No boys allowed.

Keri Hilson’s second album is something serious.

Just thought I’d mention it.

Oh, a review? Based on the tracks I heard on her MySpace page, which I believe are the same ones to be released on Tuesday, I’d easily say that No Boys Allowed is worth every penny you’ll spend on it. The Deluxe version, especially.

I’m a huge Keri fan, and I’ve been waiting on this album for a good while. After hearing the lead singles, “Breaking Point” and “Pretty Girl Rock,” I was definitely afraid that the album wouldn’t be any good. I’m really sorry about the inevitable comparison to Ciara, but she had the same problem- she released incredibly weak singles, and her album, which came out earlier this month, was just as weak. Basic Instinct was disappointing, even more so than Fantasy Ride was.

So, when I heard “Breaking Point,” I was justifiably dismayed. (For the record, I don’t think Keri’s singles sound anything like Ciara’s. I just felt that they were all very bad indicators of their larger works.) “Breaking Point” would be a very good song if it didn’t rely on a very basic chord structure and if it didn’t include one of the songwriting gimmicks I hate the most: a talk verse. (Never, ever stop the flow of a song to talk, even if there’s some higher moral point you’re trying to get across. It is irritating.) Otherwise, the song is tolerable, but not worth buying separately.

“Pretty Girl Rock” was worse. The song’s message is a noble one, but its style is a complete gimmick. There are much less campy ways to say the same thing (see “Independent Women Parts I & II,” “Unpretty,” “It’s Only Love That Gets You Through,” “I Am Not My Hair,” and just about anything by Nicki Minaj). I didn’t buy “Breaking Point”; the only reason I have “Pretty Girl Rock” is because I got it for free on iTunes. I was very afraid of how No Boys Allowed would sound.

The album is gorgeous. Every last track except “Pretty Girl Rock” and its remix is worthy. I will probably never know why those two singles were chosen to promote the album; they do not represent the album at all. No Boys Allowed is a mature, thoughtful effort, and, in true Keri fashion, it deviates greatly from the industry’s current norms (Mariah, Ciara, Shontelle) to deliver a completely unique sound.

Most of the tracks are pretty dark, which I naturally love. “Buyou” initially looked like yet another gimmick to me, but it’s one of my favorites- a club track that you can’t resist dancing to, that also emphasizes one of Keri’s main points a la “Get Your Money Up.” (J. Cole finally gives a verse I actually like, and just in time.) The next tracks follow a trend that In A Perfect World… only hinted at- sensuality that is smooth and subtle at times and in-your-face-I-am-woman at others. Of these, “The Way You Love Me” is currently my favorite, though it took me a while to get used to her yelling the hook.

The album then smoothly transitions to a more heartbreak-central theme, drawing out illustrations of the title’s true meaning: No Boys Allowed– I deserve a man, a male that is intelligent enough to know the right choices and strong enough to make them. This is my favorite part of the album for personal reasons; you may like the first half better. “Hustler” was an early favorite; it isn’t what its title suggests- it’s actually a “slow jam” (for lack of a better term) about wanting to be able to toss problems aside like they’re nothing. “Lie To Me” follows it brilliantly, and features an incredible beat that I could not stop listening to. (There’s also a great Atlantic Starr quote in there; quotes always make me smile.) Unless I’m mistaken, the deluxe version ends with “Won’t Be Long” (excluding bonus tracks), which is a great sort of motivational dance track and a solid conclusion to the album.

My favorite track, both due to sheer brilliance and because I connect with it personally, is “Toy Soldiers.” It is beautiful, and- like the rest of the album- Keri sings it with so much sincerity that I feel as if she’s singing it on my behalf. Plus, I’m a band geek, so I love the marching/military/soldier motif that is laced throughout the song.

So, overall: No Boys Allowed is awesome, and any true R&B lover will be deprived without it. Only thing I hate about the album? I wish I could buy it today. But I will definitely get it on Tuesday, finances willing. I hope everyone does. And to Ms. Keri: Thank you, thank you, thank you for daring to be different, for opening your heart to us, and for bringing us and the industry a work of value when we need it most.