I'm from Chester, at Manchester Metropolitan University at the moment studying International Busine...
I'm from Chester, at Manchester Metropolitan University at the moment studying International Business.
Love music and DJ from time to time.
Member since:26.07.2006
Reviews:13
Members who trust:1
Since her multi-platinum debut album in 2001, Alicia Keys has just gone from strength to strength, and this album shows just how she has! Selling 742,000 copies in the first week, it was the fastest selling album in the USA since Norah Jones' - Feels Like Home in 2004. Her third album to date and by far her most eagerly anticipated, this album shows of the singer/songwriters wide range of talents and vocal skills. I am a great fan of Alicia Keys and owning both of her previous albums, I can realize how hard it must have been to top what she has previously released!
"As I Am" is an album full of soul and comes right from the heart of arguably one of the best R&B/Jazz singers out there today. The album combines soulful ballads with a range of funky R&B tracks and some exquisite piano pieces with really do grab the listeners attention. If you are a fan of artists such as John Legend, Marlena Shaw, Angie Stone, Jamie Foxx, Joss Stone or any similar artists then this is most definitely the album for you!
1. As I Am (intro): Unlike many albums with an 'Intro' track, this one really sets the tone as well as the standard for the rest of the album. It starts of with some elegant, blissful piano playing, followed by a
variety of funky, soulful R&B beats and finished off with a round of applause, which I think is very applicable for the album!
2. Go Ahead: After the minute and 54 seconds of intro which already makes the album sound great, even without Alicia singing so much as a note, you will be expecting something good and that is exactly what you get. The track starts off with a quiet bit off clapping and then the voice of Miss Keys starts with a sound, repetitive backing beat. The track is a fantastic track to really open the album with some fantastic soulful sounds as well as showing you how well this girl can sing!
3. Superwoman: A very suitable name for a track which is to be sung by the Superwoman or this genre! One of the quieter, laid-back soul tracks on the album, Alicia really uses the ranges of her voice and makes the best possible use of 'choir' like backing singers .
4. No One: The first single from the album and I'm sure that Alicia will be very disappointed that it didn't do better than the number 7 it reached. With a strong R&B feel to it, this track rivals the rest for one of the best on the album and really grabs the listeners attention with the more mature lyrics and feel to the song.
5. Like You'll Never See Me Again: The music in this track sounds rather like that of Mariah Carey's - We Belong Together, yet this track stands out from that. The vocals on this are by far the best on the track, making her sound like this is her 5th or 6th album! Once again she gives the track a very soulful feel by exploiting the use of very soulful, jazzy backing singers. Personally one of my favorite tracks on the album and certainly one to listen out for!
6. Lesson Learned: This track features a guest appearance from John Mayer, which for me gives the track a little edge from those other duets from similar artists. His voice gives the track something different and compliments Alicia's perfectly. Another brilliantly soulful track.
7. Wreckless Love: One of the more R&B like tracks on the album, still doesn't let any of her vocal talents go to waste, especially in the chorus when she really lets go and makes this sound unbelievable when you know that this is sung by someone of only 27.
8. Thing About Love: A very chilled out, soulful song. This one really gets the listeners attention, and is the perfect song to listen to with that 'special some-one'. The artist really shows off her talents here, particularly in the second half of the song where the soul is really there!
9. Teenage Love Affair: Another remarkable track once again accenting her amazing talents. Not the albums best track but still no complaints. This is personally my least favorite track on the album but is still putting the album up there with the very best.
10. I Need You: Fantastic! This track has everything, soul, jazz, R&B and superb vocal talents. It sounds like nothing else out there at the moment, with a funky R&B drum beat, a soulful voice, an outstanding array of jazz sounds, with a jazzy 'twangy' sound to compliment the drums. Brilliant!
11. Where Do We Go From Here: Very R&B like, with a very powerful voice to go with it. A very good track for those of you into R&B but not the so called 'heavy' sort!
12. Prelude To A Kiss: The most classical track on the album, but also possible the most soulful. The beautiful piano is gracefully accompanied by the distinguished voice of Alicia Keys, when combined, make one of the most beautiful, soulful, exquisite songs around.
13. Tell You Something (Nana's Reprise): Another beautiful song from the artist who seems to be able to do no wrong! You can really hear the soul and feel in her voice and this makes the track that much better and really shows why she is such a cut above the rest!
14. Sure Looks Good To Me: Once again her voice is perfect. The piano backing is very apt and makes this another fantastic song from the unbelievably talented artist. The lyrics once again make you listen and pay attention and once again she makes it sound so much better than any other similar artist around.
15. Waiting For Your Love (bonus track): The final track on the album and it is well worth waiting for! A very upbeat, soulful R&B track to end the album on, and very different to the rest of the tracks. This on stands out and shows again the range of talent that this girl has!
What else can I say?! This album is exquisite, one of the best albums to be release in the Jazz/Soul/R&B category in years. Alicia Keys certainly shows us how good she really is and how well she has matured as an artist. Compared to her previous albums and the competition out there, this is a much more experimental, soulful, mature album from for me, one of the best Jazz singers to date!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Good review! The thing is that I usually love Alicia keys' singles but find that her albums arent as great as I expect. Although your review is very convincing Im still not sure if Id get the album.
pefidler 03.12.2007 10:14
Good review! Not listened to AK yet but may do after your review!
Seresecros 26.11.2007 19:56
There's not a duff track on there? Sounds like a perfect Christmas present for my funky Aunty Jane, then.
By the time this long-awaited album saw its release date, most fans had probably read at ... more
least a couple of interviews with Alicia Keys in which she explained that first single, "No One"--a firestorm of a song clearly born of a sore heart and steeped in...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
By the time this long-awaited album saw its release date, most fans had probably read at ... more
least a couple of interviews with Alicia Keys in which she explained that first single, "No One"--a firestorm of a song clearly born of a sore heart and steeped in...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
By the time this long-awaited album saw its release date, most fans had probably read at ... more
least a couple of interviews with Alicia Keys in which she explained that first single, "No One"--a firestorm of a song clearly born of a sore heart and steeped in...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
By the time this long-awaited album saw its release date, most fans had probably read at ... more
least a couple of interviews with Alicia Keys in which she explained that first single, "No One"--a firestorm of a song clearly born of a sore heart and steeped in...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Refreshing classical piano, promising vocal talent Disadvantages: None that can't be put up with - although there are few out of place tracks towards the beginning
Nov 26th, 2007
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