Had the right breaks come her way back in 2005, when she was flying high with the single 1 Thing, Amerie Rogers could have been a Rihanna-sized pop/R&B star. She's an inventive ­producer, ­capable songwriter and sparkling singer; you can only wonder at her label's decision to under-promote her last album. Undaunted, she's come out slugging on her first record for new label Def Jam, bumping up 1 Thing's highly-strung, madly-in-love energy by several notches. Heard'em All crunks along, Amerie's voice echoing eerily, while Why R U employs angelic harps and hissing hi-hats that build into a frenzy as she explodes: "Why are you the only thing that I think about?" Gifted with a sweetly aching voice, she also has a way with slowies that make them less sick-making than most R&B ballads: The Flowers tenderly mourns a relationship with the words "I wish you'd given me the flowers when I could smell them". Hugely enjoyable.