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Track Listings
| 1. (Girl) I Love You |
| 2. After Laughter (Comes Tears) |
| 3. Skain's Domain |
| 4. As I Am (Intro) |
| 5. Go Ahead |
| 6. Superwoman |
| 7. No One |
| 8. Like You'll Never See Me Again |
| 9. Lesson Learned |
| 10. Wreckless Love |
| 11. The Thing About Love |
| 12. Teenage Love Affair |
| 13. I Need You |
| 14. Where Do We Go From Here |
| 15. Prelude To A Kiss |
| 16. Tell You Something (Nana's Reprise) |
| 17. Sure Looks Good To Me |
| 18. Waiting For Your Love |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
By the time this long-awaited album saw its release date, most fans had probably read at least a couple of interviews with Alicia Keys in which she explained that first single, "No One"--a firestorm of a song clearly born of a sore heart and steeped in serious soul-searching, was about her decision to retreat from the obligations of stardom when she found out a loved one was in need of her care. The anecdote sticks not just because it explained the song so well--you can actually hear the pain, commitment, and determination in her sultry voice--but because it gets at what makes the woman behind the music so appealing. There's only one way R&B artists grow to become legends, and it's by drenching the words they sing with feeling (think Gladys Knight, Roberta Flack). The skeptical listener might have had her doubts before As I Am, but there's no mistaking it now: Alicia Keys is well on her way to sharing a category with them. This record radiates not just old-soul maturity, the kind Alicia fans say makes her modern rarity, but real soul. Vintage-leaning hooks and horns grab hold on "Where Do We Go from Here" and an assortment of other songs, but Keys can also get by just fine without them, as she proves on more pop-flavored numbers like "Lesson Learned," with John Mayer, and "Superwoman." The genres may be smearing, she seems to say, but bring them on: she won't shrink back. Her commitment is not to a single style but to what's stirring her soul. Because of it, she's moving R&B, or something like it, from the hips back to the heart. --Tammy La Gorce
Review
With her third studio album, As I Am, Alicia Keys has dropped the urban flavours in the previous outing in favour of a more mature soul sound. Her celebrated voice is pushed to the fore, often relegating the prodigious piano playing to the background, save on "Prelude To A Kiss" where they go hand in hand.
Sassy opener "Go Ahead" feels like a statement of intent but the attitude is sadly lacking elsewhere on the album which often feels more Whitney than Stevie. No more so than on the monster single "No-One". Numbers like this, "Tell You Somethin'", "Superwoman" and "Lesson Learned" are slick, safe, and uninspiring. Similarly, "You'll See Me Again" could be from a book of Prince's bad ballads. Lyrically soft rocker "Sure Looks Good To Me" presents the case against and is simply a stream of howling clichés.
When Keys and the team throw caution to the wind the album begins to sound fresh. "I Need You"'s off beat rhythms make you prick up your ears and listen. The modern soul sound that they seem to be searching for suddenly comes right on the seriously classy "Where Do We Go From Here". The Hammond and horns underpin a huge vocal performance that has more emotion squeezed into it than all the ballads together. "Wreckless Love" is Keys at her most funky and sexy; her voice soaring above a crescendo of jazzy drums and horns. "The Thing About Love" a beautiful centre piece. As if reading your mind she states 'it's about time for me to shine' and obligingly does in a big and bold way.
It is a frustrating, mixed bag of an album. You get a sense of her huge talent but it feels like in trying to make a modern classic that is in keeping with Keys' huge stature, they have played it too safe. She is talked about as a female Stevie Wonder, but he is held in such high regard because he was a pioneer. His music sounds timeless now because it was groundbreaking when it was made. This just feels like a step back. --James Young
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I got this album for christmas and I would be willing to say that it's my favourite album of all time. Alicia has an incredible voice and each song is beautiful. If you listen to the lyrics you can appreciate that there is genuine emotion and thought behind each song and wahey - she actully writes her own music!! Alicia is also a very talented pianist. The album takes you on a journey - through the beginning of a relationship, breaking up and finding the strength again to go on. Hard to say which song to skip to, by superwoman is incredible - gives me shivers everytime I listen to it. 'Lesson learned' and 'teenage love affair' are also standout tracks. Girls, this album and chocolate is definately a cure for any man troubles!! Buy this album!! You will not regret it.
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This album is different to Alicia's previous albums but it isn't worse, it's just as powerful and affecting but it's quieter. It's more experimental, there seems to be more variety in the way she uses her voice, the instrumentation and the musical influences seem more diverse but as an Alicia Keys fan I am overjoyed to finally have this cd.
When I first listened to 'As I Am' I was surprised at the number of quieter 'ballad' tracks but it's growing on me and I can see a lot of familiar elements here that I loved in the other recordings, e.g., 'Teenage Love Affair' has a blissful retro summery feel that takes me back to 'You Don't Know My Name' and 'Go Ahead' has a similar driving power to the first couple of tracks on 'The Diary'. Also there are several tracks on here that almost immediately moved me to tears, really well crafted love songs and I could easily compare 'Tell You Something' to the special effect 'If I Ain't Got You' always had on me.
