Search - Alicia Keys :: As I Am (Dlx)

Alicia Keys Is Rolling Right Along

Andre S. Grindle | Brewer Maine | 11/13/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Alicia Keys is an artist I have been keeping a strong eye on since she first appeared in Ebony magazine's "artists to watch" cololm just prior to the release of her debut Songs in A Minor. And I am very glad I kept on track with her because I now have the pleasure to enjoy 'As I Am'. Not only couldn't it be any more different from that first CD but for what is her third studio album there is not only an enormous sense of emotional growth in this material but her musical aspirations have also increased by leaps and bounds. Within these 14 songs Alicia Keys manages to exhibit every positive quality in her music and actually discovered a few new ones. As common with all of her albums she opens with a classically inclined introduction before moving into the song cycle chronicaling the disolving and beginning of a relationship. Many of the songs on this album such as "The Thing About Love" and even the bouncy "Teenage Love Affair",a highlite of the album regardless. Now I am not one to focus on the hits but one of the big highlites here is,yes the hit "No One"-the lyrical challange is met by the equally compulsive drums-in fact one thing that might make this album controversial is the fact the very live drums are mixed up so high.The same thing happens on the title cut and "Go Ahead".And for those of you who confused "Prelude To A Kiss" with the famous standard it's not at all-it's a song of Alicia's own creation. There are many isolated highlites taken outside the concept-"Lessons Learned" actually melds the sounds of Alicia's poppy soul and John Mayer's soulful pop,works like a charm.My personal favorite is "I Need You",with an interesting melodic phrasing and arrangement the really points to a distinctive sound for her. 'As I Am' as a whole finds Alicia Keys in a place,far from the somewhat constraining arms of Columbia Records who steered her in a musical direction that appealed more to the modern,ProTool infected hip-hop/R&B crowd ,where she can develope her own distinctive sound based entirely on the things she does best and her own talents."

A very, VERY nice comeback. Proud 2 say it surpassed any alb

Adrian the Complex Lonely | USA | 11/16/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A very, VERY nice comeback. Proud 2 say it surpassed any album she has put out thus far..., November 15, 2007



If her next outing in 2009/2010 is as good or BETTER(?!??!) than this, then I mean, Man - That'd be INSANE!! And for that, I'd cop all of Her albums!!! I have the second one, DoAK and that was hot; hotter than this at first. But everything just grew on Me, which I'm thankful for.



All I really want from My music is for it to never suck (or at least not overall)!



As I Am (Intro) - Classical piano once again. This is my 2nd favorite intro. SinM >> AIA > DoAK 4 stars.





Go Ahead - Decent beat and the lyrics are good. I like the whole vibe of it most though. 4 stars.





Superwoman - Lyrics and vibe leaves me speechless still. 5.25 stars.





No One - One of the most uplifting and determined love anthems. 4.5 stars.





Like You'll Never See Me Again - 4.5 stars.





Lessons Learned - John Mayer gives some sexy backup vocals. The chemistry is well-done and received. Should be the third single. Very calm and soothing. 5.5 stars.





Wreckless Love - 4.25 stars.





The Thing About Love - 6 stars.





Teenage Love Affair - Skates on filler material. 3.75 stars.





I Need You - Nice piano. 5 stars.





Where Do We Go From Here - 3.75 stars.





Prelude to a Kiss - 4.25 stars.





Tell You Something (Nana's Reprise) - 4 stars.





Sure Looks Good to Me - Love the title. My favorite track by her ever. Moved up from being the second best track here, to THAT! Makes for an Excellent, EXCELLENT closer! 7 stars.



What I really, REALLY wanted to see was more variety. There is a song about being the best you can be. And another about learning lessons in love and life. The rest is pure Love.



Regardless of the lack of variety this is still an excellent CD. It's quality is way, WAY higher than the stunning, "The Diary of Alicia Keys". And that's saying something; Slow Down was my favorite track by Her ever; touching on going through a bad first or second times, sexually, regretting it, not really moving on, but meeting someone You could Love forever. You want Them (Him) to slow down, and do things right because Your memory is on Fire...!



Cover Art - (Sophisticated) 7.5/10

Songwriting - 9/10

Vocals - 7/10

Piano Skills - 8.25/10

Vocal Emotion - B-

Production: A

Length: A+



Wow. This went from:



(November 15th, 2007)



58.75 ÷ 14 = 4.39285714285714



4.39285714285714 = 4.39 (8.78/10)



Overall - 4.39 stars. (8.78/10)



To --------->



(December 14th, 2007)



72 ÷ 14 = 5.1428714285714

5.14285714285714 = 5.14



5.14 stars.



P-E-R-F-E-C-T-I-O-N. Obviously surpassed Just Like You; Keyshia Cole's sophomore album by a bit. It is now not only My favorite R&B/Soul album ever, but the best damn album I will hear all year, and half of next year, NO Freakin' Doubt. Believe that!!"

Really good CD

J. Norcutt | Fallon, Nevada | 02/22/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I got this CD because I like "No One", and much to my delight, the whole disc is enjoyable. A little pop, a little soul, and a little hip-hop."