Unplugged Brilliance (Alicia Keys Mtv Unplugged - Alicia Keys)

Member Name: Lakerfanster

Product:	Alicia Keys Mtv Unplugged - Alicia Keys
Date:	05/07/09 (59 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Voice. songs,

Disadvantages: I wasn't there??

**Introduction**

When I was thinking of requesting something new to review I came across this album on my windows media player and after a dooyoo search I realised it was not on here yet so I of course requested it and here it is on dooyoo. As a big fan of Alicia Keys after her two albums Songs In A Minor and The Diary of Alicia Keys I was delighted to hear in 2005 that she was due to release a new live album as part of the renowned MTV Unplugged series. Below is a little bit about the MTV Unplugged series.

**MTV Unplugged**

I'm sure that one of the artists you like will probably have recorded a live album for MTV Unplugged at some point as this series is such a huge series that a wide variety of performers have done MTV Unplugged. Here's a little bit about it for people who don't know. MTV Unplugged began in 1989 on the hugely popular music channel. Over the years it has seen a wide range of artists including such stars as Nirvana, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan with Joe Satriani, Sinead O'Connor, Don Henley, Hall & Oates, Elton John, Aerosmith, Crosby, Stills & Nash, The Allman Brothers Band, The Cure, Paul McCartney, Sting, REM, Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey, Pearl Jam, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen and many many others.

**The Album**

This album was recorded July 4, 2005 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn, New York City. Alicia Keys MTV Unplugged was released on 7th October 2005. The album features the following Special Guests. Adam Levine, Damien Marley, Mos Def and Common and features sixteen tracks from this MTV Unplugged Concert.

1.) Intro Alicia's Prayer

This is a really beautiful little intro to the with Alicia's vocals sounding really superb and very emotive.

2.) Karma

This is a funky live version of this track from her second album. It has a really great flow and her vocals are on form. A really strong performance of this song. A lively energetic track that only lasts just over two minutes which is a slight drawback.

3.) Heartburn

This is another track which featured on her second album and is another energetic performance. This up-tempo track has a more funky feel than the studio version and combines Funk and Hip Hop with even a little Jazz which makes this very good indeed.

4.) Woman's Worth

I loved the studio version of this track and this is a really fabulous version of this emotive track. Alicia and her backing singers are all superb and really make this track even better than the original version which is very hard to do. A masterpiece of a live version.

5.) Unbreakable

This is another funky track which has a great flow. It was a new track for this album and this mid tempo ballad works really well and was a clear indication that her albums would continue the quality of her first two releases. This is a very good performance of this one. Very funky.

6.) How Come You Don't Call Me

This is another track which I loved from the studio version. This is a fabulous performance of this awesome track. Her voice sounds just amazing on this one and again her band backs her up well. This is one of the best performances on the album. Just brilliant.

7.) If I was your woman

This is another superb performance. It opens very softly with Alicia and her piano and then the drums come in to bring the mood back to the original version and this is another fantastic performance of yet another great song from her second album Diary of Alicia Keys.

8.) If I Ain't Got Ya

You might get sick of the praise but this is yet another outstanding performance of an amazing song. This track is so beautiful anyway that it you'd think it can't get any more beautiful but this live version does just that. An awesome performance of this heartbreaking ballad.

9.) Every Little Bit Hurts

This was another song that did not appear on either previous album but is a very good ballad indeed. This is a cover of Aretha Franklin. It's Not quite as good as the live performances of If I Ain't Got You, A woman's worth and How come you don't call me but this is a very solid track indeed.

10.) Streets Of New York (City Life)

This sounds a bit like a live jamming session. It features Alicia Keys speaking about life in a similar way to Lauryn Hill. This is a nice track although it does last a little long at nearly eight minutes which in my opinion is maybe double what it should be. It sure is Very good though.

11.) Wild Horses - Keys, Alicia & Adam Levine

This is a great cover of the well known Rolling Stones track. Adam Levine is of course the lead singer of Maroon Five. His voice is better than Mick Jagger's in my opinion but he sounds like an off key Justin Timberlake in this one even though I have never heard that. Alicia's good though.

12.) Diary

This is another wonderful performance of another great ballad. Her voice is tender and smooth in places and really powerful in others. Alicia Keys again showcasing her vocal ability and of course her piano playing on this great track. Very good stuff indeed.

13.) You Don't Know My Name

The sound is a little different to the original but this is another very fine version. I am sure you will know this track and this is another one of my favourite songs on her second album. Another great effort and one of the best changes from the original.

14.) Stolen Moments

This is another phenomenally good performance of another great track. This live version has a more bluesy feel than the studio version and that is due to the live nature in my opinion. A very very good performance of this great track. Just brilliant stuff.

15.) Fallin'

This was the track that made Alicia Keys and this is a phenomenal version of her classic hit. Her voice is really quite breathtaking in places on this track and the music is nearly as good. Just showing yet again that her live performances are amongst the best around.

16.) Love It Or Leave It Alone/Welcome To Jamrock - Keys, Alicia & Damian Marley/Mos Def/Common

This is the closer of the performance and is an up-tempo track which sees Alicia team up with Damian Marley, Common and Mos Def to perform this up-tempo track that to me has a little of The Roots about it in structure and sound. Very good closer but Damian Marley should really go.

**Overall**

There we are, sixteen songs on this great live album where there seem to be so many extraordinary performances from one of the true greats in music around today. I for one would have loved to have been there and when Alicia Keys releases her new album sometime late this year I will be checking ticketmaster daily to see when she is going to tour the United Kingdom again because I really want to see her for myself.

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