I'm not trying to say that this album is the same as the previous recordings because it isn't, if I wasn't already writing this review after 1 day of owning the cd I'd say it's more of a slow-burn album. To me it has a more profound happiness and a lot of love and a little less thunder about it. I'm happy with the differences and glad to have the things that haven't changed - great songs, fantastic vocals and beautiful piano. To me it's a good sign, artists that change stick around.
When I first listened to 'As I Am' I was surprised at the number of quieter 'ballad' tracks but it's growing on me and I can see a lot of familiar elements here that I loved in the other recordings, e.g., 'Teenage Love Affair' has a blissful retro summery feel that takes me back to 'You Don't Know My Name' and 'Go Ahead' has a similar driving power to the first couple of tracks on 'The Diary'. Also there are several tracks on here that almost immediately moved me to tears, really well crafted love songs and I could easily compare 'Tell You Something' to the special effect 'If I Ain't Got You' always had on me.
I'm not trying to say that this album is the same as the previous recordings because it isn't, if I wasn't already writing this review after 1 day of owning the cd I'd say it's more of a slow-burn album. To me it has a more profound happiness and a lot of love and a little less thunder about it. I'm happy with the differences and glad to have the things that haven't changed - great songs, fantastic vocals and beautiful piano. To me it's a good sign, artists that change stick around.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
1. As I Am. 10/10
2. Go Ahead. 10/10
3. Superwoman. 10/10
4. No One. 10/10
5. Like You'll Never See Me Again. 10/10
6. Lesson Learned. 9/10
7. Wreckless Love. 10/10
8. The Thing About Love. 9/10
9. Teenage Love Affair. 10/10
10. I Need You. 9/10
11. Where Do We Go From Here. 10/10
12. Prelude to a Kiss. 10/10
13. Tell You Something. 9/10
14. Sure Looks Good To Me. 9/10
15. Waiting For Your Love. 7/10
OVERALL GRADE: 10/10
You can't really compare the 3 AK albums as their different.
Songs In A Minor = Classical
The Diary of Alicia Keys = Street
As I Am = Old Soul/Be-Bop/Old Skool-Jazz
2. Go Ahead. 10/10
3. Superwoman. 10/10
4. No One. 10/10
5. Like You'll Never See Me Again. 10/10
6. Lesson Learned. 9/10
7. Wreckless Love. 10/10
8. The Thing About Love. 9/10
9. Teenage Love Affair. 10/10
10. I Need You. 9/10
11. Where Do We Go From Here. 10/10
12. Prelude to a Kiss. 10/10
13. Tell You Something. 9/10
14. Sure Looks Good To Me. 9/10
15. Waiting For Your Love. 7/10
OVERALL GRADE: 10/10
You can't really compare the 3 AK albums as their different.
Songs In A Minor = Classical
The Diary of Alicia Keys = Street
As I Am = Old Soul/Be-Bop/Old Skool-Jazz
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A very good return after 4 years absence
Alicia Keys has two very successful albums under her belt. No wonder it has taken her four years to release her third as great music is expected from her. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Amillionmiles
Nice surprise
I did not really feel this album when it first came out, somehow it passed quite unnoticed even in the media except for the first single 'No One' which was on the radio all the... Read more
Published 23 months ago by MONTSE
alicia
fantastic cd. every track is brilliant.only bought it for one track ~ "no one", but now play it all the time, great disc.
Published on 16 Nov 2009 by Mrs. C. E. Laxton
3 Bonus tracks missing: Look out for rare track ' DONCHA KNOW ( SKY IS...
Both this CD and DVD are fine, but you're missing out if you are getting this instead of THE SUPER EDITION CD + DVD, which has three bonus tracks, on top of the tracks listed... Read more
Published on 9 Oct 2009 by Oh!Susanna
She's Done It Again
Just when you thought her last album was as amazing as it could possibly get, Alicia goes and does it again by raising her level. Read more
Published on 1 Oct 2009 by lyrical
Alicia Keys - As I Am + DVD
I recently heard this whilst shopping with a friend and we both really loved it so I ordered it through Amazon and it was much cheaper, good value for money and it arrived within a... Read more
Published on 30 April 2009 by Ms. S. Long
Another great CD from Alicia
This cd has some great songs, i particularly like 'teenage love affair' and 'superwoman' but is definately very different to her previous albums. Read more
Published on 27 Mar 2009 by Danielle Barnes
Alicia Keys-What a legend!
Cracking album,better even than the last studio album! Alicias vocals never fail to stir the emotions and even though she doesnt always hit the top spot in this country,that's no... Read more
Published on 22 Sep 2008 by John Cassidy
As She Is
Alica presents a near perfect album.
It's heartfelt motown-style R&B dripping with soul.
Alicia sounds better than ever and is clearly in her element as the... Read more
It's heartfelt motown-style R&B dripping with soul.
Alicia sounds better than ever and is clearly in her element as the... Read more
Published on 26 Aug 2008 by thetalentedmremm=TANK BOY
3 stars for the cd on its own merits but 4 stars with the dvd
I didn't like this cd as much as Songs in A Minor and The Diary of Alicia Keys.Alicia's voice sounded a little flat and so did the music. Read more
Published on 4 July 2008 by dan the fan
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