Amy Winehouse: Back to Black Universal Republic Records, 2007. Produced by Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi. Available online at Amazon.com.
Sexy. Smoldering. Sassy. Soulful. Siren. Amy Winehouse is certainly no girl next door, but the British jazz and funk star can sure get the party started. Her debut U.S. release Back to Black has quickly become one of my favorite albums, able to adapt to a wide array of moods and genres as a unique mix of jazz and R&B, funk and soul.
At times reminiscent of jazz queens Etta James or Billie Holiday, other times incarnating the soul of the Supremes ("He Can Only Hold Her," "Love Is A Losing Game," "Tears Dry On Their Own") or even the a bit of Marley-ish reggae funk ("Just Friends"), Amy Winehouse's vocals are not only powerful but also completely and totally unique. Call me crazy, but take a listen to "Wake Up Alone" and you may even think you're hearing a female Elvis Presley. No shit. Just trust me, you haven't heard anything like this in recent years since, maybe, ex-Fugees' diva Lauryn Hill. (Hey, what the hell happened to Hill, anyway?)
My favorite tracks on Back to Black are those when Winehouse turns the sass-factor up to scorching, such as she does with the ultra-fab "Me & Mr. Jones," the catchy "You Know I'm No Good" ("I cheated myself / like I knew I would / I told you I was trouble / You know that I'm no good"), and the hey everybody, let's do the twist, bad girl single "Rehab": "They tried to make me go to rehab and I said no, no, no... Try to make me go to rehab, I won't go, go, go." Oh yeah. Sing it, girlfriend.
One of the most distinctive aspects of Back to Black, I've found, is how ageless it is. If you heard the album and knew nothing at all about it, you might not be able to tell if it was a vintage LP or last week's Billboard chart-topper. I was at times a bit awestruck while listening to this release, as if I was hearing history in the making. An instant, timeless classic - with universal appeal.
Dress it up, chill it down. Either way, Back to Black is a versatile and essential addition for any music library. It's like that little black dress: every girl's gotta have one.
Track Listing: 01. Rehab; 02. You Know I'm No Good; 03. Me & Mr. Jones; 04. Just Friends; 05. Back to Black; 06. Love Is A Losing Game; 07. Tears Dry On Their Own; 08. Wake Up Alone; 09. Some Unholy War; 10. He Can Only Hold Her; 11. You Know I'm No Good (UK Version)
About the Author
Carly Hope Finseth spends much of her time pondering what she wants to be when she grows up. She alternates between days filled with cozy socks, hot tea, and meditative reflection - and others, which are loaded with caffeine fixes, grueling commutes, and one fire to put out after another. When she’s not sifting through e-mails, dropping her cell phone, or sticking another reminder Post-It on her desk, Carly also somehow finds the time to write and reflect on important (and the occasional not-so-important) feminist issues.
My curse is my gift. My nightmares, deep sensitivity, and emotional instability gives the best (and most uncomfortable) inspirations I could ever have. For me, art is passion - and visions are the mirror, which show my feelings and connect me with the rest of the world. Read More...
Amy Winehouse: Back to Black
Carly Hope Finseth spends much of her time pondering what she wants to be when she grows up. She alternates between days filled with cozy socks, hot tea, and meditative reflection - and others, which are loaded with caffeine fixes, grueling commutes, and one fire to put out after another. When she’s not sifting through e-mails, dropping her cell phone, or sticking another reminder Post-It on her desk, Carly also somehow finds the time to write and reflect on important (and the occasional not-so-important) feminist issues.
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