Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
This album has an American sound with British attitude. The musix is pure Stax and Spector with lyrics from the streets of London; the word ‘fuckery’ says so much that Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson must wish they had thought of it first!
Amy Winehouse has clearly been influenced by classic 1960’s female soul outfits like the Supremes and the Shangri-Las. Rehab has a gospel groove and Back to Black is a killer tribute to Phil Spector. With You Know I’m No Good she flaunts her unfaithfulness and Love is a Losing Game is superb.Winehouse is a very clever songwriter with a good team of people around her and this album is full of her energy and emotion.Parallels have been drawn before with Billie Holiday and she has a voice that can carry any song she sings. There are also hints of Ella Fitzgerald and Janis Joplin for the careful listener.
Winehouse might like Ray Charles records and this Motown tribute is a chilling album with a fascinating take on sixties music. As to the lyrics, overall its 21st century wrist slashing stuff that Leonard Cohen would be proud of. Island
2006
