Alicia Keys - As I Am

Verdict: 7/10

Alicia Keys is anything but predictable.

After two albums where she’s mixed old school with hip hop, and classical with r’n’b, she’s back with a new edge to her game.

As I Am is a mid-tempo album with a rockier sound that is certainly different and ambitious. Maybe overly ambitious.

To some, she may seem to just be a female Stevie Wonder, but here there are signs she’s starting to experiment with other styles.

There’s no doubt she’s got the talent to do almost anything she wants. Classically-trained and able to smoothly flit between old school and hip hop, her musicianship is way beyond most of her contemporaries. But natural talent isn’t always enough. Here, Keys has come up with a mid-tempo album of songs that work, but don’t always hit their mark.

The rockier numbers aren’t particularly convincing, and it’s with the ballads where the album earns its credentials. Blisteringly raw vocals soar then mellow to a whisper, notably on ‘The Thing About Love’.

Keys wisely doesn’t go too far from what she knows, and echoes of Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder and Motown are never far away. In a musical world where everything seems to revolve, or evolve, around r’n’b or hip hop, it’s a brave step to try something else.

There are some interesting collaborations here too. Guitarist John Meyer lends a hand on ‘Lesson Learned and the rock-influenced ‘Sure Looks Good To Me’. You couldn’t imagine Meyer on her first two soul CDs, but here he seems at home.

Keys voice has also matured, sounding more emotive and raw than ever before, although her lyrics are at times still simplistic and cliched. Her vocals are best displayed on ‘Like You’ll Never See Me Again’ as her voice floats along effortlessly.
There’s plenty to be pleased by here, and you can excuse someone of Keys’ talents if she occasionally tries too hard. Keys won’t win many new fans with this but she’ll certainly maintain her current ones, with a collection that is competent, but not outstanding. As I Am isn’t her greatest work, but then you get the impression that is still to come.
 

Celine Dion - aking Chances

Verdict: 8/10

Having done the same shows in Las Vegas for the past decade, you’d think choosing ‘Taking Chances’ for an album title is asking for trouble.

This is Celine Dion after all, the warbling diva who has as much credibility as your old Aunt Agnes.

However, unlikely as it may seem Ms Dion does actually justify the CD’s title. Sure, there are plenty of sugary ballads here, but Dion also shows she can screech and roar with the best of them.

She takes on ‘Can’t Fight the Moonlight’ and ‘That’s Just the Woman In Me’ with relish and sounds worlds away from the voice of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.

Dion fans can rest easy though, Celine isn’t changing into Suzi Quatro just yet. There are plenty of slower tracks to keep them content, such as ‘A Song for You’ and ‘Right Next to the Right One’. Her cover of Heart’s ‘Alone’ is a great throwback to the 80s and Dion sounds like the track could have been written for her.

One of the more stand-out tracks is ‘Eyes on Me’, with its Middle Eastern flavour, while Neo-Yo adds some credibility as he joined her on ‘I Got Nothin’ Left’.

Helped by ex-Eurthymics David Stewart and Linda Perry, the production is as sharp as you’d expect a Celine Dion to be, and although she isn’t taking chances left, right and centre, there’s enough here to make even her harshest critic listen.

It seems as though the ballad-crazy, over-singing star of the 80s has decided to try something different, and on this CD it was definitely a chance worth taking.  
Dion will always get a tough press in some quarters for her cheesiness, but you have to admire someone with the guts to try something different, and here she pulls it off.
 

Eric Clapton - omplete Clapton

Verdict: 9/10

You can’t talk about guitar heroes for long before getting to Eric Clapton. Clapton has been one of the most influential musicians over the past 40 years, conquering pop, rock and the Blues.

So any greatest hits collection has to be worth looking out for. As an obvious Christmas stocking-filler, it has all the songs you’d expect. But as a comprehensive collection of all Clapton’s work, it comes up short.

The marketing says the two-disc Complete Clapton covers Clapton's career from 1966 onwards.
Now if we’re being fussy, and we are, then you might expect a greatest hits package to include something from the Yardbirds. But there’s nothing.

Clapton isn’t just a great rock musician, he’s a superb blues man. So you’d also expect a fair bit from John Mayall’s Bluebreakers, but again: nothing.

The CD has a distinct eye on Clapton’s more commercial work and, coming out just before Christmas, you can’t blame Clapton for focusing on his most popular works.
So there’s a fair sprinkling of Cream tracks, a little of Blind Faith and a touch of Derek and the Dominos, although Clapton’s legendary cover of Hendrix Little Wing isn’t here.
Mostly, this is about Clapton the solo star. All the songs you’d expect are here ‘Wonderful Tonight’, ‘I Shot the Sheriff’ and ‘Layla’ (including the Unplugged version), and some you may have forgotten, such as the irrisistable ‘It’s In the Way That You Use It’.

The casual Clapton fan will love this, as there’s a generous amount of songs that cover a fair chunk of his career. It’s also a timely reminder of a true great who has transcended genres to become recognised as simply a great guitarist.
In today’s music world there are few who deserve the tag ‘genius’, but anyone who can deliver as much as Clapton has can justify it.