Alicia Keys – Here

This record is amazing. It’s 2023 and in the last year I have gained new appreciation for this record. It was for the time yet ahead of it’s time. Alicia did something genius here and I’m okay that it wasn’t commercially applauded, it’s like a gem for a certain crop of fans she amassed over the years. It is not for everyone and that’s okay. For people like us, it outshines some of the more commercially successful records. This right here is THE GOSPEL. HERE. 👑

Love the album but my copy is noisy with pops and crackles. Additionally it is warped. My needle jumps like Destiny's Child in 1999! Very disappointing. I hope there will be a rerelease on 2 LPs with a good mastering and pressing.

I was only able to get through the first side of this LP and ... damn . This is one solid work. Even incomplete; "Here" is completely worthy of revisitation.
On "Here" Alicia is able to remix a Nas & ATCQ classic better than most rappers, all while spitting over from production handled by hip-hop luminers like the RZA and Swizz Beatz. And I do mean spit, as this album was intentionally built for tne hip-hop culture as referenced in "The Beginning". Given the time this came out, and looking at Alicia's track record of hip-hop moments - I dont believe the songstress took to kindly with the state of the culture, and here she uses her platform to let that be known while taking time to critique Afro-centric culture and the world as a whole (hear the message in "Kill Your Mama") all while being vulnerable enough to rep where she's from and express who she is with no shame - which could explain her lack of clothes on the album cover.
"Here" is Alicia flying pass the competition, more elevated than the interlude of a similar name. Despite all the R&B releases that came out that year with black & white covers (The Knowles sisters , John Legend , etc.) Alicia's "Here" stands on it's own on top of any artist who ever claimed they could mumble a melody and throw in some ad-libs and call that "Hip-Hop". "Here" is Alicia taking those kids to school. A concious audio field trip worth it's weight in a parental signature.

Dreadful noisy pressing with loads of non-fill and the records are really dirty-loads of black bits in the inner sleeve, which had scratched the records on the 3 copies I bought and returned before I gave up and sent them all back. Avoid.

Any review on the sound quality of this? Unfortunately EU version sounds poor :(

Extremely poor pressing. A lot of hissing and vinyl is warped. Took the fist one back and the second one is even worse.