Alicia Keys would make the perfect pop star. She's incredibly gorgeous and has the voice to match. The 29-year-old, however, has never been interested in being an artist-of-the moment. With her retro-soul sound, she's more concerned with writing timeless classics.

"The Element of Freedom" delivers all the big-voiced ballads you'd expect from Keys, including the outstanding "Doesn't Mean Anything" and a Jay Z-less version of "Empire State of Mind." What's surprising is the record's nod to pop. Of course, when Keys does pop, she passes over modern-day influences for a sound reminiscent of 1980's Prince. She pulls it off perfectly on "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart."

There is one moment of conventional pop radio, a duet with Beyonce called "Put in a Love Song." While Beyonce is perfectly comfortable here, it's a stretch for Keys to sound sincere when requesting a man to text his love to her. Though it's not the record's best moment, it's nice to see Keys trying something new.