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4.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best 'live' albums in recent times, Dec 29 2005
This review is from: Unplugged (Audio CD)
After hearing this album probably more than 50 times from start to finish, it still continues to give me the same sense of feeling as when I first listened to it. I'm not the biggest fan of Alicia Keys, but if there is something that comes from this album, it's that the girl can entertain and she can damn well sing. MTV made a good choice in choosing Alicia Keys as the first artist for their Unplugged series in three years. Her voice is strong throughout the show, her backup singers show potential as well, definitely seen in tracks like 'If I was your Woman' and 'Diaries'. What I think the album lacks are full tracks, most of the tracks are just cuts of her songs such as just verses or the chorus. The only full track that I can recall is the Rolling Stones' cover 'Wild Horses' with nasal Adam Levine. Fortunately, the Maroon 5 lead singer does not ruin this cover, but it's definitely Alicia that takes up a level. Her best track is "If I was your Woman". You can definitely feel her singing it. Of the countless live albums out in stores now, this one of the best in recent memory. Worth the money and even makes you take interest in the artists featured on album such as Common, Mos Def and Damian Marley, three talented artists in their own respect.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
Decent album, but not her best., Oct 17 2005
By A Customer
This review is from: Unplugged (Audio CD)
I am a huge Alicia Keys fan. She's one of the few that combines raw talent and beauty. However, I find that while this Unplugged CD is NICE, it's not something I would go 'wow', or go out and tell people to get it. It's decent--no surprises. She does the intros very well. As a piano player myself I certainly appreciate her mixing classical music to her brand of soulful songs, but this album lacks SOUL...I like it overall, but her very first album is by far the best of all.
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45 of 45 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
A 4.5 Diamond., April 23 2008
By SUPPORT THE ASPCA. "PILUM THROWER!" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Unplugged (Audio CD)
Alicia's album is a fine gem, here the slightly scaled back sound allows her vocals to shine. She occasionally goes from the Piano to Organ with equal dexterity. "Fallin," gets a semi-operatic treatment here. Her voice sounds more balanced than on her first album. She gives a more seductive tone to "Diary & If I Ain't Got You." The former is one of my all time favorites. In "Streets Of New York," the first part with her recitation is ok, but the second part with it's jazzy tones blend well with her more controlled voice. "Stolen Moments," could have been a bit better since it was co-written by the king of R&B, Al Green. She belts out Prince's "How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore" with a near furious vocal. Some will not like her version of Gladys Knight's "If I Was Your Woman?" But, for me it was almost equal to the original. Then again, Alicia could sing the names in the phonebook & I would applaud. I feel she truly shined with Brenda Holloway's "Every Little bit Hurts." She seemed very in tune with the feel of this song as the emotion came through. Her duet with Adam Levine doing the Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses" was ok. His nasal tone did not blend that well with Alicia's voice. When she sings "You Don't Know My Name," it is juiced up a bit with the organ. This may be my all time favorite of her songs? When I minus the Hip Hop tunes which just don't appeal much to me, "Unplugged" ends up being very good. Her vocals are more mature & the reduced arrangements play to the bands talents. A solid 4.5.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Great music, but..., Nov 30 2005
By John Smith - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Unplugged (Audio CD)
The music is great. The copy protection is not. J-Records is a subsidiary of Sony BMG. If you trust that the copy protection program on this CD is safe, then by all means buy the CD. You might want to do a web search for "Sony BMG rootkit" first though.
29 of 33 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
Protection Prevents you from playing, Dec 28 2005
By B. Castro - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Unplugged (Audio CD)
I'm pissed off that I got this CD and can't load it to my iPod!!! The CD won't even play on RealPlayer, Windows Media Player or anything else, except the software that the CD has on it that you must install onto your computer. You can only play this CD with the CD's software!!! BAD! I paid for it, I want to do what I want with it!
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