turnin Me On” featuring Lil Wayne show Hilson’s keen ability to sound sexy, sophisticated, street, and sensitive all at once. Whether it’s dirty south hip hop (“Get Your Money Up” featuring Keyshia Cole and Trina), catchy, radio-friendly pop (“Energy”), or exotic electro (“Return the Favor”), Hilson sounds comfortable roaming different realms of contemporary pop music.
In A Perfect World... screams crossover appeal, but don’t get it twisted ― like a true R&B diva, Hilson shines brightest when the lady sings the blues. In the second half, when mid-tempos and ballads rule and all bets are off, she finally gets to truly flex her voice and endlessly-touted songwriting skills, catching the first inklings of her man’s infidelity on the album’s melancholy centerpiece “Intuition,” cooly spitting venom on “How Does It Feel,” waxing contemplative on the sparse, synthy ballad “Tell Him the Truth,” and sounding resentful but resilient on the Akon duet “Change Me.”
Though the story ends more bitter than sweet, Hilson’s debut succeeds because of its fine balancing act: it’s equal parts rhythm and blues; a subtle blend between sweet and sassy; a thoughtful pairing of production and vocals; obviously urban, but secretly pop; and she sounds as experienced as a veteran, but as enthusiastic as a rookie. “Thanks for turnin’ me on,” she purrs at the end of the album’s intro, and with a debut this strong, she’s quite welcome.