Amerie is misstepping all over the place. First the singles seem like they don’t want to be singles. Her first attempt “Why R U” sounded like an SWV b-side. The second one pictured above “Heard ‘Em All” is a loud ruckus that doesn’t go anywhere. Plus, the  new age renaissance look is not happening at all. Maybe it’s in keeping with the album concept of In Love & War, which is to close to Daniel Merriweather’s Love & War. She needs to go back to big band instrumentation like the one on “1 Thing.” That was her peak and this templated soul-pop is neither here or there. No wonder her album was pushed back. She needs some direction.