If Hip-Hop is dead, R&B is alive and well. Conspicuous by her absence, Alicia Keys returns with her third studio album, As I Am, and the time away really helped her deliver a smooth, mellowed out record that fans will be sure to enjoy. Unlike most albums that lack a real presence, As I Am carries an ambiance throughout that reminds you just why we fell in love with Alicia in the first place. Her voice is amazing here and the passion in which she sings with makes every record become personal. Even better, I found the album to be one of those that you just put on and press play throughout because every track is good in its own way. Whether it’s the remorseful “Lesson Learned” featuring John Mayer or the empowering “Superwoman”, Alicia shines bright in all her glory and exceeds expectations with an album equally as good as her previous two.
As an artist, Alicia undoubtedly gives her all when it comes to her work and it reflects in her music. The songwriting and subject matter on this album commentates a more mature tone than her last album and that compliments her skills as a great songwriter. Production wise, the album has a assorted range of instrumentation and instead of forcing things, Alicia is able to fit herself nicely to every track.
As far as I’m concerned, Alicia is the best at what she does and proof at that can be heard on “Like You’ll Never See Me Again”. By far, this is my favorite song on the album along with a few others but just the way this record sounds is incredible. It’s simple but just the way Alicia delivers on it makes it all the more special. The same could be said for the entire album, overall. There’s no doubt Alicia Keys is becoming one of the greatest singers of our generation and with As I Am…I expect her to only gain more people to believe that as well.
Rating: 8.5 headphones Out of 10
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