Inthis debut release, Alicia Keys, under the J Records label, vibrantlydisplays a clever mix of soulful R&B with pop and hip-hopundertones. This awesome mosaic of sounds also includes jazz, blues andclassical tones.

Keys, a classically trained pianist, wrotelyrics and composed music for most of the album. In her first radiorelease, "Fallin'," Keys showcases her obvious vocal talents,but the real jewels are hidden toward the end of the CD.

In"A Woman's Worth," she jumps on the girl-power bandwagon, butnot in the headstrong way that is currently popular. As one can see inlines like "A real woman knows a real man always comes first, and areal man knows you can't deny a woman's worth," the track reallyadvocates mutual respect. In "Girlfriend," Keys sings aboutthe troubles of having a boyfriend who has a close femalefriend.

All the tracks deal with realistic issues, in Key's veryown soulful style, but all the songs have very much the same feel, andyou sometimes get the feeling of having listened to the same song withdifferent words 16 times. Even with this setback, the album is akeeper.

All things considered, this is a well-rounded andartistic first step in what is sure to be a successful career for Keys.I recommend this CD to anyone who appreciates a great vocalist and atruly artistic endeavor.