Alicia Keys

Songs in A Minor

My introduction to "Soul Music"

Review Score:

(8/10)
I simply cannot classify this album. It does have the soul and raw emotion for the Neo-Soul category. But it is also is pretty mainstream/pre-fabricational. Which excludes it from that cateogory.

Okay! now let's get this out of the way. Alicia Keys is my second favorite artist ever! 1st being the glorious faultless & legendary Mariah Carey. But comparing to other artists' albums, "Songs in A Minor" is only worth 4 stars. But I just can't resist giving it a 5/5. Because it has deep sedimental value to me. You see I became a AK fan after she cleaned the 2002 Grammys away. Thru AK's music -I came to discover Lamya and India.Arie. Thru India.Arie, Jill Scott and Lauryn Hill. Thru Jill Scott, I discovered Erykah Badu. And comparing young and only growing AK with Lauryn and Erykah doesn't really seem fair? -eh!

From the beginning of the album, it is just so damn fine! Her intro is great, and sort of reveals the context of Alicia Keys. I don't know whether I loved it or hated it when she used "shit". Firstly we all use that word, and I think it brings a more real vibe to the album, yet it is a bad role model for younger people -especially considering Alicia is a Christian. Okay! But the intro is really beautiful.

Then it's "Girlfriend" -I like it because it reveal a different situation to relationships. But it's the rhythm is so prefabricated mainstream RnB which overlaps and covers the emotion of the song. And also this happens on track 8 with "Jane Doe".

"How Come U Don't Call Me" is the most boring song the album. It is a album filler -definitly not a single! The only reason it was released is because it's written by Prince."Fallin'" -at first I hated it. But now I see it's raw emotions.

"Troubles" -one of the best songs on this album. It's the reason why this album has soul and emotions. "Rock Wit U" is a jazz classic. I honestly love this song. This kills and I mean murders Ashanti's boring and unispiration "Rock Wit U". Then there's the sweet ode to women -"A Woman's Worth". This is the real old-school soul R&B which reminds me of Aretha Franklin.

"Goodbye" & "Why Do I Feel So Sad" are emotion packed and are just so great -they're undescribeable. "The Life" -so soulful and raw, it's food for thought. Those two make Alicia soulful and different from the modern R&B musicians.

But the highlight of the album is "Butterflyz" the song she wrote only when she was 14. It's plain and simple yet full packed with soul! I think this song should've been released -just to testimone the excellence of Alicia Keys. The outro is like her new album's outro "Nobody Not Really" really contradicting, confusing and boring. "Lovin' U" is a "Fallin'" reserection. Now we have to wait paitently for her next release: Diary Of... (Oh it's already released.)

This album is different from her second album because it is more soulful/raw and you can see how songs like "Troubles", "Goodbye" and "Butterflyz" are compelled from childhood experiences.

A great debut for a very young new artist. A lot more growing needs to happen. Anticipate to see the rest of her career. She could B the next Aretha Franklin or Carole King -she's already written songs for fellow soul-diva Christina Aguilera. In twenty years or so, her debut will be a priceless classic.

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