SONGS IN THE KEY OF BORING FROM ALICIA
SINCE the release of her multi-Grammy award-winning debut, Songs in A Minor in 2001, R'n'B songstress Alicia Keys has earned the reputation as being one of the most accomplished artists on the scene, but six years later can the 26 year-old New York native still captivate listeners with her deliciously smooth voice?
Well her third album, As I Am, certainly shows that she's keen to show a more mature side; it's reflective, soulful and showcases Keys' vocal range perfectly, and lead single No One has Keys romantically cooing, "I just want you close / Where you can stay forever."
Yet somehow As I Am fails to have the same impact as her two previous albums which produced the monster hits Falling, You Don't Know My Name and Karma.
Perhaps As I Am fails to live up to its predecessors because, quite simply, for the majority of the album it's all very mid-tempo, which is surprising considering the input of musician/producer Linda Perry, who's responsible for creating impossibly catchy pop tracks for artists like Christina Aguilera and Pink, and in doing so making them credible. Ms Keys, however, has never had that problem.
Yet despite the overwhelming wealth of talent working on this album, As I Am is strangely lacklustre in places.
Granted, tracks Tell You Somethin', Superwoman and Lesson Learned have been slickly produced, to the point where you wish Keys would just cut loose, but unfortunately she doesn't – instead they remain safe, uninspiring and dare it be said, boring.
Only when the off-beat rhythms of I Need You come on, do we get a glimpse of how good this album could have been and track Wreckless Love, with its crescendo and jazzy horns showcasing Keys at her most charismatic, only confirms this.
With her successful forays into acting (Smokin' Aces and The Nanny Diaries) taking focus away from her music career, Keys has produced an album which is a frustrating mixed bag of disappointment interspersed with moments of clarity when her talent shines through.
Although Keys is frequently touted as the female Stevie Wonder, As I Am simply fails to earn her the comparison.
While Wonder's records still sound as fresh and ground-breaking as they did three decades ago, Alicia has played it safe, very safe and in doing so created a fairly good record, but not a great one.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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