Melissa does not waste time in between albums at all, 6 months after her freshly R&B/hip hop influenced All I Am, she returns with Exposed. Exposed is all of Britney, Destiny's Child and Brandy's albums all combined into one. It's becoming more obvious with each consistant album release that Melissa has survived the teen-pop music world by not only being different, but standing out while being different. Her pop is not bubblegum, her pop is hip, has Melissa invented a new shade of pop music? Perhaps, hip pop? Expectations were high for this album and she does not dissapoint. Her signature style of melodious, soft-core R&B & pop hooks permeates the whole cd, although she appears strangely removed from the material as if she was simply given the words to sing and studio time booked. (This, however, is weird, simply because Melissa herself, co-wrote almost every track, and co-produced every track on the album) Despite this emotionally removed stance, some of these tunes severely succeed. 'Get Down On It' and 'He's With Me' are intricately structured, funky party tunes and slow jams such as 'Some Kind Of Wonderful' and 'On Your Mind' are innovative and illustrate a multiplicity of influences ranging of R&B, hip hop, rock and, especially effective in the sexy ballad 'Instant Pleasure'- jazz. This album is definitely different than anything put out there by Melissa's contemporaries, but sometimes one gets the feeling that she is trying too hard to be different and eclectic. Despite this obviously inconsistent review, it is a good album and Melissa does sound and look more confident than ever before. This album can make you tap your fingers and move your feet, at the same time, it can make you relax and drift off into wonderland....and that is definitely not half bad.