KXUA Picks
Will Simmons
Issue date: 3/28/07 Section: Life & Style
Artist: Amy Winehouse
Album: Back to Black
Label: Universal Republic
Soul music isn't dead; it has just relocated to the U.K. Confusing as it might be, that seems to be the case thus far in the new millennium with acts like Joss Stone, Jamie Lidell, Alice Russell and the list goes on. Add 23-year-old Enfield native Amy Winehouse to that ever-growing list, and wouldn't you know? The girl's got a voice that can melt butter. Although the music and song structure tend to lean more toward throwback soul, Amy owes her vocal presentation to vocal jazz giants like Billie Holiday and Shirley Bassey.
On Back to Black, Amy's second album, she regales us with personal stories and confessions involving breakups, casual sex partners and her struggle with alcohol abuse. The production, courtesy of Mark Ronson (who has worked with Lily Allen, Christina Aguilera, Robbie Williams and Rhymefest) and Salaam Remi, is some of the smoothest, slickest stuff going on in the music biz right now. It's a throwback to classic Motown but with a modern urban twist.
Hear Amy Winehouse on "The New Music Show," Sunday nights from 10 until midnight and Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. on 88.3 FM.
File under vocal jazz, throwback soul.
For fans of Sharon Jones, Lily Allen, Billie Holiday.
Album: Back to Black
Label: Universal Republic
Soul music isn't dead; it has just relocated to the U.K. Confusing as it might be, that seems to be the case thus far in the new millennium with acts like Joss Stone, Jamie Lidell, Alice Russell and the list goes on. Add 23-year-old Enfield native Amy Winehouse to that ever-growing list, and wouldn't you know? The girl's got a voice that can melt butter. Although the music and song structure tend to lean more toward throwback soul, Amy owes her vocal presentation to vocal jazz giants like Billie Holiday and Shirley Bassey.
On Back to Black, Amy's second album, she regales us with personal stories and confessions involving breakups, casual sex partners and her struggle with alcohol abuse. The production, courtesy of Mark Ronson (who has worked with Lily Allen, Christina Aguilera, Robbie Williams and Rhymefest) and Salaam Remi, is some of the smoothest, slickest stuff going on in the music biz right now. It's a throwback to classic Motown but with a modern urban twist.
Hear Amy Winehouse on "The New Music Show," Sunday nights from 10 until midnight and Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. on 88.3 FM.
File under vocal jazz, throwback soul.
For fans of Sharon Jones, Lily Allen, Billie Holiday.
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