As I Am

Alicia Keys | Format: MP3 Download

Product Details

• Original Release Date: November 13, 2007
• Label: J Records
• Copyright: (P) 2007 RCA/JIVE Label Group, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment
• Total Length: 56:00
• Genres:
• ASIN: B00138H3KS
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (329 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #202 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)
  • #7 in MP3 Downloads > MP3 Albums > R&B

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lush & New? She Is Still The Best Artist Out There., December 21, 2007

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SUPPORT THE ASPCA. "PILUM THROWER!" (?????) - See all my reviews

This review is from: As I Am (Audio CD)

This was new & different from "Songs In A Minor & The Diary Of Alicia Keys." Which is fine, I just do not think that the album in total is equal to the aboves? From slow to midtempo these songs are hard to classify other than their having a 60's-70's R&B sound. But, this album does seem to be her most personal & intimate. Some complain about her overuse of the Piano? I could not disagree more, it is a very neglected instrument. Alicia also plays it exceptionally well.

"Like You'll Never See Me Again, No One, I Need You, Tell You Something, & The Thing About Love," are my five favorites from this album. The latter has an Al Green early 1970's feel to it with an angry middle which most folks at some time in their lives can relate to. While the former may eventually challenge "Fallin" as her best song to date? It has lucid lyrics & a depth of feeling to it that many modern tunes lack. "I Need You has Alicia pulling you into the song & "Tell You Something" is a thoughtful get you to think tune. While "No One" is a sensual speaks for itself song. I'm not big on top forty hits since so many songs that make it are awful. But in this case, "No One" flew to the top for a reason.

I did not care for the Intros. "Prelude To A Kiss," was too short, "Lesson Learned & Sure Looks Good To Me" were pretty good, & the rest of the album was rather good. In closing, I think it is overly harsh to constantly compare her music to what came before as so many of the negative reviews harped on. She is not even thirty, & may have a few more decades to grow as an artist. I would wager that when many of her contemporaries are just a memory, she will still be producing fine music?

29 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'll take Alicia Keys 'As [She] Is'............, November 18, 2007

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D. Pawl "Dani" (Seattle) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: As I Am (Audio CD)

Grammy winning singer/songwriter, poet, philanthropist and visionary Alicia Keys proceeds to outdo herself with AS I AM, her third and finest album, to date. This 2007 release showcases her range as a musician. Keys is a classically-trained pianist, as well as being a true soul/r&b artist, and the album kicks off on a beautiful note with her original song "As I Am (Intro)," a classical piece. From there, we hear the influences and inspirations that guide this great musician to combine her poetry and eloquence as a lyricist with her flare for hooks and ear-catching instrumental (with a little help from her friends). Some of the best cuts include "Superwoman," (co-written with Linda Perry and Steve Mostyn), an anthem for strong women everywhere and an ear-catching chorus that will get you singing along, the beautiful, reggae-inspired "No One" (co-written with Kerry Brothers, Jr. and George M. Harry), the first single from the album and "Wreckless Love" (co-written with Matthew Kahane and Harold Lilly) which sounds like a throwback to the Motown soul era of the 1960s.

On another note, Alicia Keys' voice has never sounded better. It's deeper and raspier, but, that only adds flavor to her delivery of the more poignant pieces (particularly, "Tell You Something (Nana's Reprise)"). This young woman has been blessed with many talents and we are lucky and privileged that she is sharing them with the world.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Alicia Keys Is Rolling Right Along, November 13, 2007

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Andre S. Grindle "Andre' Grindle" (Brewer Maine) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: As I Am (Dlx) (Audio CD)

Alicia Keys is an artist I have been keeping a strong eye on since she first appeared in Ebony magazine's "artists to watch" cololm just prior to the release of her debut Songs in A Minor. And I am very glad I kept on track with her because I now have the pleasure to enjoy 'As I Am'. Not only couldn't it be any more different from that first CD but for what is her third studio album there is not only an enormous sense of emotional growth in this material but her musical aspirations have also increased by leaps and bounds. Within these 14 songs Alicia Keys manages to exhibit every positive quality in her music and actually discovered a few new ones. As common with all of her albums she opens with a classically inclined introduction before moving into the song cycle chronicaling the disolving and beginning of a relationship. Many of the songs on this album such as "The Thing About Love" and even the bouncy "Teenage Love Affair",a highlite of the album regardless. Now I am not one to focus on the hits but one of the big highlites here is,yes the hit "No One"-the lyrical challange is met by the equally compulsive drums-in fact one thing that might make this album controversial is the fact the very live drums are mixed up so high.The same thing happens on the title cut and "Go Ahead".And for those of you who confused "Prelude To A Kiss" with the famous standard it's not at all-it's a song of Alicia's own creation. There are many isolated highlites taken outside the concept-"Lessons Learned" actually melds the sounds of Alicia's poppy soul and John Mayer's soulful pop,works like a charm.My personal favorite is "I Need You",with an interesting melodic phrasing and arrangement the really points to a distinctive sound for her. 'As I Am' as a whole finds Alicia Keys in a place,far from the somewhat constraining arms of Columbia Records who steered her in a musical direction that appealed more to the modern,ProTool infected hip-hop/R&B crowd ,where she can develope her own distinctive sound based entirely on the things she does best and her own talents.