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If you’re going to defy Def Jam, you’d better be proven right. Bajan songstress Rihanna took on an edgier persona with her third album, Good Girl Gone Bad, which paid off nicely. Fellow singer Amerie attempts to do the same on her fourth release, In Love & War. While she blasts the R&B-factory sound for a rawer, organic feel, producing some good songs, Amerie drops the ball on a wholly good project.

You’ve got to give A credit for trying to be throwback in an era of futuristic pop. She enlists New Jack Swing creator Teddy Riley, who’s worked with Snoop Dogg and Michael Jackson, to produce “Tell Me You Love Me,” the album’s first cut. Complete with bold cymbal kicks and a punch of funk in the beat, “Tell Me You Love Me” swings hard, but misses in its simplistic lyrics. Amerie’s hoarse vocals suit the emotion of the track, but she doesn’t do so eloquently. In Love & War’s robotic second single, “Heard ‘Em All,” brings forth the likes of perennial hitmaker Sean Garrett and producer Eric Hudson. The track is sparing in its futuristic beat, typical of Garrett work, and doesn’t knock hard enough to be a single. On “Dangerous,” the grooving guitar licks round out ’70s-esque vocals nicely, making the song a contender for the album’s top track. Amerie reminisces about a past lover on “Higher,” stamping her vocals on an electric-funk jam that could prove to be a single ladies’ anthem in its own right.

But, just like any good general, A knows when she can’t hold out against superior forces. She succumbs to love’s irresistible powers on the first single, “Why R U?,” which sees the singer moodily wondering why she can’t get an ex off her mind. Producers The Buchanans supply airy ’80s hip-hop fare that gives Amerie’s voice free reign to strut about. She simultaneously tries to dismiss her ex and can’t get him out of her head, perfectly capturing love’s painful duality.

Amerie’s portrayal of the battle between love’s many different sides fails, though, when she brings in guests. Though she excels vocally with Trey Songz over a remake of Mint Condition’s “Pretty Brown Eyes,” the song is overpowered by a beat better suited for a hard-knocking Brooklyn banger than a ballad. Slowing things down with “More than Love,” fellow Def Jam artist Fabolous takes a turn on the mic and easily outshines Amerie lyrically and vocal dexterity over a forceful beat.

The beat takes a back seat to Amerie’s vocal talents on the subtle “Swag Back.” Beatsmith Jim Jonsin crafts a melancholy, keyboard-powered track that lets A’s voice echo and ring back over the female empowerment anthem. Finally, indeed, she gets her “swag back,” showing what she’s really made of.

Sadly, most of In Love & War sinks back down into mediocrity. The interlude “You’re a Star” goes nowhere, while “Red Eye” loses its promise over a generic Bryan Michael Cox beat. The wistful “Different People” shines like a diamond, but is cradled next to the dull concrete of “The Flowers,” is a poor reiteration of her female independence theme. “Dear John” is yet another “I’m-leaving-you-because-you-did-me-wrong” tune, this time with a bland pop ballad background. The album closes out with a remix to “Heard ‘Em All,” featuring rapper Lil’ Wayne, who spits out a recycled version of his past verses on R&B songs.

So, what’s the lesson here? What works for Amerie is R&B just pushing the edge of wildness, polished, yet brassy. Reference the hip-shaking drums of the Rich Harrison-produced “1 Thing.” In order to be a success, A should rein herself in creatively to produce a cohesive body of material that speaks to the critical and commercial sides of her nature.

Rating: 6/10