Alicia Keys' revival of MTV's Unplugged, the critically acclaimed series of acoustic concerts, is a triumphant collection of beautiful songs that emanate personal warmth and the sheer joy of creating music. Revisiting her previous recordings with new arrangements, adding a few new songs, and presenting a few judiciously chosen covers, Keys successfully keeps her prodigious talents in the public eye while we all eagerly await studio album #3.
Connecting With the Audience
Alicia Keys continues to exhibit an amazing talent for connecting with an audience live, particularly in an artist so young (she is 24). Throughout Unplugged we hear her stage patter and can feel the mutual energy flowing between Keys and her audience. She frequently digs deep into the r&b grooves that populate the album, but her explorations remain strongly tied to melody and never alienate the audience. There are numerous references to the women in the audience followed by roars from the crowd. The same occurs when Alicia Keys makes reference to the men. Her music and persona hold universal appeal.
New Classics
Unplugged contains 2 new gems. The first, "Unbreakable," the first single from the album, cleverly uses pop culture examples to demonstrate that all couples united by love face "technical difficulties." Driven by insistent piano runs, Alicia Keys effortlessly adds to her growing list of memorable singles. "Stolen Moments," the second song, this time co-written by r&b legend Al Green, is a melliflous, relaxed love song celebrating time spent with a special someone.
Talented Guests
When Alicia Keys chooses to add guests to her performance, they are not selected merely for star power. Instead, they are selected for their musical talents, and none disappoint here. Maroon 5's Adam Levine makes an appearance on a moving performance of the Rolling Stones classic "Wild Horses" featuring outstanding piano work from Keys. Rappers Common and Mos Def enliven the event on "Love It Or Leave It Alone," and reggae artist Damian Marley shines on "Welcome To Jamrock."
The Verdict
If you already own both Songs In A Minor and The Diary Of Alicia Keys in your music collection, Unplugged may be an optional purchase. However, you would be missing one of the most consistently entertaining and rewarding albums of the year. As many of us have known since the release of Songs In A Minor 4 years ago, Alicia Keys is one of the most talented artists in popular music, and, as much of her publicity points out, she has an "old soul" that is musically wise beyond her chronological years.
