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The Element Of Freedom Image
Metascore
67

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 88 Ratings

  • Summary: The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter releases her fourth studio album.

Top Track

Unthinkable
Moment of honesty, Someones gotta take the lead tonight Whose it gonna be? I'm gonna sit right here and tell u while it comes to me If u have... See the rest of the song lyrics
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 16
  2. Negative: 1 out of 16
  1. Keys' material is ultimately about the slow reveal, not the instant blitz. If Element asks for patience, it also earns it.
  2. Keys delivers a musically understated but richly passionate set of soul paeans to being in love, out of love, lovelorn and pining for her man to return.
  3. It's her most consistent album and also her most low-key.
  4. It's surely a compliment to suggest that someone as abundantly gifted as she is can do better than this enjoyable, occasionally brilliant but disappointingly generic record.
  5. But all that queenliness, and the sameness of the tempo, start to wear you down. It's not until the 10th track, "Put It in a Love Song," that the record starts to bristle with a less regal impulse: flirting.
  6. On The Element of Freedom, the production compresses her voice, making it sound a lot less like her, especially on the ballads.
  7. The Element of Freedom is just really well-made elevator music. It's boring, soulless, and pretentious.

See all 16 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 19
  2. Negative: 3 out of 19
  1. Aug 11, 2010
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As an album The Element Of Freedom it's not great but has some perfect musics. In my opinion LOVE IS BLIND, TRY SLEEPING WITH A BROKEN HEART and UN-THINKABLE (I'M READY) are perfect songs, that can balance some duds like Love is my disease, Like the sea and This bed. Expand
  2. MaxS.
    Dec 16, 2009
    10
    great, different, beautiful. that is all i can say.
  3. ChrisL.
    Dec 21, 2009
    10
    An excellent offering from Ms Keys. She never fails to impress. Adore every song with exception of "Put It In A Love Song".
  4. JerrodL.
    Dec 17, 2009
    8
    So happy Alicia's introduced more pop elements into her music! The Element of Freedom is her first album I've enjoyed in its So happy Alicia's introduced more pop elements into her music! The Element of Freedom is her first album I've enjoyed in its entirety. Yes, she may stay in a similar mood for the entire album, but it doesn't reach high highs and low lows like her earlier albums. I was never bored on this album--something I don't think could be said about her other works. Definitely worth a listen, especially for fans of mainstream R&B and pop. Expand
  5. JosephA
    Dec 16, 2009
    8
    Cool and consistent. The songs are sweet and simple, sung beautifully and the arrangements are airy and driving. A welcome change of pace Cool and consistent. The songs are sweet and simple, sung beautifully and the arrangements are airy and driving. A welcome change of pace that retains some of the elements of As I Am. Expand
  6. Love
    Dec 17, 2009
    6
    It's not bad, but it's not good either. Mediocre at best. Alicia did some good things in the past, but The Element Of Freedom gets It's not bad, but it's not good either. Mediocre at best. Alicia did some good things in the past, but The Element Of Freedom gets boring after listening to it twice. Love Is Blind, Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart and Unthinkable are the best tracks. ¿The worst one? Put It In A Love Song (feat Beyonce). Expand
  7. Ulla
    Dec 28, 2009
    0
    I really don't like this cd, the tempo is good, but almost all songs sound the same as her previous, that's not very creative i I really don't like this cd, the tempo is good, but almost all songs sound the same as her previous, that's not very creative i think. If you want a cd that thinks outside the box, and a cd from a woman around the same age as miss Keys, you should pic up Shakira's She Wolf, that's innovative! Expand

See all 19 User Reviews

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