Sneak Peak Album Review of "The Element of Freedom" by Alicia Keys

It has been said many times in the music industry that Hip Hop and RNB are dead. Record executes have plastered this all over magazines like Vibe and The Source. This is meant to say that good music is behind us and we can expect that any music that is put out will be below the quality we expect. The reason that we have such high expectations is that 10 years ago music meant something, you would hear an RNB songstress and know that she was speaking from her heart. She was expressing true feelings of love and heartbreak that we could all relate to. This is the music that we all miss, it was music that had a timeless appeal and it would give you feelings either good or bad, happiness or pain whenever you listened to the CD. That is the mark of a good musician, being able to express feelings through words and Alicia Keys is a throw back to that old type musician.

Her previous CDs "The Diary of Alicia Keys" and "As I Am" were both filled with amazing material. This is the reason I was anxious to listen to her new CD titled "The Element of Freedom" which is due in stores just before Christmas. I was able to listen to the entire project on Youtube and I was not disappointed at all. The music on the CD is amazing, it makes you feel happy, sad and then joyful all in the span of one hour. The track "Love Is Blind" talks about a love so deep that sometimes you miss fatal flaws in a person because of the strong feelings that you experience for them. "Love Is My Disease" talks about the feelings of loss after a breakup and the hurt that is experienced. "This Bed" is an upbeat song that talking about not wanting to be alone and needing to have someone next to you at night. She discusses being lonely and makes it relatable so that the listener enjoys hearing the music instead of feeling depressed by the song. The album has 13 tracks and includes a guest appearance by Beyonce. The standout songs are mentioned here but each of the 13 songs has a varied theme and subject. The project is well put together and flows like the stages of love. I would rate this a 4/5 and I would suggest is as a gift for any RNB fan.