By Atiya Jones

The saying “everything that’s old is new again” seems to be true in more than the fashion industry. While listening to Alicia Keys’ second album, The Diary of Alicia Keys, you will have the feeling that you heard the track somewhere else before even though the album only consist of one remake and a few samples.

Managing to over come the sophomore curse, Keys’ musical and mental growth is shown from the opening track, “Harlem Nocturne,” to the closing track “Nobody Not Really.” Taking her passion for old school soul and hip-hop, Keys and Timbaland turn out the Shaft-influenced funked-out track, “Heartburn.”

Keys doesn’t let one drop of sweat roll off her forehead when she is the one kicked out on “Karma,” she just lets her man know he will get his one day. Losing some of its passion while picking up a few extra beats per minute, the Gladys Knight remake “If I Was Your Woman,” was a step up from Keys’ attempt at the Prince classic, “How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore,” on her first album.

Continuing with her trip down memory lane with “You Don’t Know My Name,” the first single, Keys works with the new kid on the block, Kanye West, for a 70s sound. Keys belts out her need for companionship on “If I Ain’t Got You,” with passionate vocals, while giving the next generation of American Idols the perfect audition song. “Diary” misses the chance to display the full talents of Tony Toni Tone.

“When You Really Love Someone” takes it back down tempo and is reminiscent of “A Woman’s Worth.” Leaving you longing for more on the interlude “Feeling U, Feeling Me,” Keys seems scared to explore her sensual side. If you are not familiar with the name of luggage company Samsonite, you might not understand why Alicia is referring to someone as “Samsonite Man” until she says “packing his bags / gonna go / gonna go.”

Still sticking to the formula from Songs In A Minor, there is a more personal and mature Alicia Keys. By letting us read her Diary, Keys shows that some things are not meant to be kept secret.