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Vibe

Brimming with updated old-school joints, original balladry, and classic-sounding R&B, Diary finds Keys more relaxed, confident, and committed to the tunes of the '70s than ever before. [Feb 2004, p.127]

Q Magazine

A proper soul album which hooks you with the first pneumatic beat and draws you deeper with every heady atmosphere and vivid emotion. [Jan 2004, p.111]

Dot Music

Another masterpiece.

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Blender

An enthusiastic album full of masterful strokes and electrifying intensity. [#23, p.98]

All Music Guide

Those expecting another album where Keys sounds wise beyond her years will bound to be disappointed by The Diary of Alicia Keys, since her writing reveals her age in a way it never did on the debut.

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CultureDose.net

With one album, Alicia Keys jumps up from the most overrated R&B artist since Michael Jackson to the best young talent R&B has seen in a very long time.

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E! Online

Keys, however, proves to be a better singer than songwriter, as most of the latter half of the album slips into sleepy piano numbers.

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Entertainment Weekly

Give Keys' simmering voice and evident instrumental skills... the results are all the more frustrating. [5 Dec 2003, p.94]

Rolling Stone

An assured, adult statement.

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Mojo

An hour of heartful, artful singing enhanced by dense, yet fuss-free arrangements. [Jan 2004, p.106]

PopMatters

The project is clearly laboring to be relevant to the current marketplace and thus suffers from a serious lack of cohesion.

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ShakingThrough.net

Keys plays it far too safe here: There's nothing that will offend, and the content is patently generic enough that almost anyone, lovelorn or heartbroken, can build a personal soundtrack of romantic woe from its raw materials.

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Stylus Magazine

There's "Karma" and "I Don't Know Your Name." You and your iPod know what to do.

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The Guardian

There are a handful of great moments, where risks are taken and ground is broken, but too often it opts for the familiar and the bland.

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Playlouder

See, there're a good few cracking singles on here, but there are also occasions when her wistful classicism leads her down blind alleys.

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Uncut

If she's going to make us read her diary entries, she's going to need something more compelling than this litany of cliche and hackneyed need-a-man Bridget Jones-wailing. [Feb 2004, p.72]

New York Magazine

The note that truly dooms Diary is thematic, not musical. The disc collapses under the weight of one song about heartbreak after another.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this album is 8.7 (out of 10) based on 44 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Lydia R gave it a10:
Absolutely brilliant album, its good to hear actual instruments in the background as so many artists don't do this. Everyone can listen to this album despite age..my whole fam loves this album:)

izat a gave it a2:
she's so overrated!!!!!!!!!!! diz album's so boring!!! i was literally asleep after hearing 3 songs... i hate this album.. i regret buying this!!! crap!!!

J D gave it an8:
Very good album, however, I feel this will be the last and the only album she will ever make as good as this. I can listen to every amazing song up until Dragon Days. After Dragon Days is over I put the CD back on the shelf because the rest isn't good at all. Definetly talented, but she isn't the next Mariah Carey

James H gave it a10:
Alicia Keys is the new Aretha Franklin. While no one thought it would be possible for her to out do her debut album she has. This, in my opinion is miles better with the best song of her career so far, 'If I Ain't Got You'. This album shows you why she has so many fans around the world with that incredibly voice and musical background. No one comes close to the wirting ability of Keys at the moment. The songs will live forever. A timeless classic masterpiece.

Nick V gave it an8:
A very good R&B CD. Plenty of soulful tracks.

Ally G gave it a10:
i love ALICIA KEYS....she is the best...i dun noe how she's gonna top this one and i cant wait till she puts out her next cd

Jamal B gave it a5:
its ight

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The Diary Of Alicia Keys

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