Alicia Keys - Songs in a Minor
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Free Music Notes for Songs in a Minor
Free Music Review: How do you find the words...
Hit: 5 Stars
to say "Goodbye"? Now THAT track had me hitting the repeat button before I had finished the first listen through. It is simply beautiful, lyrically and musicially. An immediate favorite.Combine funky percussion with intense piano playing and smooth vocals & you've got the makings of something special.What's so amazing is how this woman wrote and arranged 98% of her album. You hear the passion and rawness in her voice, combined with a street edge.
The Isaac Hayes-flavored track, "Rock With You" is jazzy, funky and retro-vibed. (he even does instrumentation on it) She's also bold enough to cover the Prince classic, "How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore" & I'm sure the brotha aint mad at her. At all. "Jane Doe" is another song I enjoyed with its sassy & to the point message.
She does it again with "Never Felt this Way", putting a slight spin on it by playing in a different key and giving it her own style. I'm willing to bet Mr. McKnight was truly flattered. The interlude flows into "Butterflyz", a velvety smooth composition that is laden with acoustic guitar and of course, her piano playing. The melody is beautiful as well.
I also enjoyed "The Life", with its deep bass, strings and seventies vibe. "...gotta keep moving," she sings of her struggle to survive, "...trying to get over". Another instant favorite is "Troubles", a VERY inspirational track with a Mary J. Blige feel to it, yet Keys makes it her own.
"Caged Bird" and "Loving You" close out this debut nicely with deep messages in both songs.
Alicia Keys will be a force to be reckoned with in this business as she continues to expand and grow w/her talent. You will definitely be "Falling" for her sound and style. Girlfriend is baaaad! I mean look at how many reviews she has already. Go get this joint to hear for yourself.
Peace. CLB.
Free Music Review: Well Crafted, Classy Debut.
Hit: 5 Stars
This lady is one of those rare artists right now that is truly talented. She's a pianist, lyricist and composer. And this album became a hot-seller not for its mediocre content (like those crappy teen albums) but for its quality.
I actually bought her sophomore LP before I get this one cos at that time I thought that the only good songs are the first and second singles; Fallin' and A Woman' Worth. I was like.. SO WRONG!
From the start Alicia captured your attention with the classy intro Piano & I. But I think she arranged the song in the wrong order. Girlfriend is so terrible it easily can be thrown out of the album. Jermaine Dupri failed to impress me on this one. BUT, after track 2 (which was the latter), you'll be mesmerized by the other songs. Ms Keys is an amazing vocalist and pianist. I was blown away when Fallin' made its debut on the radio. My ultimate favorites would've been Jane Doe (this is hot! The verses are actually better than the chorus. And her vocals were well-styled), Goodbye, Butterflyz (flawless piano arrangement; haunting at the same time but awesome song), Troubles, Why Do I Feel So Sad (this song really makes you sad, the mood of the song suits the lyrics. Amazing), Mr Man (a sexy duet with Jimmy Cozier. Kinda like salsa meets R&B). The only interlude in the album, Never Felt This Way is so great! I really feel what she's tryna put across on each song cuz the mood is there. If only it's a full-length song it would've been a hit. Truly inspiring.
Personally, this is one notch higher than her Diary album. I just felt that in this debut, the choice of singles were bad (apart from Fallin' and A Woman's Worth). There are other exceptionally good songs that really could be huge hits.
But all in all I really like this album. Been listening for quite a while now (since I bought it recently). Classy and soulful all in one. I feel ya Alicia!
Free Music Review: An astonishing debut from an astonishing young woman
Hit: 5 Stars
When you think of talent, teen queens have certainly not been the direction anyone over 13 would think of. Enter Alicia Keys, among many teens in the trend to eliminate the rubbish in teen music. How does she distinguish herself from other singers? In several ways.First, she can sing. Britney Spears's voice is far too weak to carry well, and it's obvious from her ballads-where Christina Aguilera lets loose, she cannot. But Keys is able, very well, to articulate and sing, although all of Kerry Brothers's producing can't polish a little bit of immaturity out of the music. Nonetheless, with ballads like "Fallin'" and the deliriously cool "Jane Doe," Keys makes it clear that her abilities are far ranging.
