Keri Hilson is a 42 year old singer/songwriter, producer & actress from Decatur, Georgia breaking out in the contemporary R&B world when Timbaland signed her to Mosley Music Group & Interscope Records in the late 2000s for her full-length studio debut In a Perfect World… & the sophomore effort No Boys Allowed. Making her comeback after 15 years, her 3rd LP right in front of us marks the beginning of a new trilogy & her independent debut since she’s not on a major label anymore.
After the “Grateful” intro, the first song “Naked (Love)” passionately starts with a spacious R&B singing about having to find herself since 2010 whereas “Searchin’” featuring Method Man mixes hip hop & R&B from the boom bap instrumental to the romantic lyrics. “Somethin (‘Bout U)” continues with this 6-minute R&B ballad about finding something fascinating regarding the person she’s seeing currently & the lead single “Bae” gives off a trap soul vibe singing about what she loves her partner to call her.
“Scream” blends together trap soul & pop music for a single revolving around intercourse leading into “Whatever” promising to show her lover exactly what she’s made of & all she can do. “Weigh Me Down” has somewhat of a dancehall flare to the beat keeping her head in the clouds & her feet on the ground, but then “Say That” finishes We Need to Talk by making it clear that you have to tell her if you want her heart.
Being somebody who highly enjoyed Keri’s first 2 albums more than others did, We Need to Talk marks her highly-anticipated return with the 1st entry of a brand new trilogy that has me eager regarding the next 2 installments. The production pulling from trap soul, contemporary R&B, pop music & a hint of hip hop music well enough proving that she doesn’t need Timbo exploring themes of love, drama & redemption.
Score: 3.5/5
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