Alicia Keys Smolders With Intensity

Alicia Keys' soulfulness originates from a pure place. The backdrop sounds are mere window dressing for what she brings to the table. Her latest "dish" is "Girl on Fire" from her CD of the same name. No one's going to confuse it with say "No One" or "Fallin'" but then again who's going to point fingers at her when she finds yet another way to market her from the heart vocal abilities. To guide her through this tribute to a woman armed and ready to take on the world is a quietly warm rush of drumbeats and keyboard. Alicia needs only scramble back to her enviable power source to create the portrait of the titular girl. She's got her feet firmly on the ground while entertaining dreams headed to the stars and beyond. Alicia's got the horse sense to align herself with musicians who allow the dramas she sells to bounce of the listener as being even more urgent than they are to begin with. The waves surge forth from the beach yet don't overwhelm the shore. Just enough of  a restraint to the plinking and bashing to make Alicia's delivery not come off as anything other than honest. Her artistic development hasn't once included ditching the aura of cool that made her a superstar. If more understated harmonizing's on the menu, music lovers are in for a hearty meal indeed.