So I've listened to The Dream - Love VS Money & Keri Hilson - In a Perfect World and I'm not impressed. The Dream's album is basically an alternate version of Love/Hate (including the innovative album title). Don't get me wrong, I like the music! It's just that I anticipated a certain mystique, a little musical magic and all I got was cheap parlor tricks. "Right Side of Your Brain" is my favorite song, by far. Overall the album isn't bad. If you're not familiar with Dream, definitely check it out. There are lot of top 20 hits on it. It's very very mainstream & "radio worthy" and reminiscent of his debut . I got a few flashes of deja vu during a few tracks. Since Dream has distinctive sound (his use of certain sounds and drums) at some points it sounded like I was listening to a slightly different version of a song I've heard before. I give it a C+.

Keri Hilson's album is hard to judge. From the top it's not my taste. I'm not a huge fan of the hip-hop/ R&B hybrids. I grew up on the stuff and after so many years it gets exhausting. Keri Hilson is mega talented and skilled with the pen. This album didn't supremely disappoint me but it didn't knock me down. I like "Energy", "Slow Dance", "Make Love", and "Knock You Down". The rest of the record just did not move me. One song that is particularly wretched is "Get Your Money Up" featuring Trina & Keyshia Cole. It immediately gave me the perma-stank face. It's a club beat paired with a slew of assorted urban colloquial phrases (that don't translate to anything in particular I guess they thought it sounded good? *shrugs*). The only thing I appreciate is that it's called "Get Your Money Up" and not "Get Ya Money Up" because the later would have been the straw. I think the production she used overpowers her lyrics and vocals . I give it a C.