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France. .co.uk ------ It's hard to believe that Full Moon is the young Brandy's fourth album. Despite her youth, the former Moesha TV star has had an admirable career. Her debut single, the hyperkinetic "I Wanna Be Down" boasted rap support from female MCs, Lyte, Yo Yo and Queen Latifah ( /exec/obidos/artist-search/Queen%20Latifah/%24%7B0%7D )-not bad for a teenager! Since then all her subsequent singles, from "Baby" to her irreverent cover of Phil Collins' "Another Day in Paradise" have been radio-friendly A-list hits. And let's not forget her duet with Monica, the classic "The Boy is Mine". Like her previous albums, Brandy has an on-form, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins in the producer's chair and her deeper vocal power and technique are never in question. Not only does this emphasise her growing maturity, but the songs are as good as ever. The single, "What About Us" with its jerky syncopated R&B-hip-hop rhythms has smash written all over it but luckily this isn't a one-hit wonder album. The title track and "I Thought" are cut from the same elegant and funky cloth and should get even the more jaded fan jumping. Brandy updates her style very well showing off her versatility throughout. Just cock an ear to the bouncing "All of Me" and "It's Not Worth It" with their atypical two-step rhythms, the Aaliyah ( /exec/obidos/artist-search/Aaliyah/%24%7B0%7D )-like "Anybody" and the lovely ballad, "Nothing" and you will understand why Brandy has the potential to cross over into even bigger mainstream success.--Reuben Dessay P.when('A').execute(function(A) { A.on('a:expander:toggle_description:toggle:collapse', function(data) { window.scroll(0, data.expander.$expander[0].offsetTop-100); }); }); BBC Review ---------- And so we are blessed with the fourth album from Mrs Smith nee Norwood. Like her male contemporary Usher, Brandy is one of pop's foremost polymaths; actor, writer, singer and, in part, producer she has a handle on pretty much every element of the entertainment business. With her television show 'Moesha' now out of production, Brandy has shifted the focus back to her music and after a long absence from the studio she has married, re-assessed her game and grown up a bit. With a crew of gifted producers, Keith Crouch, LaShawn Daniels, the mighty Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins and her now husband Robert Smith, Full Moon serves up a large slice of R&B pie that is topped with honey, nuts and brown sugar. Most of the tracks on this album fall largely into one of two camps. The first of these is the formulaic down tempo ballad characterised by soft pads, chimes, finger snaps and smooth, creamy harmonies. In style terms, tracks such as "When You Touch Me", "Like This", "Come A Little Closer" and "Love Wouldn't Count Me Out" do very little to differentiate themselves from one another. However, we are left to work out which emotional tack Brandy has chosen to take... most of the time she seems to be showing her man 'the hand' either that or trying win his attention and affections. Of these "Wow" is the best ballad, a great chorus and vocal arrangement combined with Robert Smith's sun kissed groove make this a hymn to their relationship and a genuinely uplifting cut. Slush and mush aside, it is the up tempo pieces that provide the records killer moments and not surprisingly Rodney Jerkins is at the helm every time. Stuttering electro bass lines and crunchy drums propel tracks like "I Thought" and "Can We" away from the traditional R&B sound in to a new arena. Darkchild's futuristic jam on "What About Us?" has to be the high point here, a great vocal hook and a grinding b-line put the track on a level with The Neptunes feat. Britney Spears "I'm A Slave 4 U". No doubt Full Moon will put Brandy firmly back on the , quite how she will eclipse this next time round remains to be seen... we wait with baited breath. --Christian Hopwood Find more music at the BBC ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/syn//albumreviews/-/music/ ) This link will take you off in a new window See more ( javascript:void(0) )