Second, she actually writes her own songs-with much less help than Britney had on her latest album. That having been said, the songs don't seem to be written by 16-year-olds (Keys started writing the music for "Songs in A Minor" at about 16). Again, I have to go back to "Fallin'," a show of creativity and intelligence in her music. Yet she quotes Maya Angelou (who woulda thunkit?) in "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." She uses clearly expressed imagination in "Butterflyz." It is obvious that she knows very well what she is doing.
Last, though, is her ability to make you sit through an hour-long album. This has been a great year for ADD kids; Weezer, Sum 41 and the Strokes all released half-hour albums. Nonetheless, Keys's beautiful voice-and that piano ability of hers-makes her album easier to sit through than most other albums that long (see Hill, Lauryn).
This album, bar none, is a surprising classic, joining the Strokes "Is This It" and Jimmy Eat World's self-titled album (formerly called "Bleed American") on my list for the best of the year. Let's all hope that Keys can avoid that sophomore slump.
Free Music Review: Alicia Keys ... Winning Formula : Back to Basics
Hit: 5 Stars
It's about time that a female r&b/pop singer decided to play an instrument and go back to the way music is supposed to be made. When I first bought the album, I thought I was taking a risk ... buying a pop album, away from my usual hip hop purchases (DMX, Jay-Z, etc.) Well, was I ever wrong for doubting Ms. Keys. Every song on the LP is crafted to perfection, along with the help from champion producer Jermaine Dupri, and soulty rising star Jimmy Cozier, this record is something no music fan should be without. Every day, I scan the radio for something appealing. HOT 97 in New York plays great hip hop and r&b, but when you move away from there, the sounds get worse and worse. Every track is produced by a computer, and by an artist just in it for sales of useless items. Alicia Keys is an artist who loves her music. All of her songs have meaning, and feeling. There is no mentioning of drugs, violence, money, and power like other LP's, but just plain .... feeling. My favorite tracks on the album would most likely be, Girlfriend, How Come You Don't Call Anymore?, and Mr. Man. Girlfriend is a track which suprised me: it has more of an actual beat then the other tracks, it's a nice addition. 'How Come You Don't Call Anymore?' is an excellent remake of an old Prince B-Side. Although I never cared much for Prince, Alicia's version sits just fine with me. And last but not least Mr. Man. Teaming with an R&B blue chip prospect in Jimmy Cozier, the song has a nice smooth Latin groove, another suprise to me on the CD. If you ever want to just sit down, put in a CD and relax this would be the one for you. No worrying about changing to the best songs ... JUST LET IT PLAY, because the album is addicting. Alicia Keys went back to the basics ... and now she has a platinum album, congratulations Alicia, you deserve it.Free Music Review: Soul Is Reborn! Still Her Best, & Better Than All The Rest.
Hit: 5 Stars
Alica Keys' is the sexy Aquarian that won five Grammy's for this her debut album for a reason, she is that good! Take a piece of Roberta Flack, Al Green, & Stevie Wonder pour into a twenty first century Motown gal & you'll have Alicia Keys'. Rich soulful vocals, warm melodies & catchy lyrics that make this album a winner. Since she is classically trained it is clear after only one listening that her timing is perfect.
There are sixteen tracks including two remakes, "Someday We'll Be Free & Prince's How Come You Don't Call Me." These two were fine but I like her tunes far more. They range from slow, midtempo, to fast. "Fallin," is hands down the best song on the album & for me the best ballad since the Rolling Stones "Almost Here You Cry" from 1989's "Steel Wheels" album. "Fallin" should have been the number one song of 2001, not Christina Aguilera's screaming tune. "Fallin" has an Acapella intro & the violin of Miri Ben Ari that comes in with a smooth feeling. "A Womans Worth," has a satiny flow of lyrics as she tells her guy about her fine qualities & how she deserves to be treated. Then how she will reciprocate because he is worth it. "Butterflz," a fine tune with a jazzy piano & flowing lyrics. "Never Felt This Way," has classic piano sounds & lyrics describing a first love.
Other good tunes are "The Life," its catchy lyrics & an alluring melody give it a sensual 1960's soulful vibe. "Rock Wit You," is a funky song with a rich vocal delivery. "Girlfriend," has a rocking instrumental intro that was a pleasant surprise. With this album you will never have to hit the skip button. I love Alicia Keys' unique approach & the way she can immerse herself into the songs, whether they are her own or remakes. Lastly, she is the best new artist since the Police's first album came out in the late 1970's.