It’s been a while since the last installment of the MTV: Unplugged series, but after two multi-platinum discs and a few armfuls of Grammys, it makes sense that MTV would bring back the concept for the tremendously gifted Alicia Keys. In the past few years, Keys has become one of the dominant female voices in music today, and MTV no doubt saw her as the perfect vehicle with which to regain the Unplugged series’ popularity.

Keys’ Unplugged set features a variety of tracks from her hugely popular albums Songs In A Minor and The Diary Of Alicia Keys, and she even throws in a couple of brand-new tracks to boot. A short piano intro leads right into explosive renditions of “Karma,” the final single off her sophomore effort, and “Heartburn,” both performed with near-perfect arrangements. Luckily, things only get better from there, as she floats her soulful vocals atop a low, thumping beat on new track “Unbreakable,” which is a good bet for yet another hit for the crafty singer/songwriter/pianist.

All the hits are included: stirring performances of “If I Don’t Got You,” “Diary,” and “You Don’t Know My Name” show off Keys’ impeccable piano skills and manage to put an original and creative spin on songs that we’ve come to know well by now.

Things slow down towards the middle of the disc, with a casual vibe on “If I Was Your Woman” and “How Come You Don’t Call Me,” but just as it starts sounding a bit snoozy, Keys hooks up with Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine for a beautiful take on the Rolling Stones’ classic “Wild Horses,” one of the album’s standout cuts.

The set ends on its highest note, as Keys enlists Common, Mos Def, and Damian Marley to close out the show with two sensational songs, “Love It Or Leave It Alone,” and “Welcome To Jamrock.”

With her Unplugged set, Keys continues to stand head and shoulders above the rest of the neo-soul pack. MTV should take comfort in the knowledge that they caught a very special artist in the prime of her career for a rather unique album.

Check it: Listen to tracks from the album at aliciakeys.net

-SAMIR SIDDIQUI, Special Hip-Hop Assistant to the Arts Editor