Alicia Keys – Alicia (Album Review)

“Alicia” is Alicia Keys’ best album in at least ten years.

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TOP 5

5. 3 HOUR DRIVE

“3 Hour Drive,” I almost drowned in your water!

In “3 Hour Drive,” you get some of the most powerful, thought-provoking, deepest, and romantic lyrics by both Alicia Keys and Sampha. You also get some of the most intoxicating vocal performances on the song. All in all, expect to get goosebumps while you listen to “3 Hour Drive.”

4. SHOW ME LOVE

“Show Me Love” is one of the best slow jams of 2020.

“Show Me Love” is smooth, sensual, and extremely romantic. Personally, I love how the song primarily boasts present-day vibes, but at the same time, 90s R&B vibes (I hear a splash of Aaliyah’s “I Don’t Wanna” track from back in the day in the song).

Damn, this “Show Me Love” song makes me miss my slow jams CDs from back in the day!

3. UNDERDOG

I needed a song like “Underdog” in my life.

“Underdog“ is powered by a very colorful instrumental. It is also powered by a roaring vocal performance by Alicia Keys. Content-wise, Alicia tells the stories of a few individuals that were underrated and overlooked in the song. Since we’ve all been underrated and overlooked by someone in our lives (Ahem, Ahem, car dealers), you should be able to relate to “Underdog!”

2. YOU SAVE ME

“You Save Me” is one of the best duets I’ve heard in a while.

What Alicia Keys and Snoh Aalegra were able to accomplish on “You Save Me” is astonishing! Since the song is powered by an acoustic piano instrumental, the two singers absolutely let their hearts bleed.

“You Save Me” should teach you a lesson about the role support plays in relationships. It should also teach you that Snoh Aalegra and Alicia Keys are amazing singers!

1. GOOD JOB

Anytime Alicia Keys gets behind a piano, I get chills!

I’m over this COVID-19 bulls**t! Not only has the virus played with my emotions, but it has also made me scared to order food from shaky establishments. Anywho, in “Good Job,” Alicia Keys pays homage to all of the brave people that are helping the world be safe during these tough times. If the song’s piano-heavy instrumental doesn’t get you to tear up, I’m sure the fearless vocal performance Alicia gifts us with will!

Alicia Keys is a professional at turning frowns upside down!

SONG BY SONG BREAKDOWN

1. TRUTH WITHOUT LOVE (3/5)

2. TIME MACHINE (4/5)

3. AUTHORS OF FOREVER (4/5)

4. WASTED ENERGY (4/5)

5. UNDERDOG (5/5)

6. 3 HOUR DRIVE (5/5)

7. ME X 7 (4/5)

8. SHOW ME LOVE (5/5)

9. SO DONE (3/5)

10. GRAMERCY PARK (5/5)

11. LOVE LOOKS BETTER (4/5)

12. YOU SAVE ME (5/5)

13. JILL SCOTT (4/5)

14. PERFECT WAY TO DIE (4/5)

15. GOOD JOB (5/5)

OVERALL RATING

(B)

Alicia Keys is way more talented than what she’s put out these last couple of years. With that being said, on Alicia, you get so many different sides of the legendary singer. To be more specific, you get a quirky side of the singer, a love-struck side of the singer, a heroic side of the singer, and a petty side of the singer on the album. You also get a chance to hear Keys sing over Reggae-inspired instrumentals, soulful instrumentals, pop instrumentals, and alternative instrumentals. All in all, Alicia does it all on Alicia!

Can we stop sleeping on Alicia Keys’ singing skills? No, she can’t hit every note in the book, but the passion that she displays in her music is refreshing. Throughout Alicia, I feel like Alicia mesmerizes listeners by simply giving us all of her heart in every single song. I also feel like the melodies she gifts us with on the album are unbelievable.

How about the guest appearances on Alicia? I give Sampha an ‘A+’ for his performance on “3 Hour Drive,” I give Tierra Whack an ‘A’ for her performance on “Me x 7,” I give Snoh Aalegra an ‘A++’ for her performance on “You Save Me,” and I give Jill Scott an ‘A’ for her performance on “Jill Scott” (She better have killed a song that was named after her). Not only did each person that I mentioned stay true to themselves on the songs they were featured on, but they also did a fantastic job of being on the same page as Alicia.

Alicia is a fantastic album! I don’t know how long it took her to make it, but it sounds high-quality, it sounds intricate, and it sounds very powerful. Great job, Alicia!