Girl on Fire [LP]

by Alicia Keys

Overview

After the release of The Element of Freedom, her fourth consecutive chart-topping and platinum studio release, Alicia Keys not only married Swizz Beatz and became a mother but stacked collaborations with Drake, Kanye West, Marsha Ambrosius, Jennifer Hudson, Emeli Sande, and Miguel. The collaborative spirit continues all the way through Girl on Fire, an album sporting a list of around 20 co-composers and nearly a dozen co-producers. A small but significant portion of the album has Keys somewhere in the past, grappling with or sifting through a stifling relationship. That's the way the album begins, with the alternately reserved and cathartic ballad "Brand New Me," one of three songs written with Sande: "You look surprised your words don't burn me anymore." Two of the better songs, both of which feature assistance from John Legend, immediately follow and are closer to Keys' personal breakthrough. The first one, "When It's All Over," is a gushing testimonial over a dizzying Jamie xx co-production -- a clash between acoustic jazz, synth funk, and minimal techno that will either thrill or repel. "Listen to Your Heart," the second one, is mechanical yet plush and dials it back for Keys to embrace new love; it's one of Rodney Jerkins' unassuming yet stunning beats. After a pair of bombastic anthems -- including the oddly written "Girl on Fire," which has her "living in a world, and it's on fire," then "on top of the world" with "both feet on the ground" and "our head in the clouds" -- the album loses its grip. It hits a low with "Not Even the King," an obvious "love is worth more than money" ballad, and "That's When I Knew," a tender back-porch ballad presumably about Mr. Keys. (If the mind wanders, consider that the object of affection is the man behind hits such as "Money, Cash, Hoes" and "It's Me B*#@hes.") Once "101," the last listed track, fades out, a chaotic outro fades in and peaks with Keys screaming, in a celebratory and defiant manner, "Hallelujah -- kicked down the door!" It ends the first chapter of her new life with several exclamation points, but it's missing one. The album could have used some swift and uplifting neo-disco like "Million Dollar Bill" or "Everybody Needs Love," exceptional songs that Keys and her husband wrote and produced for Whitney Houston and Jennifer Hudson. ~ Andy Kellman

Product Details

Release Date:	12/18/2012
Label:	Rca
UPC:	0886979418219
Rank:	6089

Tracks

1. De Novo Adagio (Intro)
2. Brand New Me
3. When It's All Over
4. Listen to Your Heart
5. New Day
6. Girl On Fire [Inferno Version]
7. Fire We Make
8. Tears Always Win
9. Not Even the King
10. That's When I Knew
11. Limitedless
12. One Thing
13. 101

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Alicia Keys   Primary Artist,Piano,Vocals,Keyboards,Synthesizer,Vocals (Background)
Maxwell   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Nicki Minaj   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Davide Rossi   Strings
Steve Mostyn   Guitar (Bass)
Jeff Bhasker   Organ,Piano,Keyboards
Lenford Richards   Guitar (Electric)
Kenneth Edmonds   Guitar (Bass),Guitar (Acoustic)
Gary Clark, Jr.   Guitar (Electric)
James Ho   Guitar (Bass),Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Bruno Mars   Bass,Guitar,Vocals (Background)
Philip Lawrence   Vocals (Background)
Dylan Wissing   Drums
Andre Brissett   Keyboards
Billy Kraven   Vocals (Background)
Amber Streeter   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Alicia Keys   Concept,Composer,Producer,Executive Producer
Tony Maserati   Mixing
Paul Boutin   Engineer
Swizz Beatz   Arranger,Producer
Davide Rossi   String Arrangements
Billy Squier   Composer
Salaam Remi   Composer,Producer,Drum Programming
Jeff Bhasker   Composer,Producer,Drum Programming
Kasseem Dean   Composer
Chad Jolley   Vocal Engineer
Manny Marroquin   Mixing
Ann Mincieli   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Coordination
Kenneth Edmonds   Composer,Producer
Erika Rose   Management
Dr. Dre   Composer,Producer
Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins   Producer,Drum Programming,Keyboard Programming
Antonio Dixon   Composer,Producer,Drum Programming
Warren Felder   Composer,Drum Programming,Keyboard Programming
Gary Clark, Jr.   Composer
Chris Galland   Mixing Assistant
Ghazi Hourani   Assistant Engineer
James Ho   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Drum Programming
Bruno Mars   Composer
Stacy Barthe   Composer
Miki Tsutsumi   Assistant Engineer
Philip Lawrence   Composer
Justin Hergett   Mixing Assistant
David Kutch   Mastering
Erwin Gorostiza   Creative Director
Will Botwin   Management
David S. Blanco   Design
John Stephens   Composer
Michelle Mancini   Mastering Assistant
Jamie Smith   Producer,Drum Programming,Synthesizer Programming
Michelangelo Di Battista   Photography
Simon Henwood   Design,Logo Design,Creative Director
Andre Brissett   Composer
Peter Edge   A&R
Ramon Rivas   Engineer,Project Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Emile Haynie   Drum Programming
Ken Lewis   Engineer
Tkae Mendez   Assistant Engineer
Emeli Sande   Composer
Val Brathwaite   Engineer,Project Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Onika Maraj   Composer
Andrew Wansel   Composer,Producer,Drum Programming
Nino Munoz   Photography
Frank Ocean   Composer
Trevor Lawrence Jr.   Composer,Drum Programming
Amber Streeter   Composer
Kez Khou   Project Assistant
Greg Morgan   Sound Design
Oakwud   Producer
Paul Norris   Assistant Engineer
Dotti   Make-Up
Ward Stegerhoek   Hair Stylist
Laura Jones   Stylist
D.J. Walton   Management
Steffan McMillan   Design
James Krause   Mixing Assistant
Jared Lynch   Assistant Engineer