Songs In A Minor (Expanded Edition)

New York wunderkind Alicia Keys flaunts her prodigious vocal talent and piano proficiency on this 16-track debut. The deep, purring blues groove and towering, Aretha Franklin-indebted vocal of “Fallin’” paved the way for a collection that takes in tight, retro arrangements, hip-hop flourishes (as on the ODB-sampling “Girlfriend”), and jazz-flecked neo-soul melodies. And the ‘70s-styled funk of “How Come You Don’t Call Me” nods to Keys’ precocity and impending career longevity.