4Play: Alicia Keyes, Norah Jones, Janet Jackson, Susan Boyle

Alicia Keys - The Element of Freedom - J Records
After 12 Grammy Awards and three albums, Keys is back with her fourth CD,
which melds pop, soul, and hip-hop and includes contributions from the
likes of Linda Perry and John Mayer. That said, the set seems to be trying
to cram too much into one album, vacillating back and forth between
street-smart, catchy tracks (“Empire State of Mind (Part II)”), repetitive
popsters (“Doesn’t Mean Anything”), and midtempo power ballads (“No One,”
“Go Ahead.”) Keys also collaborates with Beyonce on “Put It In a Love
Song,” but it’s more novelty than anything else.
 
Norah Jones - The Fall - Blue Note
Jones’ fourth set is several steps above Keys’ in musical growth, striding
away from the typical jazzy sound that Jones fans have become accustomed
to to take a shot at being a folk-pop singer-songwriter. While this
approach doesn’t quite work on every song, when it does, it’s a nice
change-up from her usual sound. The hook-laden “Chasing Pirates” (pun
intended) opens the set with Jones’ vocals taking a more folksy tone, and
is followed by the minor-toned “Waiting,” the rock-inflected “It’s Gonna
Be,” and the bluesy soul of “I Wouldn’t Need You.”
 

Janet Jackson - Number Ones - A&M
Remastering her number one hits, Jackson has put together a collection
that spans her remarkable career of over 20 years, kicking off with the
album version of one of her most familiar songs, “What Have You Done For
Me Lately?” Some of the mixes may not initially be what fans would expect
- the set includes the video mix for “All of You” as opposed to the single
mix, and you’ll get the radio edit of “Scream” instead of the album
version - but you’ll also get every catchy tune Jackson has released, from
“Rhythm Nation” to “Control” to “Escapade,” so overall it’s a winner.
 

Susan Boyle - I Dreamed a Dream - SME
C’mon, admit it - in spite of all the media hype and somewhat insulting
incredulity at her talent, you’re wondering how TV show phenom Boyle has
done with her new album. The surprising answer is - pretty darned good.
Her adult-contemporary sound isn’t for everyone, but the songs are
produced with modern clarity, and you can’t deny the prettiness and
confidence of Boyle’s vocals. Produced by Steve Mac, the set of mostly
cover songs includes her fragile takes on “Wild Horses” and Madonna’s
pensive “You’ll See” as well as her dramatic rendition of “Cry Me a
River.” 


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