Love the song post-switch up, not a fan of the first half but I guess there wouldn't be the switch-up without it. :lol:

The production is so different for her but I think it works so well :wub:

Apparently the official second single called 'Blended Family' is about to premiere and it features ASAP Rocky.

The album is called HERE and it will be released on November 4. Her new single "Blended Family (What You Do For Love)" is available as an instant grat.

 

http://a4.mzstatic.com/us/r30/Music71/v4/61/da/8a/61da8a03-23e9-1871-0ce8-22b124d6dbd8/cover400x400.jpeg

I'm kind of glad 'Blended Family' is only an instant grat for the moment.

 

The more I listen to it the more I love it, it is so classic Alicia. So beautifully melodic and so well put together. I just kinda want something a bit more punchy for the second single seeing as 'In Common' sounded so fresh and exciting and this sounds fantastic but more in a 'it could have appeared on any of her other albums' kinda way.

I think it is the next proper single! josepvinaixa seems to think it is and he's normally correct anyway.

 

I really like this anyway, In Common never properly hit me but this has done it instantly. Hopefully it can at least be a small hit for her too, I think it's more likely to catch your average radio listener's ear.

Apparently 'Hallelujah' and 'In Common' have been relegated to bonus track status as tracks 17 and 18.

 

So disappointed as they were why I was so excited for this album. I consider them two of her best tracks ever and I don't see her having commercial success this era anyway so why does it matter.

not sure how she'll do in the UK but in the US right now she's more popular than ever... cos of the Voice, I mean, being judge in one of the most popular US shows, being pushed in front of an audience of 10 millions twice a week, in a show that never benefits the contestants but the judges :) even some of her old songs are randomly showing up on itunes all the time

 

but agree its a pity In Common is not gonna be in the standard edition of the album, she's doing a bit like Usher, who released a bunch of tracks prior to the album to see what was people interested in, and then threw most of them away

That is disgusting! 'In Common' is her second best song ever. :(

 

This sounds f***ing incredible. I love the mix of old school hip hop beats with the piano; this is the most natural she has ever sounded.

 

I really think she is going to release not only the album of her career but one of the albums of the year. It just feels like she is at the perfect place artistically.

Tracklist:

 

01 - The Beginning (Interlude)

02 - The Gospel

03 - Pawn It All

04 - Elaine Brown (Interlude)

05 - Kill Your Mama

06 - She Don't Really Care / Luv

07 - Elevate (Interlude)

08 - Illusion Of Bliss

09 - Blended Family (What You Do For Love) ft. A$AP Rocky

10 - Work On It

11 - Cocoa Butter (Cross & Pic Interlude)

12 - Girl Can't Be Herself

13 - You Glow (Interlude)

14 - More Than We Know

15 - Where Do We Begin Now

16 - Holy War

17 - Hallellujah (International Bonus)

18 - In Common (International Bonus)

In Common is literally a contender for song of the year??? what an injustice.

too many interludes!!!!

Going to have to let this album settle a tad but from my first listen I am rather blown away.

 

'The Gospel', 'Pawn It All', 'Girl Can't Be Herself' and especially the game changing ''Illusion Of Bliss' (that vocal delivery) are really sticking out to me as absolute career highlights.

 

I'm a tad annoyed that 'In Common' isn't on here but actually when listening in full I can understand why it is excluded, with regards to consistency. This album just sounds so authentic, so wonderfully tied to her place of birth, so real. I know some people will moan about the interludes but I love them. They add to the overall autheticity in the same way they do in an album like 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill'. Some elements of this album really give me throwbacks to that (which is amazing as it is my favourite album of all time) but at the same time it is all so quintessentially classic Alicia.

 

This is really her coming into herself artistically and it is wonderful to see/hear.

I had a first listen to this earlier and I was really impressed, the album sounded really coherent and reminded me more of a nod towards an Erykah Badu album that your normal Alicia Keys style.

Hmm I need to give more listens but this album didn't really do anything for more . It's obviously very political but it didn't connect or make me emote .

Can't believe this isn't even going to make the top 20 in the UK.

 

This could become my favourite Alicia record ever and yet no-one seems to be interested. Such a shame her star has fallen when I really feel she's at her A-game.

where did this chart ?

It's midweeked at #17.

listening now, it's a very classic soul album, Blended Family and Holy War were a good indication of where the album was going

and yes I get why In Common is not there, but still, she could have maybe re-recorded it in a more classic style without the tropical beats