Singer-songwriter Alicia Keys attempts to break out of the neo-soul/piano pop cocoon on her third studio LP, As I Am. Featuring songwriting contributions from pop/rock stalwart Linda Perry, this is a record that fluctuates between brilliant and banal. “Where Do We Go From Here” is a classic soul tribute, while “The Thing About Love” sounds like a Christina Aguilera leftover from 2002. Keys’ reach sometimes exceeds her grasp, but when she hits — as on the John Mayer collaboration “Lesson Learned”— the results can be sublime. - dusty culpepper

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