The sophomore album from Nivea, “Complicated,” is by all standards — excuse the pun — Okay.

“Complicated” is full of material that can be played on radio and in the clubs, but the songs also have substance.

Some songs, such as the Lil Jon-produced “Okay,” have that repetitive southern feel that is dominating urban radio (nothing wrong with it, but it sounds similar to a lot of other songs). Others, such as “No More,” have a stripped down sound where the focus is on the lyrics instead of the beats. Nivea shows that she can sing about having a good time and then switch focus and let her wall down, all on the same album.

Look for more singles spinning on radio stations soon, as this album is full of them.

A lowlight is “Gangsta Girl,” which features an appearance by R. Kelly, but the Pied Piper comes up short, sounding tiresome and boring.

3.5*






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