Music & U

Album Review – Amy Winehouse, Back to Black

Kylie Watts

Back to Black is British sensation, Amy Winehouse's second album. And what an album it is. A mix of jazz, soul, Motown and swing that is as catchy and poppy at times at any pop music album. And underpinning the whole thing is Winehouse's sublime vocals. Listening to Amy sing, you can be forgiven for forgetting that you're listening to a 23 year old. Her voice is smoky, sulty and sexy. Winehouse wrote the album while she was nursing a broken heart, and the theme's of love and loss are prevalent throughout the album.
Back to Black has been a little overshadowed by the controversy surrounding Winehouse herself. Since her first album, the singer songwriter has dropped 4 dress sizes. There were rumours of trouble with her record company who were unhappy with her drinking. Only a few weeks ago, she reunited with her former boyfriend Blake Civil-Fielder, who she married in Miami last weekend. But this shouldn't stop this album getting the respect it deserves. The opening track "Rehab" is an extraordinarily catchy Motown style of song. Horns and strings give a sophisticated sound to which Winehouse purrs and growls along to, telling us in no uncertain terms that there's nothing she can learn in rehab that she can't learn in the real world. "You Know I'm No Good" has a sexy soulful sound that seduces the listener, telling the story of the girl who keeps going back to the wrong guy. "I cheated myself, like I knew I would. I told ya I was trouble, yeah ya know that I'm no good". Winehouse is a first class songwriter and her songs invite favourable comparisons to many of the soul classics from the 1950's. But she is undeniably a modern girl. The song "Me and Mr Jones" could be a sophisticated soul song from that era until you hear Winehouse purr the opening line "What kind of fuckery is this"? It's the dichotomy of such sophisticated sounds and her thoroughly modern, often pissed off lyrics that intrigues. And works. Very well. "Love is a Losing Game" is one of the highlights of the album, as is “Back to Black”. The understated emotion and smoky vocals from Winehouse tells the story of lost love that we've all felt before. The uptempo "Tears Dry On Their Own" is a change of pace in the album, and my favourite track. This track will be the next single to be released, and it's sure to get some attention. Listening to the album, it's easy to picture Winehouse holding her own against the greats, such as Diana Ross or Aretha Franklin. This album has also pushed her out of the shadows of other jazz/soul singers such as Norah Jones and Katie Melua, who seem, quite frankly just a little dull in comparison. Overall, things are looking pretty bright for Amy Winehouse.