No Boys Allowed

Keri Hilson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 21, 2010)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Interscope/Zone 4/Mosley
• ASIN: B0042X90MU
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,916 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

2010 album from the Grammy-nominated R&B diva. Features the singles 'Breaking Point' and 'Pretty Girl Rock'.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars You have to listen to it 2xs for it to grow on ya ;) December 21, 2010

By Terri Berri

Format:Audio CD

So when I first got Keri Hilson's new album, I was anxious because of all of the hype...yet nervous because I didnt know what to expect. When I first skimmed through the cd, I thought it was okay....HOWEVER....the more I started to listen to the album, the more it grew on me. As a fan of Keri Hilsons,' I must say I was extremely disappointed watching her "The Way You Love Me" video. I just knew that people would appreciate Keri for her background and love her...simply because she is naturally beautiful (I am not saying there is anything wrong with e nhancements), she has a curvy body, her vocals have progressed, and she is not afraid to be bold! I really felt like Keri was one of those beautiful artists who had improved so much...it was hard not to like her. Then, she started to dress a little more risque, sing aggressive, sexual lyrics, and just introduced the world to a new side of Keri. As much as I hated to see such a change in her (that made her appear a little desperate for more attention), I must admit...I thought her new album was very impressive. There are a few songs on the album where Keri gets a little "hood" and even materialistic, however, this album is a step up from her last one. I honestly see Keri with having a very productive, progressive, wonderful career! My songs of choice on the album are:

-Buyou
-The Way You Love Me (sigh...Im guilty)
-One Night Stand
-Lose Control
-Breaking Point
-Beautiful Mistake
-Gimmie What I Want
-All The Boys

The "Pretty Girl Rock" just is waaaay too shallow and egotistical for me. Overall, I am very impressed with her album! I wish her much success! Im actually proud of what she has become; she went from being a ghost writer for major artists to establishing her own---cant knock the girl for hustling! This album was definitely worth the anticipation! I just really hope that now that she has received a little more promotion (ads on youtube, myspace, billboards in Atlanta, etc.), I really hope she calms it down with the way that she carries herself. After all, there is a difference between classy and trashy ;) Great way to end the year Keri!

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Just Another Generic Pop N B Album January 6, 2011

By Lilly

Format:MP3 Music

Keri... what happened? This album is straight trash! I can't believe how poppish it sounds. It's like a pop imitator. The producers had the R&B sounds but used pop synths to give that crossover sound but it sounds so childish and bubblegum. I can't believe Keri is 28 years old and singing about being a girl and how pretty she thinks she is. Oh and, yet another singer who distastefully and constantly talks about sex on the album. The songwriters did an awful job with these singles and I wish Keri would stop acting like she's such a great or big songwriter. I checked the credits and she was only mentioned a few times in the songwriting credits and there were 3-5 other songwriters for all of the singles! "Toy Soldier" is all right and I see the direction they were going, but every single lyric is so generic and cliche. Keri is also one of the many singers in this industry who have a lackluster voice. Her vocals are weak, she has a limited range, and her tone is not interesting, unique, or all that pleasant. It's not that she can't sing, it's just that she's not that good of a singer. It's crazy because her "In A perfect World" album was so much better than this! What... did she want to keep up with the pop females but still have an urban vibe this time around? "In A perfect World" was a great R&B/crossover album with standout singles such as "Alienated," "Return the Favor," "Intuition," "Knock You Down"... I could go on. "In A perfect World" was definitely more grown up, in a life experience way, than this. Like, this is for pre teens and teenagers!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Does Not Eclipse Her First Effort December 28, 2010

By Michael Brent Faulkner, Jr. VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

Keri Hilson's first album, In a Perfect World..., garnered plenty of buzz, though it didn't quite achieve the sales expectations deserved or desired by parent label Interscope (Hilson is signed to producer Timbaland's imprint, which is distributed by Interscope Records). That said, Hilson's debut was certified gold, and she remains a fixture on Interscope with her sophomore effort, No Boys Allowed. No Boys Allowed's title is certain `off-putting' making the listener question if Hilson is aiming to `switch up' her style on her second album. The answer to that is both `yes' and `no.' Still chocked full of dance, pop, and urban cuts, it this regard, `No Boys Allowed' feels similar to its predecessor. The biggest changes are that there are less songs co-written by Keri and less cuts contributed by producer Timbaland. While this could be perceived positively, to some extent, it makes this sophomore album sound less captivating or `magical' than the first. There are some solid cuts, but there are also some clumsier ones, which were absent from Hilson's exceptional debut effort.

