Product Description

Second album from jazz and classical influenced RnB diva and pianist follows 2001's 'Songs In A Minor'. Billed as a more mature work charting her progression into womanhood, the album's lyrical content encompasses love, relationships and political issues. Produced by Keys herself with the cream of America's hip hop talent, it features guest vocals from rappers Nas and Rakim and includes the single 'You Don't Know MyName'.

Track Listing

1. Harlem’s Nocturne
2. Karma
3. Heartburn
4. If I Was Your Woman/Walk On By
5. You Don’t Know My Name
6. If I Ain’t Got You
7. Diary (feat. Tony! Toni! Toné!)
8. Dragon Days
9. Wake Up
10. So Simple
11. When You Really Love Someone
12. Feeling U, Feeling Me (Interlude)
13. Slow Down
14. Samsonite Man
15. Nobody Not Really (Interlude)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17626 in Music
• Released on: 2003-12-01
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Whereas Alicia Keys's debut was in essence a musical overview that recorded snapshots of her life over the five years it took to complete, her follow up, The Diary Of…, is the scribbled footnotes of the very busy two years since. She's certainly kept tabs on what's been going on--the old-skool R&B influences so evident on her debut have become overshadowed by the kind of people she previously stood apart from.

Witness "Karma"; with its harsh beats, undulating background string section and funky, slightly dirty groove, it could easily be a Justin Timberlake song, as could the Timberland-produced "Heartburn". She plays it safe on "If I Ain't Got You" and "Diary" though, and there is still much to enjoy that can directly be attributed to her oft-mentioned classical training and childhood influences.

It's also easy to forget what an amazing voice she has, best demonstrated here on "If I Was Your Woman". And for all her fancy ivory work, remember that it was the simplicity of "Falling's" descending piano line that sent her career into the ionosphere. There is nothing like that here, just the painful noise of Nas and Rankin contributing to "Streets Of New York".

The Diary Of… is neither one thing nor the other. A curious mix of slick modern R&B tinged with influences from the past (often sampled ones) and her own more traditionally arranged soul. If she'd put all her energy into completely modernising her sound then she could easily rival Beyoncé. Instead she's imitated the past and copied the present--if she'd looked to the future then perhaps her true talent could have been fully realised. --Cortman Virtue

Customer Reviews

Because, "I put it all into this, my diary"
1. Harlem's Nocturne. 9/10
2. Karma. 10/10
3. Heartburn. 10/10
4. If I Was Your Woman/Walk On By. 9/10
5. You Don't Know My Name. 10/10
6. If I Ain't Got You. 10/10
7. Diary. 9.5/10
8. Dragon Days. 10/10
9. Wake Up. 10/10
10. So Simple. 10/10
11. When You Really Love Someone. 9/10
12. Feeling U, Feeling Me. 8/10
13. Slow Down. 9/10
14. Samsonite Man. 10/10
15. Nobody Not Really. 9/10
16. Streets of New York. 7/10

OVERALL GRADE: 10/10
Some artists' sophomore albums are better than their debuts. The artsists which have achieved this this feat are:

Madonna; Like a Virgin
Michael Jackson: Thriller
Alicia Keys: The Diary of Alicia Keys
Kylie Minogue: Kylie
Goldfrapp: Black Cherry
Britney Spears: Oops, I Did It Again!...
Amy Winehouse: Back to Black

PS: The quote is from "Harlem's Nocturne". 1.43

Four and a half, really
Being more of a book reviewer I often find it difficult to review music, as I think it's so much more a matter of individual taste. Just because I like it, it doesn't mean you will. But FWIW I do like Alicia Keys' music, I recently bought her more recent album AS I AM and liked it so much I rushed out and got this, her second one which came out in 2003. It hasn't dated at all (in my view) and it's a well put together and cohesive compilation of songs that just blend together perfectly. Can't think of a track I would skip as they're all good, my favourites so far are 'If I ain't got you' and 'You don't know my name', but really all 16 songs are excellent. I like female R&B and jazz, and Alicia Keys as a singer/songwriter is right up there with the best of them. Classy and very talented.

Super follow up .
The follow up to " Songs in A Minor " shows that Alicia Keys is not going to sit on her laurels , and bask in the glory of her debut album . A fine offering , and an indication that there is more good stuff to come this talented songwriter .