This was new & different from "Songs In A Minor & The Diary Of Alicia Keys." Which is fine, I just do not think that the album in total is equal to the aboves? From slow to midtempo these songs are hard to classify other than their having a 60's-70's R&B sound. But, this album does seem to be her most personal & intimate. Some complain about her overuse of the Piano? I could not disagree more, it is a very neglected instrument. Alicia also plays it exceptionally well.

"Like You'll Never See Me Again, No One, I Need You, Tell You Something, & The Thing About Love," are my five favorites from this album. The latter has an Al Green early 1970's feel to it with an angry middle which most folks at some time in their lives can relate to. While the former may eventually challenge "Fallin" as her best song to date? It has lucid lyrics & a depth of feeling to it that many modern tunes lack. "I Need You has Alicia pulling you into the song & "Tell You Something" is a thoughtful get you to think tune. While "No One" is a sensual speaks for itself song. I'm not big on top forty hits since so many songs that make it are awful. But in this case, "No One" flew to the top for a reason.

I did not care for the Intros. "Prelude To A Kiss," was too short, "Lesson Learned & Sure Looks Good To Me" were pretty good, & the rest of the album was rather good. In closing, I think it is overly harsh to constantly compare her music to what came before as so many of the negative reviews harped on. She is not even thirty, & may have a few more decades to grow as an artist. I would wager that when many of her contemporaries are just a memory, she will still be producing fine music?

Alicia Keys is an artist I have been keeping a strong eye on since she first appeared in Ebony magazine's "artists to watch" cololm just prior to the release of her debut

. And I am very glad I kept on track with her because I now have the pleasure to enjoy 'As I Am'. Not only couldn't it be any more different from that first CD but for what is her third studio album there is not only an enormous sense of emotional growth in this material but her musical aspirations have also increased by leaps and bounds. Within these 14 songs Alicia Keys manages to exhibit every positive quality in her music and actually discovered a few new ones. As common with all of her albums she opens with a classically inclined introduction before moving into the song cycle chronicaling the disolving and beginning of a relationship. Many of the songs on this album such as "The Thing About Love" and even the bouncy "Teenage Love Affair",a highlite of the album regardless. Now I am not one to focus on the hits but one of the big highlites here is,yes the hit "No One"-the lyrical challange is met by the equally compulsive drums-in fact one thing that might make this album controversial is the fact the very live drums are mixed up so high.The same thing happens on the title cut and "Go Ahead".And for those of you who confused "Prelude To A Kiss" with the famous standard it's not at all-it's a song of Alicia's own creation. There are many isolated highlites taken outside the concept-"Lessons Learned" actually melds the sounds of Alicia's poppy soul and John Mayer's soulful pop,works like a charm.My personal favorite is "I Need You",with an interesting melodic phrasing and arrangement the really points to a distinctive sound for her. 'As I Am' as a whole finds Alicia Keys in a place,far from the somewhat constraining arms of Columbia Records who steered her in a musical direction that appealed more to the modern,ProTool infected hip-hop/R&B crowd ,where she can develope her own distinctive sound based entirely on the things she does best and her own talents.

Initially I was a little "worried" when I read Alicia's new album was to feature writing collaborations with Linda Perry and John Mayer. Both are a little too Vanilla for my tastes.

Weeks later...I'm happy to announce that I've played this album AT LEAST twice a day since purchasing it. Sure, it's far more GLOSSY than the two previous studio albums (the hip-hop and early 70s soul influences have been politely airbrushed)...but as a big fat POP record As I Am is a gem. Of the albums 14 tracks, AT LEAST 11 of them are pretty damn fantastic. How many albums released in 2007 can you say that about?

By modern, I mean you can't compare the majority of bland, vapid R&B / Soul / Pop with the classics from the 60's and 70's served up by Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Al Green et al, so giving 'As I Am' 5 stars is not trying to put it up with the ilk of 'Songs In The Key Of Life', but as far as anything else in this genre at present, it is a country mile ahead of the nearest contender, I'm more of an independent music fan, Cat Power, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Sufjan Stevens, etc, but ever since 'Fallin' I have bought all of Alicia Keys albums, I find her one of the only original and interesting musicians in the mainstream of American music. I reckon her voice is stronger on this album than on her previous records, and I find I'm relishing the prospect of future albums if this is an indicator of how she is maturing, as the Amazon review above states, I'm sure she will very soon take her place with the legends of the genre, I've been listening to this album over and over since I've got it, and it just gets better, best thing I've heard in 2007? Up there with 'We Were Dead Before The Ship Sank' by Modest Mouse and "In Rainbows' by Radiohead, do yourself a favour and buy this album!

I'm an Alicia Keys fan who was a little hesitant about getting this album because of my own lackluster reaction to the lead single, NO ONE (which I initially heard in August). I didn't like the song until I actually saw her perform it live a few times and agree with a previous poster that sometimes her live interpretations of her songs give them new life & meaning and that was certainly the case (for me at least) with this song. I like the simplicity of it, the melody and the arrangement but don't necessarily care for her straining vocals - I'm not a singer at all but fear that the way she sings may be causing damage to her vocal chords.

The thing that I love about Alicia is that right now she is the only r&b female who pays homage to eras in music that intrigued HER by mixing that influence with music of today. It hurt to read previous reviews calling her a "talentless hack" and a "bore" because she is one of the few who I see trying to balance her pushing the envelope of her artistry against fan expectations.

I've listened to the entire album a few times since its release and although I didn't initially LOVE it like I did DIARY, AS I AM has a few strong singles that should make it as successful (sales wise) as DIARY.

My favorite tracks are:

LIKE YOU'LL NEVER SEE ME AGAIN - I love the passion & soul of this track coupled with a sly nod to one of her heroes, Prince with the PURPLE RAIN melody. I also love the video!

INTRO - once again another classically "flipped" instrumental - I wish it were longer

NO ONE - grows on me the more I hear it

TEENAGED LOVE AFFAIR - I like the urgency with which she sings on this track - it makes me feel the way I did when I had a teenaged crush

SURE LOOKS GOOD TO ME - love the thematic build-up of this song, it's a really ambitious track in the way that STOLEN MOMENTS from her Unplugged album was

LESSON LEARNED - her vocals sound great on this track and I like the fact that John Mayer really doesn't overshadow her performance

WRECKLESS LOVE - I love the doo-wop production of this track, it sounds old school without totally copying from that era

SUPERWOMAN & WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE - both feature excellent musical production

Overall I'd recommend this to fans because it is another step in progression of Alicia as an artist - she took some risks that paid off in memorable tracks and some that fell a little flat but the point is that she is trying different things to appeal to her fans and I appreciate the effort. Is this album better than DIARY? - not in my opinion but does it contain enough strong songs for me to recommend it to friends? - Yes, definitely.