Alicia Keys y el desmadre de Sony

Ver este post del blog de Alejandro Valdezate, con aclaración por parte de la misma empresa discográfica, sobre el caso vivido ayer en torno al concierto celebrado en Madrid por la artista norteamericana Alicia Keys.

Para no copipastear, y por lo que he podido ver hoy en las noticias de Antena 3 TV, el concierto de Alicia Keys en el Teatro Real de Madrid no fue precisamente un paseo de rosas para muchos de los que quisieron asistir a presenciar "in situ" la actuación de la que es, hoy por hoy, la reina del soul.

A pesar de lo impecable del acto, hay que darle un suspenso a la organización y a Sony por dejar fuera a más de un centenar de incondicionales que habían ido con sus invitaciones (¿para qué se las dieron entonces?) y permanecer en la calle entre protestas. Para Antena 3 es solo una anécdota, pero para los que han estado allí todo el rato intentando por todos los medios que se aclarase esa desastrosa situación, se les quedará con una cara de pocos amigos para mucho tiempo.

Y si el problema era que se había superado el aforo permitido, ¿por qué no se ha permitido la posibilidad de un segundo concierto para los que se quedaron fuera, en día y hora acordadas por la organización y la artista? Aun cuando fuese un concierto gratuito y en un emblemático auditorio, hay maneras de arreglar las cosas y esa es una de ellas, desde mi más modesta opinión.

Gilbert Montagné - Elle Chantait Ma Vie En Musique (1973)

This is a French version of the song "Killing me softly with his song", that was originally performed by Roberta Flack, a complete soul hit at the beginning of 70s decade and much covered by many artists, like Gilbert Montagné in this, in the other hand, beautiful version.

Record information: 1973 chez CBS / Série Gémini / Labrador (CBS 1502)

Cover photo: Alain Sadoc
Soloist: Gilbert MONTAGNÉ
Others: Guy FLORIANT (Auteur-Compositeur) - Eddy MARNAY (Auteur-Compositeur) - Alain SADOC (Photographe)

Side A : Dans Mon Piano Il-y 'a Des Oiseaux (Guy Floriant / Gilbert Montagné)
Side B : Elle Chantait Ma Vie En Musique (Killing Me Softly With His Song) (Eddy Marnay / Charles Fox)

Credits: arr. and orchestra direction: Philippe Briche
Artistic Production: Claude Delcloo

Gilbert Montagné was a French composer and singer born in December 28th of 1951, being a premature child after a six months pregnancy period and only reaching 950 gr. weight. Due to this quite early childbirth, was incubed but the rich air in oxygen caused him a retinopathy. Completely blind since then, he's fourth child member in a modest family. Soon discover music with five years old and went to a special institute at Saint-Mandé, receiving a tough but classic education. However, he went selfish and learned to play piano by himself, developing a taste for varieties, jazz and rock. Spent six years at the National Institute of Blind Teenagers, a period in which played organ too.

Towards 1968, with sixteen years, Gilbert decided to qualify for auditions in an approach to start a music career, recording a first 45rpm single "Quand On Ferme Les Yeux", written by Pierre Delanoë, under Lor Thomas seudonym and published by Philips French label, being unsuccessful however. He then decides to join his sister, a French professor at Miami, and inscribe University training for classical music. In his free duties, played jazz and soul music at night clubs in Miami and New York.

After that period, became to marry with Maureen Byrne (divorced her at 1993) returning to France and form a family with two children. Actually, since 1999, Gilbert Montagné is married with Nikole.

In 1971, a telephone call from Salvatore Adamo convinced him to come back Europe. On May, Gilbert spent several days at London with Joe Cocker and Elvis Presley's female choir to record "The Fool", a breath-taking success in all the world and a complete number 1 in twelve countries.



Discography:

1971 : The Fool
1973 : Dans mon piano il y a de la musique
1976 : Y faut que ça swing
1981 : Ta vie
1984 : Liberté
1985 : Quelques notes de musique
1987 : Vivre en couleur
1989 : Entre douceur et violence
1991 : Accord magiques
1993 : Rien qu'une amitié
1995 : Comme une etoile
1998 : Mélange de couleur
2002 : Rien sans ton amour
2006 : Get Ready
2009 : Unplugged

Most celebrated songs:

1971 : "The Fool"
1972 : "Baby I Feel So Fine", "Aime-moi"
1973 : "La craie dans l'encrier" (Duo avec Catherine Lara)
1980 : "Believe in me"
1981 : "Ta vie"
1982 : "On s'en fout nous on s'aime"
1983 : "On va s'aimer", "Musicienne"
1984 : "J'ai le blues de toi", "Les sunlights des tropiques"
1985 : "Au Soleil"
1987 : "Je veux tout"
1989 : "Perdu dans New-York"
1991 : "Le cœur en sursis"
1993 : "Décoller"
1996 : "Comme une étoile", "Histoire de femmes", Ma chérie"
2002 : "Entendre ton sourire"
2006 : "Get Ready"

Official site

Beyoncé - I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008)

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles, (n. 4 de septiembre de 1981; Houston, Texas), conocida simplemente como Beyoncé, es una cantante de R&B, compositora, productora discográfica y actriz estadounidense. Ha vendido un total de 20 millones de copias de sus tres álbumes (2003, 2006, 2008).

