ALBUM REVIEW: 'Girl On Fire' - Alicia Keys

Torn. I was amongst the many that were excited a few months ago when singer Alicia Keys announced that she was releasing her fifth studio album Girl On Fire. I have always been a lowkey fan of Alicia's and I was just sure that this new album would be perfection being that she is in a good state in her personal life. I was definitely wrong and this is by far my least favorite album from the songstress.

Let's start with the positive side of the album. I do prefer Alicia's ballads versus her more uptempo tracks which is why it shouldn't be surprising that the songs I actually like from the compilation are more on the slower side. The piano lead in the track 'Brand New Me' instantly had me hooked and the drum that kicks in towards the end was pure icing on the cake. Alicia sings about being in a better spot in her life, one that I can definitely relate to on a personal level. It is evident that Keys is singing about her personal life in some of the tracks including 'When It's All Over' where we find her young son Egypt making his musical debut and definitely steals your heart. The track is smooth in every aspect and the musical arrangement serves me an ole nasty Motown vibe. I will admit that I shed a tear on the track 'That's When I Knew' as Alicia sings to her hubby about the time she knew that he was the one for her. The track is co-written by Babyface and will definitely be a staple for first dances at many weddings to come.

Can someone tell Alicia to retire with the tired reggae tracks that she tries to slide on every album? The singer tries to jack Rihanna's swag in 'Limitedless' and sounds a complete mess with the harmonizing. The song is all over the place however the musical arrangement is very cute. Everyone seems to be falling out over the track she has with Maxwell titled 'Fire We Make' but it is a snoozer like most of the tracks on the album. The track sounds like Thanksgiving leftovers from Maxwell's last album Black Summer Nights.


Let's move on to the WTF tracks of the new album. Ch. Why does 'Tears Always Win' sound like it belonged on Solange's last album? The song has a very vintage vibe and honestly doesn't fit with the album. I'm so tired of her screaming and the repetition of 'hallelujah' in the track '101' would make even Helen Keller scream. The song is definitely all over the place and by the time she tries to pick it up towards the end you will have turned the album off.

I'm very disappointed in this album. I guess it's true that people release their best albums when they are going through rough times in their life because it seems that since Alicia is all happy now her music sucks. We aren't going to discuss the horrendous live performances that she has been serving lately in support of the album release. Ugh.  [Rating: 6 out of 10].