Amy Winehouse’s debut in 2003, Frank, was both commercially successful and critically acclaimed laying down tracks infused with jazz and ska. However, nothing could have prepared us for the astonishing follow-up in 2006 with ‘Back to Black’. On this album she changed direction and what resulted is a retro masterpiece.
Unfortunately, as much has been said of Amy Winehouse’s music as to her rather colorful private life. The boozing, the brawling, the drug abuse, her rather unstable relationship and overall self-destructive nature. Yet there is no denying this girl is a raw talent and puts most other artists to shame when it actually comes down to what really matters, musical abilities.
The first stroke of genius is the production which is second to none. For this Winehouse enlisted the aid of the great Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi, who have managed to fuse elements of hip-hop, soul, gospel, and R&B into something quite amazing. The overwhelming influence is that of1960s Motown, in particular the Phil Spector Girl groups of that period, and what results is some exuberant neo-Motown swing. However, despite the retro sound, the album is certainly rooted in the present and the soul stylings suite Amy’s voice perfectly to create a 21st century soul classic album.
In saying this, no matter how good the production is, it is the singer which is the star of this album. She is quite simply awesome. When this 22 year old opens her mouth she is somehow transformed into a middle-aged 1950s jazz club singer, reminiscent of some of the great black female artists of that time. Yet what is different is the content which she is talking about. The constant obscenities, infidelity, drug use, love life and relationships are all contained in this classic collection of songs. In a nutshell, she is talking about life in contemporary London.
Opener, ‘Rehab’, is already a classic song, and is a massive single to lead with. It’s sassy, brassy and reads as a gospel-tinged stomp creating something which is pure class. ‘You Know I’m No Good’ is yet another formidable song with the big drums and bar room tale of infidelity. ‘Me and Mr. Jones’ clearly demonstrates its nod to the past with its stardust doo-wop sound but the lyrics are anything but old. This track is a clear example of why this album is so much more than just a tribute to the sounds of past. ‘Just Friends’ sees Amy back into territory she visited on her debut album, that of ska, and it fits perfectly onto this album. The title track ‘Back to Black’ highlights the Phil Spector girl group sound more than any other track with its melodrama-dripping wall of sound. The echoed drums, the rhythmic piano, the chimes, the saxophone and close harmonies makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. We are then treated to an amazing series of soul songs with ‘Love is a Losing Game’, a bitter, broken-hearted anthem, as poetic as it is exquisite, ‘Tears Dry on Their Own’, which is beautiful, evocative and oozing with passion and then with ‘Wake up Alone’ and ‘Some Unholy War’. Then we are treated to the more upbeat ‘He can Only Hold Her’. We are left, finally, with ‘Addicted’ which could be a Supremes anthem until the lyrics bring you crashing back down to earth. This can be no one other than Amy Winehouse.
Quite simply this album represents perfection on many levels. Perfect production, perfect lyrics, perfect styling, perfect voice and overall, a perfect album. Here at number three is Amy Winehouse with ‘Back to Black’ .
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