Soul diva on top form

May 16 2008 Spin City By Dave Kelly

FROM the smash hit album As I Am comes Alicia Keys' third single Teenage Love Affair. The song has a really retro vibe to it with Keys' signature soulful vocals pouring over a percussion heavy back beat. Playful lyrics tell the story of Ms Keys as a coy teenager and her high-school crush. This is easy listening R&B with a dignified air that only she can provide. If you haven't already got this album I advise you to, it's sheer brilliance from a true soul diva of our times.

* MAYBE is a slushy, soppy, R&B ballad from the album My Own Way by Jay Sean. It is produced in much the same vein as US artists Ne-Yo or Mario would have gone for. Eighties-style keyboards and bass-heavy production match Jay's sugary sweet chorus vocals well enough for him to carry the track past being simply another R&B cliche. This is nothing groundbreaking and definitely no match for his previous single, the infectious Ride It, but I'm a staunch supporter of UK music so I hope to hear more from Jay Sean as the year progresses.

* WATCH Out is dance maestro Alex Gaudino's third single. It follows the same pattern as his smash hit Destination Calibria with heavy use of big horn riffs. It samples the 1995 huge remake by Perfecto Allstarz of Reach Up, Papa's Got A Brand New Bag to incredibly catchy potentials. Vocals come courtesy of Shena, a well known singer in the dance scene who's been around for years. This is a dance-floor filler that is bound to cross over and make waves in the commercial market.