Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
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Free Music Notes for Back to Black
Free Music Review: Soulful, innovative, strong, unique but pleasantly familiar
Hit: 5 Stars
I found "Back to Black" by accident. I expected something else, enjoying the whimsical and funny "Rehab" track. But once I listened to the rest of the tracks, I found that the cd is much more. It is detailed, innovative, sophisticated, and incredibly hard to place with other vocal-heavy artists.
Perhaps the best illustration is that I attempted to describe the sound to a friend who hadn't heard of her or connected "Rehab" to her voice. I tried to compare her voice and lyrics to the likes of Mary J. Blige, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Lauren Hill and even Tammy Wynette... It's that unique and different that this cd compares well to any of those artists but is so onto itself that most comparisons fail.
Winehouse's voice is deep and strong, lyrics powerful and clever, and the music behind it all ranges from simple to elaborate.
Each time I listen to the cd on my iPod, in my car and on iTunes I hear some element that I missed before or never tire of. The best tracks on the cd must include "Cry on my Own," "Love is a Losing Game," "Back to Black," and "I told you I was Trouble." Noting that "Rehab" is NOT the defining song on the cd.
Mark Ronson did a masterful job at production and it is amazing that Winehouse wrote most of it. Her pain and strength come through in every track, fitting nicely with those of us who have ever felt the pain of a disrupted relationship and all the emotions that come with it.
This cd is a must for anyone who enjoys a strong, soulful female voice along the lines of Lauren Hills "Miseducation..." and some of the early 60's work of Aretha Franklin, Miss Ross during the early Supremes days, or Mary J. during the painful days of "My Life."
Free Music Review: Back to the 50's.
Hit: 5 Stars
Amy is one of those singers or persons that calls the attention. Her voice and style are unique.
This album from my point of view, is a piece of music that everybody should have, it's a gem because it can fit any style. It's classic and trendy, fun and blue at the same time and that's something very difficult to make. You could think that you're listening a very good remastered album from the 50's. She makes me remember Della Reese.
This is Amy's second album, her first one is "FRANK" from 2003. It was a hit in the U.K but wasn't released in America until 2007. (That one is also very good).
Amy's explosion came with the international massive hit "REHAB". I think that I don't have to comment it because I Think that everybody knows the song. The impact of the hit was enough to make her a winner of 5 Grammy awards and reaching #1 in Europe and #2 in the U.S plus getting her album to the Multi-platinum status.
In overall the album is mellow and rough (actually it's not easy to make a review of this album). The most beat-up songs in the album besides "REHAB" are. "YOU KNOW THAT I'M NO GOOD" (there are 2 version of this song on this edition. The original which is track 2 and track 11, that is a remix. I find track 2 better than 11), "BACK TO BLACK", "JUST FRIENDS", that has a reggae touch and "TEARS DRY ON THEIR OWN". The other are softer songs specially "LOVE IS A LOSING GAME", which is the softest one.
If you haven't heard much of Amy's music, give this one a try. You may not like it very much in the beginning but after a couple of times, you start to really like it. That heppened to me. I would start listening first to me songs that I mentioned before "Love is a Losing game".
Free Music Review: Oh My (insert word here)-ing God! I am an Amy Winehouse convert.....
Hit: 5 Stars
People, if you haven't bought this album yet, go buy it today. There is a reason that people love this woman. Yes, she is unapologetically blunt (when it comes to sex, drugs and everything in between), yes, she dabbles with drugs in real life, and yes, her sound is authentic and DAMN good. I think I'm in love with that voice. I'll tell you why.....
Amy's voice is at once sexy, sensuous, expressive and seductive, and her band is seamless (great horn and percussive section!). What's more, her lyrics are fantastic and unabashedly honest (at times lewd, yes, and allude to her addiction to blow AKA cocaine). She is probably best known for "ReHab," "You Know I'm No Good" and "Back to Black." I feel like I am back in 1960, listening to soul, and then the expletives come pouring out....but, smooth as silk. You can't blame the girl for being angry. I don't know if Amy has just had some tough luck with men, or whether they just take delight in treating her like trash. At any rate, this woman totally channels the rush of emotions that comes with broken relationships, as well as the rush of drug addiction. If you want to hear a good example of the broken-ness, I reccomend "Me & Mr. Jones." (or most of the other tracks!)
This woman is amazing. I just hope (and I say this with sincerity), that she doesn't overdose before her remarkable career truly fluorishes worldwide. Note: As I said before, this album is explicit and has references to sex and drugs (quite graphic sex, at times). Still, this is one of the best soul albums I have heard. She puts Christina Aguilera and all of those wannabees to shame......Praise the lord, soul has returned!
Free Music Review: Swagger
Hit: 5 Stars
I love a lot of things about this cd. Yes, the "retro" sound. A lots been made of that, but like The Kings of Leon, this album couldn't have been made in the 1960's. It has a motown "feel", but that's pretty unique these days, especially considering the fact she sings, is a singer, is a talented singer and is challenging pop music with a different kind of sound. The musicianship. The fact that she sounds better live than here on the cd. The great videos that have been released along with it. Her laid back, one of the boys, can't be bothered, attitude. The silly rags and their hapless promotion while she feigned a drink problem, as "Rehab" soared in the charts.
And, I also like the bonus track, which is kind of a knife in the heart of the whole illusion. (Note: this is the US Version). Hey Amy [..]webmaster, get us USA consumers a free download of "Addicted"
Anyone who ever went to see a lounge singer and was seduced by the magic, will appreciate the harsh, lights coming on, end of the night "bonus track" with the rap addition.
It gives the whole experience a sense of occasion, occasion as in: I fell in love with a lounge singer and waited to meet her (to tell her how much she reminds me of Billie Holiday) then her 6'5", 250 pound, tattooed boyfriend walked her out the club, and I trundled back to my rusty Toyota Corolla in the parking lot. Not that anything like that ever happened to me, personally, more than several times.
Great music and a fresh approach and a great rock n' roll look and fantastic talent converge for a cd of the decade nominee. Anything less than 5 stars is just petty b****ing.
Free Music Review: Give her "Album of the Year" and call it a day
Hit: 5 Stars
"Back to Black" is the highlight of 2007. I agree with the person that compared her to Barbra Streisand as a one-of-a-kind singer. Amy Winehouse could certainly fill that kind of void in a few years. Even though Winehouse is a contemporary R&B/Soul/Jazz singer, she could end up as a legend like Streisand if she works at it the way she has. Amy has the ability to make those classic kind of records. When you hear "Loving Is A Losing Game," all the lavish comparisons will seem fair. We have so many people trying to audition as the next Mariah, Celine, or Whitney and they have come out with varying degrees of success. Although, none have been able to match the true hype or sales of the originals. But we've seen few worthy attempts at being the next Streisand. Maybe Amy Winehouse is the first legitimate one. Only she comes with a sound that's more compatible with the current climate. And those questioning whether her talent is legitimate should check out her AOL Sessions from 3 years ago when she wasn't as well known. "No Greater Love" is fantastic. She was a great singer then without the big hair and tattoos. And that's when she was about 20 years old. Now at age 23, she's recording albums like those 10 years her senior. I'm not sure what her Grammy chances are because the Recording Academy hasn't picked something this bold for "Album of the Year" since Outkast's "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below." But they'll have an opportunity this year to make "Back to Black" an option. It would be a very dynamic choice compared to previous years, but it's always unpredictable. But I hope they at least remember this great record when it comes time to vote.