This Philly-born belter sounds like a direct reaction against the Auto-Tune era, with Sullivan turning her pain into a performance worthy of a vintage Apollo headlining gig. On “Holding You Down (Goin’ in Circles),” she sings of a down-the-drain romance over classic hip-hop beats (via Nas, Slick Rick). But Sullivan has too much spunk to just wallow — on the sparkling Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis homage “Don’t Make Me Wait,” she takes charge in the boudoir, while the snappy “You Get on My Nerves” has her engaging in His Girl Friday-worthy bickering with Ne-Yo.
