It isn't easy being a 22-year-old music sensation. After putting out two widely successful mixtapes and a cornucopia of college tours on weekends while finishing a college degree, Mike Posner has had a lot on his hands the past few years. Now, fresh out of college and ready to pursue a professional music career full time, the Detroit native has released his first official album 31 Minutes to Takeoff. The 12-track album, consists of almost exclusively new and never-before-heard material from Posner. The only track that has been previously released is the summer anthem and currently the seventh ranked song on iTunes, "Cooler than Me.""Cooler than Me," the first single off the album, is an excellent example of how Posner's style has changed over his music career. From his beginnings as a 16-year-old making beats and tracks in the basement of his Southfield, Mich. home to his major label deal with J-Records (RCA/Sony) in July 2009, Posner has evolved from a rapper (yes, he did rap at one point in his career), to singer and producer. The first amalgamation of the track was released on his free mixtape in early 2009. The song, made in a makeshift dorm-room record studio, had a fairly basic combination of guitar, piano and created beats. While the lyrics in the original and recently released track are the same, the original was much simpler and also included an additional verse from longtime friend and collaborator Big Sean. In late 2009, Posner released his second mixtape One Foot out the Door, hosted by Boston radio and mixtape DJ Clinton Sparks. On it was the clubbier, electro-dance "gigamesh remix" to his biggest single. The song showed how, in just a few months, Posner grew as a producer, creating more advanced beats though overshadowing the essence of the original song with the fanciness of his production.

Unfortunately, his official single that has been rocking airwaves sounds a lot more like the "gigamesh remix" than the mixtape original. Missing the simplicity of the first release and a Big Sean cameo, the song shows a Posner who has advanced as a producer but lost some of his charm.

This element is noticeable on the entire album from the first 53-second track titled 31 Minute to Takeoff-a title that both alludes to the quick rise in fame and an easter egg that occurs 31 minutes into the album right before the aptly titled track "Delta 1406"-to the last track entitled "Falling." No longer is Posner the goofy pop singer/producer who remixed popular songs such as "Kiss me Thru the Phone" and "Evil Woman." Instead, he is a singer who is reminiscing on his quick rise to fame instead of basking in what got him there. While it is refreshing to hear a different message from such a young star, the replacement for fame boasting is girl-chasing. The album has too many songs about love gained, lost and all the one-night stands in between. The song "Bow Chicka Wow Wow" shows this transition. In the song he is boasting about his ability to get girls home with him with lines such as, "Girl I don't even need to say sh*t to make you feel right girl you know you like that" and "You act like you gonna leave but I know that you'll stay."

He follows up this song with the likes of "Cheated," an ode to an ex-girlfriend who broke his heart and whom he claims he "should have cheated on" because "nobody told him he was dating a whorrr." Later in the song, if this weren't enough, he calls the lady in question out by full name-first and last. I wonder if she is the same one who felt "cooler than him." From track to track, it seems like there isn't much on his mind aside from girls. The whole thing feels a bit sleazy.

Don't get me wrong; there are certainly some gems among his album. The first song, the 53-second intro, "31 Minutes To Takeoff" is simple and elegant with a beautiful backbeat. The short track even gives a small treat to fans of his mixtapes where he alludes to the opening and closing tracks of his first release Tick and Tock respectively when, referring to his rise to fame, he says, "It was just a matter of" followed by the sound of a clock. This strong introduction leads into one of the best songs on the album, the danceballad "Please Don't Go." On this track, Posner is able to balance out being an all-star producer with his scratchy-soft vocals. My favorite track, though, is titled "Do U Wanna." On it, he samples the fantastic Ray LaMontagne and finds a way to turn the slow trumpet riff into a catchy pop song.

Overall, 31 Minutes to Takeoff is not a bad album; I would call it hit and miss. Watching Posner perform here last February, I have seen the energy and enthusiasm he has toward his music and his fans. After years of listening to his music, I know of his talent as a music maker and a producer. This album, though, does not completely showcase all that he has. I would recommend checking out songs individually instead of as a whole album. There are dance tracks for those looking for a club-infused beat, and there are slower tracks looking for more Posner soul, but the two rarely overlap. It will be interesting to see which music path Posner will choose to pursue on his following album. Regardless, his talent is undeniable, and I hope he continues to produce music for many years.