Artist: Alicia Keys
Album: Girl on Fire
Genre: R ‘n’b, soul
Label: RCA

It seems like Alicia Keys has been off the radar for an eternity. Granted, she’s had an eventful couple of years – marriage and motherhood and a role in shaping one of the most outrageously addictive songs of recent years (Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” and her own, subsequent, solo version), amongst other things. Her son makes an adorable appearance on this new album, popping up at the end of “Now It’s All Over” with a few bumbling words. He may be only little and unable to say much, but his presence makes perfect sense in the context of Girl on Fire. It’s a very mature and very collected album, distinctly post-adulthood (if that makes sense), and brims with a contented, settled sophistication. It is engaging and often very enjoyable, though it is not without flaws and at times becomes directionless and overdone. Keys’ personal, uplifted ballads remain the best part of her writing but some of the more reliable r’n’b numbers lose focus and lack energy, ending up as dreary, rambling shadows of themselves. This makes the record frustrating as an overall work as it seems to dip in and out of consciousness, drifting from our attention once too often and relying too heavily on Keys’ piano numbers to save it.

Those piano numbers are, as ever, sumptuous. The piano often feels underrated in popular music, with plenty of background appearances but not as many leading roles as one would like. Few instruments are capable of bringing so much by way of grace and majesty by their sheer presence and Keys – who has long been revered for her proficiency as a pianist – makes precise and meaningful use of this. “De Novo Adagio” acts as a tender and yearning introduction, before “Brand New Me” opens the album with subtle strength. It begins from a position of frailty, but is framed by something hardened and resolute. Lyrically, the song addresses overcoming difficulties in a turbulent relationship and it has a keen sense of hope, peacefulness, and comfort. Keys’ vocals are heartfelt and considered. “Girl on Fire,” the album’s lead single and title track, has similar strengths. The vocal performance is terrific, accompanied by minimalistic instrumentation for a simple, compelling effect. As with much of Keys’ work, the words feel personal and poignant and this is what gives the song its power. It’s very gentle and yet, for that, may be the finest track on this album – garnished as it is with the triumphant, riveting call on which she opens the chorus.

“Tears Always Win” is a jazzier take on the piano ballads. Much like “Girl on Fire,” the natural strength and beauty of her voice carries tracks like this by giving them an effortless power. The subject matter may be a little trite but Keys makes it affecting and engaging, with a light touch on production, sparing use of the backing vocals, and easy, frothy rhythm. “Not Even the King” is dreamy. A short, intimate, evocative ode to a lover, it features a lone Keys with her piano and needs nothing further to make it completely enchanting. Bearing witness to numbers like this is magical and illustrates exactly why Keys is held in such high regard as an artist. However, when there are such pristine accomplishments to contend with, the duller moments seem twice as unconvincing.

On this note, soulful effort “Fire We Make” is lifeless and dreary and never really involves. “Listen to Your Heart” leaves barely an impression at all and “Limitedless” tries and fails to refashion a tired aesthetic. Others have the sense that they’ve been slightly overdressed. “New Day” is, for the most part, an excellent track. It opens and closes on a gritty, urban note and replaces the crooning with something more tangible and driven. However, it’s overlong, and the wealth of rhythm and percussion samples tends to drown it. The chorus in particular seems to ramble, drifting from the spirited lyrics of the chorus. “One Thing” has all the ingredients to excel but its meandering, listless rhythm and inattentive vocal lines make it thoroughly uninteresting. It’s worth pointing out that even on her poorer tracks, Keys is still far more impressive than most artists of her generation and the differences in style and approach do bring variety to the album. However, it’s disappointing to hear the comparative lack of passion and power. It runs the risk of miring her outstanding work in the midst of also-rans.

Keys isn’t perhaps as on fire as one would like given the title of this album, and it’s too uneven to be considered among her best. That said, many individual offerings are magnificent and Keys’ voice is too gorgeous to ever truly be ignored. It may not always offer splendour but Girl on Fire is rich, warmly realised and makes for vibrant listening nonetheless.

SCORE: 7/10
Review written by Grace Duffy

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