Alicia Keys - Songs In A Minor

Her debut album, Songs In A Minor, is a crystalline work in which R&B reconnects with the traditions of soul and blues. "Girlfriend" opens the album with a catchy uptempo rhythm, and with "Falling" and its hypnotic piano riff, you realize you're holding a little gem. Although the shadow of Curtis Mayfield occasionally looms (as in the blaxploitation-heavy "Troubles"), Songs In A Minor avoids falling into the trap of retro-hippie neo-soul, sounding completely modern and clear. Alicia Keys is, without a doubt, the greatest hope for soul since Lauryn Hill. Songs In A Minor is perhaps the best soul/R&B album of 2001, a classic that should not be missed under any circumstances.