3.5 stars......Alicia's Incomplete Diary

I'm sorry, but I couldn't help that pun there, even though it was weak.



I know you are going to look at my album review and be like "he's a hater". Trust me, I love Alicia as much as the next person, but come on! We waited so long just for this?



I'm NOT saying the album is bad, it's just that her lyrical skills seemed to have faltered a bit since her classic debut album. Sometimes the lyrics are a bit juvenile, whereas other times there actually are some decent lyrics. Musically, I can see some attempt at growth, but more or less it seems as if people tried to capitalize off the first album. Case in point: Even though so many others have said it before, it's quite true...."Wake Up" and "When You Really Love Someone" sounds too much like "Fallin'" to really be interesting enough to like. I mean, I was like, no.



Nevertheless, there are some decent songs on here that actually work. "Karma" takes a while to get used to, and the video for the song doesn't help, but the lyrics are great, IMO. One of life's old adages is put to good use in a song and doesn't sound too cliche'. "You Don't Know My Name" is pretty good, with its nice old school feel and catchiness. Alicia sounds good even if this song was seriously overplayed! "If I Ain't Got You" is probably the best song on the album, and Alicia shows off those pipes that we have all come to love. It's the perfect segue into "Diary", which has the perfect piano arrangement and flows efforltessly throughout. Whoever that is singing with Alicia complements her voice toward the end. "When You Really Love Someone", "Fallin'" sample notwithstanding, actually sounds good and is kinda catchy. And both the interludes work well. "Feeling U, Feeling Me" is a nice interlude that sounds good, but "Nobody Not Really" has the perfect mix of vocals and tight lyrics. It really should have been a full song because it sounds so good. I know this might sound sad, but that song is my favorite on the album.



Now let's get to the bad....sometimes it's good to use some old-school flavor on your album (Beyonce' actually did it well on her album), but when you use it too much, it gets unlistenable. "If I Was Your Woman/Walk On By" is just downright wrong from the jump. When I initially saw that on the tracklisting, I thought Alicia was going to remake it with the soul....instead, we get a overproduced hip-hoppy song....you can't take a sould classic and make it a hip-hop joint that actually is good. Come on Alicia! "Dragon Days" is just not a song that I expected Alicia to have on here, it's definitely filler. "Samsonite Man" would have been better had a male artist played the Samsonite Man and sang a verse.



Of course, the album is not a total waste and possibly can be listened to throughout as background music while you are reading. But if you are looking for something to really listen to, this isn't quite it. You may have to skip a few songs, but it's still decent.

Alicia Keys Rock

This is one of the first CDs I ever bought and it is one of the best in my collection. The songs on here are so well crafted and put together that it makes Alicia seem like she has been doing this for over 10 years. She is so different from most of the divas out there who shake their butt, like Beyonce, Ashanti and Ciara, and I have to say, she is probably the best arrival so far in this millennium. Nearly ever song on this album deserves a 5 star, and I hope she keeps coming up with good music in her years to come. The DVD is very interesting because it talks about her journey through life and how she became an artist and who helped her and influenced her along the way. It also shows her on tour and the places she went to and how that had a part in the development of this album. This album was the reason I bought Songs in A Minor, which is also another excellent piece of work, and I know she will win many Grammy Awards this year. I highly recommend this album to all Alicia fans.

Alisha be a sucka.

Alisha be a sucka. Her album be a sucka. No good songs. Alisha always be sucka. I not be sucka. Alisha diary is sucka.

i cant believe that some people like britney more than her!!

Alicia Keys is one of the only purely talented musicians/singers of 2004. Her voice draws you in, sooths you, just like her unbelievable ability to play the piano. The album is even better than her first effort, "Songs In A Minor" which is also simply fabulous. The album is almost too good to be true. The standouts are: Karma, If I Ain't Got You, Diary (DEFINITELY THE BEST SONG ON THE ALBUM!), You Don't Know My Name, So Simple, Feeling U, Feeling Me, Slow Down and Samsonite Man. I know I have named practically all the songs on the album, but I could'nt leave any of them off. Wake Up, Dragon Days, Heartburn, Nobody Not Really, If I Was Your Woman, and When You Really Love Someone are also extremely great. I can find no complaints to tell you except it is too short - it should go on forever. I cannot WAIT until her next album, to see if it is as good. I think it will be, though.

I can't get over the fact that some people actually like artists such as Britney Spears, Christina Milian, or Shawnna. Make sure you by this album - it's amazing. The bonus DVD is really interesting, too.



Tom Peter James Evans from Newport Pagnell, Milton Keynes, England, Great Britain, Europe, reporting to the people from other places in Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Australia, and Asia. (I don't think anyone from Antartica will be checking out this review).

NICE

Some dude gave her a 1 star review and called Alicia a sucka...he needs to get a dictionary or something...pass the 2nd grade...have your own opinion, but back it up.



Diary is a pretty good CD...I don't listen to a lot of RnB, mostly just hip hop, but Alicia Keys stands out to all the Ciaras, Beyonces and Ashantis out there. Music-wise and personality wise. Her voice tops all those other artists with their synthesized voices and boring repetative club beats. She actually has musical talent other than singing (piano, duh)



anyway, go out and get this album if you want a taste of real un-synthesized RnB

The Diary of Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys' newest CD, The Diary of Alicia Keys, was truly mesmerizing. This CD has a beautiful blend of R&B, blues, and soul. Released on December 2, 2003, it sold over 610,000 copies in its first week. The CD was released on J-Records. It has had wonderful ratings, and immediately shot up to number one on the charts when first released.

Famed Alicia Keys has made an even better CD than before. She's released one other CD, Songs in a Minor, mostly famous for the hit single "Fallin."' Alicia Keys' style hasn't changed much, except that The Diary of Alicia Keys has a little more R&B. It's not much of a surprise, for it didn't change much, but she didn't really need changing.

I was truly speechless when I first listened to the CD. And the CD got even better the longer I listened to it. There were a lot of great songs, but I'll start with just mentioning my favorites.

I loved "Karma," "If I Ain't Got You," "Diary," and "Wake Up." "Karma" was an angry, yet soulful song with a wonderful violin addition. "If I Ain't Got You" was good just because it's so true to so many people. "Diary" is just fun to sing to and is relaxing. "Wake Up" was just beautiful and tranquil. Now for the songs I didn't like so much. I didn't particually like "Dragon Days" and "So Simple." "Dragon Days" just has odd, confusing lyrics. And "So Simple" was actually a good song, but there was a squeaky , annoying voice singing along. Alicia Keys is almost like female Usher.

My overall rating of The Diary of Alicia Keys by Alicia Keys is 5 stars. Anyone who likes soulful, relaxing, and calming music would love this CD. Everyone should watch out, because Alicia Keys is getting even better after everyone thought it wasn't possible.



Overall rating- 5 stars

Song ratings-

<sum> Harlem's Nocturne- 5/5

<sum> Karma- 5/5

<sum> Heartburn- 3.5/5

<sum> If I Was Your Woman/Walk On By-4/5

<sum> You Don't Know My Name- 4/5

<sum> If I Ain't Got You- 5/5

<sum> Diary- 5/5

<sum> Dragon Days- 2.5/5

<sum> Wake Up- 5/5

<sum> So Simple- 3/5

<sum> When You Really Love Someone- 4/5

<sum> Feeling You, Feeling Me- 4/5

<sum> Slow Down-4/5

<sum> Samsonite Man- 4/5

<sum> Nobody Not Really- 4/5