Alicia Keys

Keys is not so stripped down on this "acoustic" live performance -- she remains surrounded by her full band, along with pals Common, Mos Def and Maroon 5's Adam Levine. (Plus, that groovy organ sounds waaaay plugged in.) All the same, this recording bursts with sweet soul that seems to feed off the adoring crowd.

On her first live album, Alicia Keys plays around with her mannered retro arrangements and
turns out seven previously unrecorded songs. Hits such as "Fallin' " groove easily with just a
hint of indulgent operatics, and on "Heartburn" Keys exploits the catch in her voice for a
punch-and-jab session with her crack band. The guests don't do much to remedy the
album's duller moments: Keys calls on Common, Mos Def and Damian Marley for th... More >