Alicia Keys - As I Am (CD)

Alicia Holds The Keys

By Eric Halcon  Nov 22, 2007 | 4 out of 4 found this As I Am review helpful

Pros: True To Herself

Cons: Nothing

Always trust Alicia Keys to put out a bestseller of astonishing performance. At age 27, she has the pipes, an armful of Grammy Awards, a list of smash hits and other acolades to prove it. Alicia Keys released her debut album, "Songs in A Minor&...quot;, in 2001 and generated the #1 hit single, "Fallin'". Instead of jumping at the pop music bandwagon prevalent at that time as evidenced by Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera and other contemporaries, Keys took the road less traveled as she forayed in to the direction of a mature sounding R&B and soul music. After all, she had the necessary training for such. In 2004, "The Diary of Alicia Keys" saw the light of the retail market and earned her one of the biggest singles of the year via the hit "If I Ain't Got You". The track was so successful that a team-up and a re-recording with Usher (2004's undisputable chart champ with his CD "Confessions") was inevitable, consequently "My Boo", their second collaboration was born. In 2007, Keys returns in full form to dominate the charts with her 3rd studio album simply called "As I Am". The lead single, "No One" is currently enjoying a healthy dose of airplay and the CD employs the same winning formula her previous albums had--a haunting piano verse, soulful lyrics and a powerful voice. Pay heed to "Superwoman", "Lesson Learned" (which also features John Mayer) and "Like You'll Never See Me Again" and you'll know what I mean as these tracks leave you breathless and yearn for more Keys. On the other hand, "Where Do We Go From Here" is a reminiscent of the style of Roberta Flack back in the 1970s. Simply put, "As I Am" is an exceptionally good buy. How can someone so young be so versatile for her age? That I have no idea. However, as she concludes her CD with a track "Sure Looks Good To Me", rest assured that she is referring to her career and I second the motion. No questions asked. Read more Less