This woman's worth it! (Songs In A Minor - Alicia Keys)

Member Name: amnoangel

Product:	Songs In A Minor - Alicia Keys
Date:	05/06/02 (136 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Often fresh, funky, excting, feelgood, great lyrics

Disadvantages: Some tracks drag on to long, too many tracks, better tracks could be more spaced out

Here is an album that was hyped up towards the end of last year after the debut single Fallin' was released. It sold huge amount over in America, but had been out here for a couple of months already with little fanfare. Well over 8 months on and it?s still selling strong. So what's all the fuss about this girl?

Firstly, before I give my track-by-track guide, I'll apologise that the version I'm reviewing is not the one currently available in UK shops - as with so many albums nowadays, since I have bought it, it has been re-released with a new cover and a couple of extra remixes, and also an interactive section, I think.

The copy I have is not radically different from what I can tell. Here goes:

1. Piano & I

This is the intro to the album and a great opener. At just under 2 minutes, it doesn't really count as a song, but sets the tone for the album with an uplifting melody and a feel good mantra from Alicia mixed in with some humming vocal exercises and a beat. The beat and tune remain the same throughout building up to a climax before swinging almost effortlessly into track 2.

2. Girlfriend

This begins with some rapping from Alicia as well as a male (uncredited) guest, before leading into a great tune, and one of the catchiest on the album. It's got a laidback vocal and a summery vibe, although by the end of the track the chorus may have become a bit repetitive.

3. How Come You Don't Call Me

This is perhaps the best song here, and is my favourite, as well as the forthcoming single. It's written by Prince, and carries a very funky groove along with a great tune and a great vocal. This is perhaps the poppiest track as well, and the best one to sing along to. Behind the vocal and very prevalent beat, the simple piano chords can still be heard.

4. Fallin'

You know this one. It's the one that got her noticed. It may not be as exciting as the h
ype made out - I heard the hype a long time before I heard the song and was eventually slightly disappointed on first listen - but is still a great tune. There's raw emotion in the vocal, which is at its most powerful here. For me, this track concludes the best part of the album - four great tunes in a row. It's a shame, because there are still several more brilliant tracks - but the album isn't memorable the whole way through.

5. Troubles

This song can definitely grow on you, but it's the most downbeat track so far and is quite frankly, a bit depressing. "Feel like my dreams will never come to me, I keep on slipping deeper" is a selection of the lyrics from the verse, which dampen the mood slightly after the earlier tracks, which leave you feeling fresh and in a great mood. The chorus tries to convey a positive message, and the tune is good, but it's too slow and one to skip if in a good mood.

6. Rock Wit U

This goes upbeat again, even if it does have a VERY long introduction, totalling up at well over a minute and a half with a cheery little tune. Another laidback vocal, but the song isn't remarkable enough to make it stand out and it all passes by in a bit of a blur. The repetitive beat here doesn't work very well, leaving me with a thumping head at the end of the song. It's also too long, at over 5 minutes.

7. A Woman's Worth

Great! A standout track again! This was the second single from the album and could only make the top twenty, due to under promotion and huge album sales by that point. This is laidback, funky and the great lyrics make it memorable. This is one to sway along with and again, is a very summery track.

8. Jane Doe

Another favourite of mine. This kicks off with a brilliant melody and you know the song will be good. Again, there is an uncredited female here featuring on some of the lead vocals. As with all the best songs on this a
lbum, it has great vocals, a good beat, good lyrics and the familiar piano playing in the background. Definitely the catchiest song on the album - on first listening to this album this is the track that stuck out for me at the end.

9. Goodbye

The album slows down here and a few of the final tracks all seem to blend into one. I have listened to this album any times, but many of these last tracks I have to listen to when reviewing - I can't recognise the song merely by the title. This track is nice to chill out to, but isn't anything special. Alicia does upbeat much better.

10. The Life

This is the first of only three upbeat songs left. It has a memorable chorus and bridges but the verses pass by without much notice. Unfortunately, as with some of the other songs here, it's simply too long at over 5 minutes and becomes repetitive by the end. As the track builds up, so do her vocals and it all gets a bit too much by the end.

11. Mr Man

This is a duet and is actually credited - with a man named Jimmy Cozier. It's one of the more interesting songs here and breaks the mould that has been established early on in the album. The male vocal is slightly reggae and the song carries an unusual backing track. The lyrics are amongst the most interesting as well, the duet being between an attached girl being flirted with by a man at the bar. Neither of them want to be "unfair to Mr. Man." This is a really enjoyable track.

12. Never Felt This Way

This is billed as an interlude, but is still 2 minutes long. It's very slow but actually one of the nicest mellow moments on the album. There's no beat, simply Alicia playing on the piano with an emotional vocal, even if the lyrics are perhaps a little cliché.

13. Butterflyz

This is another one I can't recognise by title alone - it passes by upon listening and find it bland, boring and one to skip.

14. Why
Do I Feel So Sad

Alicia can certainly do depressing. This is better than the previous track because the lyrics are slightly interesting, but again, it makes your eyes close and numbs the brain a bit.

15. Caged Bird

This is the 'outro', although not the last track - although it is the last track listed on the tracklisting. Again, unfortunately, this track bores me, but does have really great lyrics comparing herself with a caged brd and I fell this is perhaps the most personal track on the album.

16. Lovin' U

Thank god for this final track - if it wasn't for this, you'd go away felling tired and disappointed by this album. Instead, this conjures up the fun, funk and uplifting tunes of the earlier parts of the album. It begins with some pleasant piano playing, before Alicia says, sounding impromptu, "OK, let me try something real quick", before the beat and tune unexpectedly change, introducing and uplifting track and easily one of my favourites. It's one of the shorter songs here, but it's a shame this doesn't take up the time some of the others drag on for.

Overall, this is a really good album. It would have been better for tracks to have been left off, leaving the CD shorter more exciting. As I have said, the earlier part is the strongest, and if it wasn't for the final track, you would feel disappointed by the album because some of the final tunes are so depressing. She's much better at the upbeat songs, and it's perfect to listen to for all occasions - especially on the move when the sun's shining.

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