Review: Alicia Keys – Here

Fifteen years after the debut of Songs In A Minor, and a month before the release of her sixth studio album, entitled Here, Alicia Keys stood in the middle of Times Square in complete awe of the thousands of fans cheering her on. With all-star guests joining her on stage, including Q-Tip, Nas, Questlove, John Mayer, and Jay Z, Keys couldn’t quite wrap her mind around shutting down Times Square to perform her classic hits and newest songs for the jam-packed audience in her hometown. Fast forward a month later, and a visual prelude of Here in the form of a four-part short film hit the internet as an exclusive called The Gospel, giving a sneak peak of songs on the full-length album. The Gospel illuminates the New York City that gave birth to, grounded, and fully nurtured the singer and songwriter into the multi-platinum Grammy award winning artist and businesswoman she is today. Seen through a vintage black and white lens, the film depicts Alicia’s songwriting process while peeking into the authentic rawness of uptown New York, the sounds, the stories, the struggles, complexities and injustices that true New Yorkers move through in everyday life. The Gospel is social commentary in the form of poetry from the streets. Hopes and dreams, the familiar stages of life, innocence and the lack thereof. It shows safety and security, beauty and love, and all of the rest. These themes are illustrated not only in the visual short film but on the full studio album, executive produced by Alicia Keys and her husband Swizz Beatz.

With the arrival of Here, Keys has spoken at length about how this body of work is about life, the people who surround her, and all the experiences growing up into an artist creating powerful, honest music. With this album she followed her creative vision one hundred percent without wavering or bending to any other ideas about what should be reflected in the work. In a way, the energy is a return to Songs In A Minor, emerging as the album she’s always dreamed of producing, but never really knew how to pull together until this moment. Though there’s no title track, she is fully present in this moment and able to look at herself and recognize where she is in life. In a recent interview she talks about a time a few years ago when she actually looked into the mirror and did not recognize who she was. So, in a way, this album came about through the process of again becoming comfortable in her own skin. She wanted to say her truth without feeling the need to censor herself. And to stop having to wear makeup, though she admits to loving lip gloss, mascara and blush. From beginning to end, she needed Here to take listeners on an emotional journey of raw, vulnerable, and honest music, approaching topics that aren’t often explored in song lyrics.

Still that everyday girl from Harlem USA, Here begins with Alicia Keys’ own spoken word poetry, which weaves throughout the album shedding light on her humanity and love for her people. The early songs on the album, “The Gospel”, “Pawn It All”, “Kill Your Mama”, and “Illusion Of Bliss”, are included in the short film and speak to the anguish, anger and beautiful struggle of day-to-day life. Also featured is the song “She Don’t Really Care / 1 Luv” which contains an ill sample of “Bonita Applebum” by A Tribe Called Quest and “One Love” by Nas (who you’ll also hear on an interlude) and features the legendary vibraphonist Roy Ayers. “Blended Family” is a concept song unlike any that Alicia Keys has ever heard talking about what most modern day families look like as blended. Whether it’s two moms or two dads, or different religions, or what we normally think of as “blended” families with children from other relationships, Keys thought it important to highlight the positive side of a complicated situation. She highlights her own experience with her publicly scrutinized relationship between Swizz Beatz, his ex-wife Mashonda Tifrere and all of their children. It’s important to recognize how they’ve chosen to and, quite frankly, desire to uplift and love one another in ways that are most healthy for their family. “Work On It” gives good vibes while “Girl Can’t Be Herself” takes on gender empowerment and unfolds as an anthem of self-confidence and self-worth for women and girls all over the world. “More Than We Know” is another feel-good sing-along that gives a boost of motivation towards one’s own path of personal achievement, whatever that may be. “Where Do We Begin Now” is a short ballad of questioning and longing, pointing out the yearning and desire for love that helps us grow. “Holy War” and “Hallelujah” address the political climate in America with divisiveness and prejudice influencing people instead of embracing the differences that make this country great. Her message is to start breaking down the walls of hatred and division instead of rallying to build them. The album’s final song, the summer hit “In Common”, ends with another important message in conveying how we are all the same deep down, despite our difference, as human beings share.

While Alicia Keys is confident that this is her best work since her debut, it remains to be seen if fans will agree. Her voice is stronger than ever, but on some of the songs it becomes overbearing to listen to the upfront rawness, which can come across as unpolished at times, even if intentionally and artistically so. Even still, the singer, songwriter, producer, philanthropist and activist, appreciates coaching other vocalists who compete on The Voice, and really enjoys the camaraderie and competition between the other judges, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Miley Cyrus. As the first woman of color invited to join the show as a judge, Alicia Keys is taking this moment in stride along with everything else life throws her way, and truly appreciates that she is finally Here.

 
Written by Mai Perkins

Originally from Los Angeles, Mai Perkins is living a genuine bona fide love affair with NYC and the music that keeps its spirit moving. While spending the majority of the last decade in Brooklyn, many of her adventures around the globe are documented on her blog: Mai On The Move! www.MaiOnTheMove.com

 
Author’s rating for Here

Pop Magazine’s official rating for Here

Rating key
MASTERPIECE a must-have
SUPERB for heavy rotation
EXCELLENT a great achievement
VERY GOOD a respectable result
GOOD worth checking out
FAIR an average outcome
WEAK not convincing stuff
BAD an underwhelming effort
VERY BAD quite a waste
FAIL a total failure