If you’re reading this outside the UK, the name Amy Winehouse will probably be new you – the word is that she has yet to be promoted overseas.
If you’re in the UK, you can hardly have escaped Ms Winehouse. Back To Black, her chart-topping second album, her colourful lifetyle, and triumph at last week’s Brits awards, have made her the best-publicised English pop persona since, er, Oasis.
Back To Black, the new album, released before Xmas, has already stacked up 700,000 sales. Frank, her fine debut album, was nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2003.
A fine, ballsy songwriter blessed with an authentic soul/jazz/r&b voice and on-stage charisma, Winehouse is a massive new talent. Lovely tone. Fine range. Convincing actress. And – bonus – she swings.
But, because she was cross-promoted at launch to the supermarket crowd with a bunch of less talented Brit “jazz” singers, I’d dismissed her, along with the rest of the wannabes.
Mistake. Amy’s the first pop star to have made me pay serious attention for many years. Music for grown-ups? From a boozy, potty-mouthed, loose-lipped 23 year old? You bet.
Best check out Amy Winehouse - rapido!
Gerry Smith
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
You should leave John Gilligans comments alone and not delete them.
Post a Comment