Brandy returns to record stores after four years of TV and movies.

“Full Moon” is her fourth studio album on Atlantic where she’s seen nothing less than platinum success.

Brandy once again hooks up with R&B heavy hitter Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins.

Those behind the talent of the multi-platinum selling singer have definitely been paying attention to industry changes. You hear more upbeat tracks. They do a good job of not deviating to far away from what Brandy does best; sing the hell out of a ballad.

Full Moon’s first single “What About Us?” is signature Darkchild work. And if you can’t recognize his work, he says his name more times than Brandy sings the hook.

What I like about this song is that it really stands out on the album. Brandy’s classic R&B, gospel soaked voice over a dance track is a completely different sound for her. It’s a good change of pace from her regular singles. Can you ever remember dancing to a Brandy single?

Brandy makes a good effort to keep up with the trendy Hip-Hop movement.

Four years ago R&B wasn’t in the state that it’s in with sales at an all-time low.

Though Brandy stays true to “her game” of singing slow or mid-tempo grooves about some “stupid” guy not doing her right, but leans toward more of a Hip-Hop swing on a few more tunes than usual.

Brandy works with Central’s own Mike City on the albums title track “Full Moon.” The song lacks lyrically but makes up greatly with hot producing. She keeps you in the hip-hop mindset with the Darkchild produced “I Thought.”

After 11 tracks of up-tempo grooves she slows it down so sweetly to what she does best. She slows it down so much that by track 16 she’s ready to give new husband Rob Smith a chance to work their magic together on “WOW.”

The song takes me back to Brandy’s first album and we all know that was the “joint.”

I hear a commercial maturity by Brandy on “Full Moon” that I don’t hear from many established artist these days.

Most go after the hot-for-the-minute producer in hopes that it will be enough for their album to go platinum.

Brandy continues to work with those who have proven to work best for her. She only ventures for the sake of true talent in Mike City and talent and matrimony in Rob Smith.

She stays current sounding and the “diva” coats “Darkchild” tracks in a way only Brandy can. After four years of silence Brandy remerges with an album that is good for the suffering R&B market.