After a neck injury derailed his ability to promote his last album 'Future History,' Jason Derulo is all better and has emerged with a brand new single, 'The Other Side,' which will appear on his third album, due out in September. The track, an upbeat pop song slathered with synths, was produced by Ammo and Dr. Luke. With that kind of knob twiddling expertise behind the board, does it stand up?

The song addresses the terrifying shift from friends to lovers, crossing the line and trying something new. That's a scary and exciting moment, as anyone who has experienced it well knows. Derulo has done that with his own GF, Jordin Sparks. But sadly, the song doesn't capture that fevered thrill of transitioning from just friends to something more. It's not emblematic of that butterflies-in-the-belly feeling.

The looped beat competes with Derulo's capable voice, which makes it a bit distracting. The song is consistent with the singer's other tracks, but we're waiting for that big, breakthrough track -- or "the wow moment," as they always talk about on 'American Idol,' which Sparks won a few years ago, BTW! That "wow moment" will elevate him to the level of one of the Justins (Bieber or Timberlake), musically. Sadly, 'The Other Side' ain't it.

It's a catchy, danceable pop song with a big, "whoa oh" chant in the middle that will get roofs raised. But this is not a definitive moment for Derulo. Not yet at least.

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Listen to Jason Derulo 'The Other Side'

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