Take “Superwoman,” one of three collaborations with professional hitmaker Linda Perry that seem less inspired than manufactured. Even Keys, whose casually seductive vocals often help to mask her lyrical shortcomings, cannot redeem such wooden sentimentality. “No one knows me underneath these clothes, but I can fly,” she sings unconvincingly. Elsewhere, her approach remains resolutely upbeat. “Everything’s gonna be all right,” she insists in the hackneyed, happy-go-lucky chorus to “No One,” the album’s first single. Keys’ sudden infatuation with generic, midtempo beats and heavy keyboard hooks isn’t necessarily cause for such optimism.

And yet there are memorable moments, too. Set against a lush background of rollicking piano and swirling bass riffs, “Teenage Love Affair” is a revelation, joyful and innocent enough to recall vintage Jackson 5. “Go Ahead,” a bitter missive to a not-so-dearly-departed ex, finds Keys at her venomous best, channeling her rage into a slow, simmering groove that builds to a crashing climax. Both serve notice that though Keys may still be green in the R&B game, she remains formidable even as a work in progress.