Ever since If I Ain't Got You, Alicia Keys has been a staple in my music library - I vividly remember the day I bought The Diary of Alicia Keys along with JoJo's eponymous debut in 4th grade and the times I'd blast No One out of my (at the time) brand-new music phone while walking along the corridors in 7th grade. Needless to say, Alicia Keys was just a big a part of my childhood as JoJo and she was the very reason why I came to love pop music.Unlike JoJo though, Alicia Keys has actually gotten a new single out in the form of Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart and it's DAMN GOOD. No really, I absolutely adore the song. She manages to make it sound like something that'd fit perfectly into top 40 songs but at the same time make a song that's musically and technically outstanding. Like hell.
I love the emphasis on the piano at the end (her signature element, I've come to notice) and the song as a whole just glides along. It plays and you know it's playing, it doesn't go right through you but you just notice that the song's done.
Like I said a while ago, Alicia Keys is one of those artists who can actually make good music but still manage to have it fit into whatever trends there are. Add that to a stunning voice and you have the recipe for a musical legend. If there's anyone who deserves the praise and the awards left and right, it's her. Better than Lady GaGa or a Disney clone or some random rapper who uses too much processing - Alicia Keys is a musician and it shows.
5/5
Late, I know - this has been out for ages now. You know the drill, I've been waaaaaaay too busy. School, omgkpop, school, school, extracurricular stuff, school, school and SCHOOL. Apologies.
Agreed with all you said. I LOVE the Diary album and this is the closest she's come to that in ages. Only liked a few tunes on her last one (mainly the great Lessons Learned)...
ReplyDeleteHave you heard her Empire State? Also old-school Alicia.
'TRY SLEEPING WITH A BROKEN HEART' is genius. Alicia made me realise how beautiful R&B music is. I had all of her albums brought except for her latest, 'As I Am'. I found 'No One' very overplayed last year and her earlier single, 'Doesn't Mean Anything' literally nothing. With this song, my love for Alicia came back with eagerness. I'm hoping her album will be as epic as her first few albums where.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely love this song. Alicia Keys isn't someone I'd say I'm a proper fan of but this is outstanding.
ReplyDeletexolondon - Amen! Hahah. No, not yet, have been too out of the loop recently but I will.
ReplyDeleteKen - "No One" was good at first but once it became overplayed I kinda stopped listening to it. Although the Prima J version was good. Didn't pay attention to the other singles after that. Hahah.
thechemistryisdead - I know, right?