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Since Alicia Keys' 2001 debut album, Songs in A Minor, was ever so slightly overpraised, expectations for her second album, 2003's The Diary of Alicia Keys, were ever so slightly too high. Songs in A Minor not only kicked off a wave of ambitious new neo-soul songsters, it fit neatly into the movement of ambitious yet classicist new female singer/songwriters that ranged from the worldbeat-inflected pop of Nelly Furtado to the jazzy Norah Jones, whose success may not have been possible if Keys hadn't laid the groundwork with such soulful work as her hit "Fallin'." Such success at such a young age, even if deserved, can be too much too soon, since young songwriters showered with praise and riches may find it hard to see the world outside of their own cocoon. The very title of The Diary of Alicia Keys -- at once disarmingly simple and self-important -- suggests that Keys, like Furtado, took her stardom a little too seriously and felt compelled to present her worldview unfiltered, dispensing with artistic ambiguities and leaving each song as a portrait of Alicia Keys, the woman as a young artist. As she somewhat bafflingly says in her liner notes, "these songs are like my daily entrees," which likely means that these were indeed intended to play like unedited entries in a journal, a goal that she's fulfilled quite successfully, even if it does mean that the album often plays as a diary, leaving listeners in the role of observers instead of seeing themselves in the songs. This was a problem on Furtado's nearly simultaneously released Folklore, but Keys trumps her peer in one key way -- musically, this is a seamless piece of work, a sultry slow groove that emphasizes her breathy, seductive voice and lush soulfulness. Tonally, this is ideal late-night romantic music, even when the tempos are kicked up a notch as on the blaxploitation-fueled "Heartburn," yet beneath that sensuous surface there is some crafty, complex musicality, particularly in how Keys blurs lines between classic soul, modern rhythms, jazz, pop melodies, and singer/songwriter sensibility. It's an exceptionally well-constructed production, and as a sustained piece of sonic craft, it's not just seductive, it's a good testament to Keys' musical strengths (which can even withstand Andre Harris and Vidal Davis' irritating squeaky voice production signature on "So Simple"). What the album lacks are songs as immediate as "Fallin'" or as compelling as "A Woman's Worth," and that, combined with her insular outlook, is where Diary comes up short and reveals that it is indeed merely a second album. Such is the problem of arriving with a debut as fully formed as Songs in A Minor at such a young age -- listeners tend to expect more from the sequel, forgetting that this an artist still in her formative stages. So, those expecting another album where Keys sounds wise beyond her years will bound to be disappointed by The Diary of Alicia Keys, since her writing reveals her age in a way it never did on the debut. Yet that is a typical problem with sophomore efforts, and while this is a problem, it's one that is outweighed by her continually impressive musical achievements; they're enough to make The Diary worth repeated listens, and they're enough to suggest that Keys will continue to grow on her third album.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Alicia Keys, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Kerry "Krucial" Brothers, Producer, Programmer - AK, Clavichord, Piano, Synthesizer - Tony Black, Mixing Engineer, Recording Engineer
(P) 2003 RCA/JIVE Label Group, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment
Alicia Keys, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist - Kerry Brothers, Jr., Composer, Lyricist - Taneisha Smith, Composer, Lyricist - Kerry "Krucial" Brothers, Producer, Programmer, Recording Engineer - Kerry "Krucial" Brothers except:, Associated Performer - AK, Piano - Dave Watson, Horn - Joe Romano, Horn - Tony Black, Recording Engineer - Manny Marroquin, Mixing Engineer
(P) 2003 RCA/JIVE Label Group, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment
Alicia Keys, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Timothy Mosley, Composer, Lyricist - Walter Millsap III, Composer, Lyricist - Candice Nelson, Composer, Lyricist - Erika Rose, Composer, Lyricist - Timbaland, Producer - AK - Jessica Wilson - Denise Stoudmire - Tony Black, Recording Engineer - Walter Millsap, Recording Engineer - Dan Gautreau, Assistant Engineer - "Senator" Jimmy Douglass for Timbaland Productions, Mixing Engineer
(P) 2003 RCA/JIVE Label Group, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment
Alicia Keys, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Producer, Associated Performer, Producer - Gloria Jones, Composer, Lyricist - AK, Piano - Burt Bacharach, Composer, Lyricist - Easy Mo Bee, Producer, Programmer - Dwayne "D. Wigg" Wiggins, Bass Guitar, Sitar - Dwayne Wiggins, Producer - Clarence McMurray, Composer, Lyricist - Hal David, Composer, Lyricist - Tony Black, Recording Engineer - Pat Viala, Mixing Engineer - Pam Sawyer, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 2003 RCA/JIVE Label Group, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment
Alicia Keys, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Kanye West, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - AK - John Legend - Tony Black, Recording Engineer - Harold Lilly, Composer, Lyricist - Manny Marroquin, Mixing Engineer - Ann Mincieli , Recording Engineer - Sharief Hobley, Guitar - Ray Chew, Arranger, Conductor - J.R. Bailey, Composer, Lyricist - Sanford Allen, Violin - Kurt Briggs, Violin - Alexander Vselensky, Violin - Mel Kent, Composer, Lyricist - Marion Pinheiro, Violin - Ken Williams, Composer, Lyricist - Stanley Hunte, Violin - Avril Brown, Violin - Lori Miller, Violin - Xin Zhao, Violin - Richard Brice, Viola - Barry Finclair, Viola - Maxine Roach, Viola - Robert Chausow, Viola - Eileen Folson, Cello - Caryl Paisner, Cello
(P) 2003 RCA/JIVE Label Group, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment
Alicia Keys, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - AK, Piano - Steve Jordan, Drums - Fred Cash, Jr., Bass Guitar - Hugh McKracken, Guitar - Arcell Vickers, Organ - Chops, Horn - David Watson, Horn - Darryl Dixon, Horn - Joe Romano, Horn - L. Green - Cindy Mizelle - Katreese Barnes - Kerry "Krucial" Brothers, Programmer - Tony Black, Recording Engineer - Manny Marroquin, Mixing Engineer
(P) 2003 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Alicia Keys, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Tony! Toni! Toné!, Associated Performer, Featured Artist - Jermaine Paul, Associated Performer, Featured Artist - Alicia Keys feat. Tony! Toni! Toné! and Jermaine Paul, Associated Performer - Kerry Brothers, Jr., Composer, Lyricist - AK, Keyboards, Piano - Dwayne "D. Wigg" Wiggins, Guitar - John "Jubu" Smith, Guitar - Tony Black, Recording Engineer - Manny Marroquin, Mixing Engineer - Elijah Baker, Bass Guitar - Kerry "Krucial" Brothers, Programmer - Tim Christian Riley, Piano - Carl "Rev" Wheeler, Organ, Piano - Ann Mincieli , Recording Engineer - Stockley Carmichael - Jerimiah "Jermaine" Paul
(P) 2003 RCA/JIVE Label Group, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment
Alicia Keys, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Kerry "Krucial" Brothers, Co-Producer, Programmer, Recording Engineer - Fred Cash, Jr., Bass Guitar - Ronnie Drayton, Guitar - Onree Gill, Organ - AK, Piano, Synthesizer - Tony Black, Recording Engineer - Ann Mincieli , Recording Engineer - Manny Marroquin, Mixing Engineer
(P) 2003 RCA/JIVE Label Group, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment
Alicia Keys, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Kerry Brothers, Jr., Composer, Lyricist - Willie Weeks, Bass Guitar - AK, Arranger, Keyboards, Piano - Cindy Mizelle - Andricka Hall - Katreese Barnes - Kerry "Krucial" Brothers, Programmer - Ray Chew, Arranger, Conductor - Sanford Allen, Violin - Gwendolyn Laster, Violin - Alexander Vselensky, Violin - Marion Pinheiro, Violin - Stanley Hunte, Violin - Avril Brown, Violin - Dale Stuckenbruck, Violin - Richard Brice, Viola - Barry Finclair, Viola - Maxine Roach, Viola - Julien Barber, Viola - Peter VanDerwater, Viola - Marisol Espada, Cello - Melissa Meell, Cello - Tony Black, Recording Engineer - Ann Mincieli , Recording Engineer - Russ Elevado, Mixing Engineer
(P) 2003 RCA/JIVE Label Group, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment
Alicia Keys, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Lellow, Associated Performer, Featured Artist - Alicia Keys feat. Lellow, Associated Performer - Harold Lilly, Composer, Lyricist - Andre Harris, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Vidal Davis, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - AK - Tony Black, Mixing Engineer, Recording Engineer - Vincent DiLorenzo, Recording Engineer - Ann Mincieli , Recording Engineer
(P) 2003 RCA/JIVE Label Group, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment
Alicia Keys, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Kerry Brothers, Jr., Composer, Lyricist - AK, Keyboards, Piano, Synthesizer - Steve "Styles" Rodriguez, Bass Guitar - Artie White, Guitar - Tony Black, Recording Engineer - Dan Gautreau, Assistant Engineer - Ann Mincieli , Recording Engineer - Manny Marroquin, Mixing Engineer - Kerry "Krucial" Brothers, Programmer
(P) 2003 RCA/JIVE Label Group, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment
Alicia Keys, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - AK, Piano, Synthesizer - Kerry "Krucial" Brothers, Programmer, Recording Engineer - Tony Black, Mixing Engineer, Recording Engineer - Alan Ford, Assistant Engineer
(P) 2003 RCA/JIVE Label Group, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment
Alicia Keys, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - L. Green, Composer, Lyricist - Erika Rose, Composer, Lyricist - Kumasi, Producer, Programmer, Synthesizer - AK, Piano, Synthesizer - Artie White, Guitar - Tony Black, Recording Engineer - Ann Mincieli , Recording Engineer - Manny Marroquin, Mixing Engineer
(P) 2003 RCA/JIVE Label Group, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment
Alicia Keys, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Erika Rose, Composer, Lyricist - Kerry "Krucial" Brothers, Drums, Producer - AK, Piano - Fred Cash, Jr., Bass Guitar - Steve "Styles" Rodriguez, Bass Guitar - Ricky Quinones, Guitar - Onree Gill, Piano - Arcell Vickers, Organ - Pablo Batista, Percussion - L. Green - Tony Black, Recording Engineer - Ann Mincieli , Recording Engineer - Manny Marroquin, Mixing Engineer - Rabeka Tuinei, Assistant Engineer
(P) 2003 RCA/JIVE Label Group, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment
Alicia Keys, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Taneisha Smith, Composer, Lyricist - AK, Piano - John Paul, Drums - Steve "Styles" Rodriguez, Bass Guitar - Ricky Quinones, Guitar - Onree Gill, Piano - Dave Watson, Flute, Saxophone - Arcell Vickers, Organ - Pablo Batista, Percussion - Erika Rose - L. Green - Tony Black, Mixing Engineer, Recording Engineer
(P) 2003 RCA/JIVE Label Group, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment
Album review
Since Alicia Keys' 2001 debut album, Songs in A Minor, was ever so slightly overpraised, expectations for her second album, 2003's The Diary of Alicia Keys, were ever so slightly too high. Songs in A Minor not only kicked off a wave of ambitious new neo-soul songsters, it fit neatly into the movement of ambitious yet classicist new female singer/songwriters that ranged from the worldbeat-inflected pop of Nelly Furtado to the jazzy Norah Jones, whose success may not have been possible if Keys hadn't laid the groundwork with such soulful work as her hit "Fallin'." Such success at such a young age, even if deserved, can be too much too soon, since young songwriters showered with praise and riches may find it hard to see the world outside of their own cocoon. The very title of The Diary of Alicia Keys -- at once disarmingly simple and self-important -- suggests that Keys, like Furtado, took her stardom a little too seriously and felt compelled to present her worldview unfiltered, dispensing with artistic ambiguities and leaving each song as a portrait of Alicia Keys, the woman as a young artist. As she somewhat bafflingly says in her liner notes, "these songs are like my daily entrees," which likely means that these were indeed intended to play like unedited entries in a journal, a goal that she's fulfilled quite successfully, even if it does mean that the album often plays as a diary, leaving listeners in the role of observers instead of seeing themselves in the songs. This was a problem on Furtado's nearly simultaneously released Folklore, but Keys trumps her peer in one key way -- musically, this is a seamless piece of work, a sultry slow groove that emphasizes her breathy, seductive voice and lush soulfulness. Tonally, this is ideal late-night romantic music, even when the tempos are kicked up a notch as on the blaxploitation-fueled "Heartburn," yet beneath that sensuous surface there is some crafty, complex musicality, particularly in how Keys blurs lines between classic soul, modern rhythms, jazz, pop melodies, and singer/songwriter sensibility. It's an exceptionally well-constructed production, and as a sustained piece of sonic craft, it's not just seductive, it's a good testament to Keys' musical strengths (which can even withstand Andre Harris and Vidal Davis' irritating squeaky voice production signature on "So Simple"). What the album lacks are songs as immediate as "Fallin'" or as compelling as "A Woman's Worth," and that, combined with her insular outlook, is where Diary comes up short and reveals that it is indeed merely a second album. Such is the problem of arriving with a debut as fully formed as Songs in A Minor at such a young age -- listeners tend to expect more from the sequel, forgetting that this an artist still in her formative stages. So, those expecting another album where Keys sounds wise beyond her years will bound to be disappointed by The Diary of Alicia Keys, since her writing reveals her age in a way it never did on the debut. Yet that is a typical problem with sophomore efforts, and while this is a problem, it's one that is outweighed by her continually impressive musical achievements; they're enough to make The Diary worth repeated listens, and they're enough to suggest that Keys will continue to grow on her third album.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 16 track(s)
- Total length: 01:02:40
- Main artists: Alicia Keys
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: J Records
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B R&B
(P) 2003 Sony Music Entertainment
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