"Buyou" featuring up-and-coming rapper J. Cole is solid, though not nearly as captivating as the pulsating "Turning Me On" from her debut (produced by Polow da Don). The production work by Boi-1da is great, and the hook - albeit it corny - is catchy. "Pretty Girl Rock," the current single from this effort impacting the charts, is one of the nice `change of pace' moments from Hilson's debut. Written by Ne-Yo and Chuck Harmony and using a clever interpolation of "Just The Two of Us," "Pretty Girl Rock" is a clear-cut `winner' with a fine vocal performance and catchy chorus putting the cut `over-the-top': "All eyes on me, when I walk in/no question that this girl's a ten/don't hate me cause I'm beautiful, don't hate me cause I'm beautiful/my walk, my talk, the way I dress/It's not my fault so please don't trip/don't hate me cause I'm beautiful, don't hate me cause I'm beautiful... do the pretty girl rock..."

"The Way You Love Me" featuring Rick Ross features solid production work, but comes over as Keri trying too hard. Hilson sounds incredibly manic here which is something listeners never heard on her debut; she possessed swagger without ever sounding to hard on `In A Perfect World.' "Bahm Bahm (Do It Again)/I Want You" is one of the album's biggest misses with the Polow Da Don's reggae-styled bit somewhat of an ill match for Hilson. The laziness of the track during its `reggae-phase' grows old quickly while the switch to "I Want You" is odd, though wanes some of the predictability of the cut. "One Night Stand" featuring Chris Brown atones for "Bahm Bahm," though the lyricism of this cut is shallow ("a one night stand is all I need, just you and me"), which degrades some of the credibility of the cut. That said, the harmonized vocals on the chorus by Hilson and Brown work extraordinarily well and the chemistry between the two is superb.

"Lose Control/Let Me Down" featuring Nelly is a solid cut (contributed by Stargate). Hilson sounds phenomenal here vocally, particularly when she exploits the upper extremes of her voice. Nelly's rap is strong, save for his "anus" reference, which is completely clumsy and utterly ridiculous. "Toy Soldier, " produced by Danja (Nate Hills) is well produced with a relatively catchy hook ("He said that I would never have to fight again/He said that I would never have to cry again..."). The problem is that it is not quite a hit or quite `the standout record' one would hope for. "Breaking Point," produced by Timbaland features great production work and is overall solid, though it feels the slightest bit `undercooked.' Keri sounds great here, and the background vocal arrangement is superb.

"Beautiful Mistake" is not `a beautiful mistake' but rather just a `mistake.' Merely average, "Beautiful Mistake" doesn't dare rival former Timbaland collaborations including the fine "Return the Favor" from Hilson's debut. Thankfully, the Boi-1da produced "Gimme What I Want" restores the momentum with big drums and apocalyptic sounding synths. Again, the lyricism is shallow, but catchy, particularly the chorus: "Boy don't tease, gimme, gimme what I want/I want it up, down, all around put it on me right now..." Clocking in under three minutes, the length is more than satisfactory. "All The Boys" is an interesting listen and not a bad song, but sounds like it would work best if John Legend (one of the songwriters and the pianist) were singing it instead. "Pretty Girl Rock" featuring Kanye West closes the album solidly, but also proves the point that one iteration of the hit, absent of a guest-rap verse would have been enough.

Overall, No Boys Allowed is just ok. There are no revolutionary hits here (save for "Pretty Girl Rock"), which makes this a downgrade as opposed to an upgrade from her debut. This album will most likely not buy any new fans given its un-even nature. There are good moments and not-so good moments making this album a mixed bag.