Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that Amy Winehouse is one of the most brilliant soul artists to emerge in a long time. Unfortunately, outside of Great Britain there seem to be a lot of rocks. While her first album went largely unnoticed stateside, her sophomore effort, "Back to Black," was simply too exceptional not to make the trip across the Atlantic.
This native of London first got worldwide attention thanks to Ghostface Killah's sampling of "You Know I'm No Good," which became one of the strongest tracks on his latest album, "More Fish" (2006). Unsurprisingly, "You Know I'm No Good" is also one of the strongest tracks on "Back to Black" and is actually superior in its natural form.
In this day of singles-driven pop and one-hit wonders, finding an album full of strong tracks is always a good surprise. "Back to Black" truly delivers in this aspect and really is "all killer, no filler." The album kicks off with the lead single, "Rehab," which reached seventh place on the British charts. This track, one of the album's best, sets the tone and plunges listeners into Amy's world of alcohol abuse and depression. The fire and passion in Amy's voice is strangely uplifting, backed by the rather lush production which characterizes the album.
The beats, provided by Salaam Remi and Mark Ronson, two big players in pop and R&B, are the perfect canvas for the sulfurous delivery of Amy Winehouse. The old school, almost Motown vibe which permeates the album complements the singer's voice quite well and gives a nostalgic tone to the album which fits the often gloomy subject matter.
Unless listeners somehow managed to get the album before its U.S. release, the rest of the album will probably seem unfamiliar to them, but the first listen will blow them away, and it only keeps getting better.
"Just Friends" has some of the album's most interesting production with what sounds like an old school reggae beat, and Amy's voice really sounds like it's straight out of '60s Motown.
"Back to Black" is quite possibly the best track on the album. It acts as an emotional centerpiece and is Amy's strongest vocal performance by far. The ominous beat and guitar sample are almost funereal, closely reflecting the singer's broken heart. Nevertheless, Amy somehow still manages to sound defiant on this track, showing the strength of her character.
"Tears Dry on Their Own" is one of the more upbeat tracks and is basically a retooling of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," in the production department. The mix of tracks like this one with others like "Back To Black" is one of the main assets of the album, whose subject matter is often depressing but ultimately leaves the listener satisfied and hopeful.
"Wake Up Alone" starts off strong, but despite all its strengths, this track highlights what is perhaps this album's only weakness. Much of the material sounds familiar after a while, and by this point Amy's vocals and the production seem to fade and become a sort of ambient form of the Motown sound. With some more variety, Amy Winehouse's next album could be even more engaging and perhaps last more than a half hour.
The U.S. edition of the album concludes with the Ghostface version of "You Know I'm No Good," which is a shame because it is already fairly well-known, and it replaces "Addicted" which was featured on the British version. "Addicted" is one of the best drug songs ever and deserves a place on anyone's playlist, as it contains a sense of humor which the rest of the album lacks.
Whatever the case, "Back to Black" is definitely one of the year's best albums and deserves your wholehearted attention. If you have 10 bucks to spare, get it, and if you have more, get the British version. Next time you're getting over a hangover, you'll have a great soundtrack to chronicle your struggles.
