Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Amy Winehouse
Back to Black
(Universal)
The People are desperate for new R&B savior, so much so that they are willing to give the amiable beats skittering behind Justin Timberlake’s faux-Prince simpering a lot of undo praise. So enter Amy Winehouse, the second English diva to throw her hat in the ring after the success of Lily Allen. Winehouse avoids the reggae infusions upon which Allen and Gwen Stefani and goes straight for the hip-hop soul that Lauryn Hill re-educated us all with back in 1998. Winehouse has more classic soul to her than Hill did, especially on “You Know I’m No Good” and the slow burning “Me and Mr. Jones” but throughout the various soul queen disguises she dons, you don’t really hear a distinctive artist coming through. She’s got a great set of pipes, and enough scandalous extra-curricular activity to make her a perfect pop star, but she needs some more incubation to tell whether she ready for the big leagues.
Essential Tracks: You Know I’m No Good, Rehab, Tears Dry on Their Own
Recommended if you like: Macy Gray, Roberta Flack reissues, disco retro nite
Comments
Post a comment
(Requires free registration.)