Nacida y criada en Houston, Texas, se inscribió en varias escuelas de artes escénicas, y se expuso por primera vez a los concurso de canto y baile cuando era una niña. Knowles saltó a la fama a finales de los 90 como la cantante principal del grupo Destiny's Child. Ha vendido más de 50 millones de discos en todo el mundo con el grupo. Durante la separación de Destiny's Child, lanzó su álbum debut como solista, Dangerously in Love, en Junio de 2003. Dangerously in Love, que dio lugar a la número uno de singles Crazy in Love y Baby Boy, se convirtió en uno de los más éxito de los álbumes de ese año. Knowles ganó cinco Premios Grammy en una sola noche en 2004, y su recepción señaló su viabilidad como un artista solista. La disolución de Destiny's Child en 2005 facilitó la continuación de su éxito: lanzó su segundo álbum en solitario, B'Day, en 2006, que contenía el éxito mundial Irreplaceable. Su tercer álbum en solitario, I Am... Sasha Fierce, fue lanzado en Noviembre de 2008, y generó el éxito mundial "If I Were A Boy", y número uno de los Estados Unidos "Single ladies (Put a ring on it)", manteniéndose 4 semanas #1.

El éxito de sus discos como solista la ha establecido como una de las artistas más comerciales en la industria de la música, y ha expandido su carrera para actuar y endosar productos. Comenzó su carrera en 2001, apareciendo en el musical de la película Carmen: A Hip Hopera. En 2006, protagonizó el papel principal en la adaptación de la película del musical de Broadway de 1981 Dreamgirls, por la que obtuvo dos nominaciones Golden Globe. En 2009 rodó la pelicula Obsesionada con ella como coprotagonista. Knowles lanzó su línea de moda de la familia, la Casa de Deréon, en 2004, y se ha comprometido a respaldar marcas como Pepsi, Tommy Hilfiger, Emporio Armani y L'Oréal.

Tracklist:

CD 1:

01. If I Were A Boy
02. Halo
03. Disappear
04. Broken-Hearted Girl
05. Ave Maria
06. Smash Into You
07. Satellites
08. That's Why You're Beautiful

CD 2:

01. Single Ladies [Put A Ring On It]
02. Radio
03. Diva
04. Sweet Dreams
05. Video Phone
06. Hello
07. Ego
08. Scared Of Lonely




STANDARD EDITION

PLATINUM EDITION

LINKS

Beyonce official site

Amazon //// Last FM /// Rhapsody //// 7-Digital UK //// 7-Digital ES

iTunes Music Store (Deluxe Edition)
iTunes Music Store (Normal Edition)

Rod Stewart - Soulbook (2009)

Soulbook es un álbum de versiones en clave de soul de Rod Stewart en el que se incluyen "covers" de temas de los 60 y 70, por otra parte el disco que Stewart quería hacer en mucho tiempo.

Stewart declaró a la revista Rolling Stone que desde que tenía 15 años escuchaba en la radio a cantantes soul como Sam Cooke y Otis Redding y a bluesmen como Howlin' Wolf y Muddy Waters. Y desde entonces, sabía que quería cantar así. Según Elton John, "Rod es el mejor cantante que he escuchado en el mundo del rock 'n' roll y es también el mejor cantante blanco de soul".

Para Rod Stewart, "este es el disco que he esperado grabar toda mi vida. Son las canciones con las que he bailado, con las que he amado, con las que he gritado, que me han acompañado en mi vida. Estas canciones fueron el oxígeno que alimentó mi pasión para cantar. Cuando yo era flaco, creído y bocazas, un adolescente que vivía en el norte de Londres sin dos peniques en el bolsillo, descubrí la maestría de Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, James Brown, The Temptations, The Four Tops y muchos otros. Eran mis dioses y mis héroes".

01 - It’s The Same Old Song
02 - My Cherie Amoure (featuring Stevie Wonder)
03 - You Make Me Feel Brand New (with Mary J Blige)
04 - (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher
05 - Tracks Of My Tears
06 - Let It Be Me (with Jennifer Hudson)
07 - Rainy Night In Georgia
08 - What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted
09 - Love Train
10 - You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me
11 - Wonderful World
12 - If You Don’t Know Me By Now
13 - Just My Imagination



Si te gustó, cómpralo en:

- Amazon
- Amazon UK
- Play.com (UK)
- CD Universe
- 7-Digital España
- Yes-FM

Ortheia Barnes - I've Never Loved Nobody (Like I Love You) (1967, Coral 62529)

Despite never having a hit record, Ortheia Barnes is one of Detroit, MI's most beloved singers. She started singing in church, made some solo singles, and toured with Motown artists, though she never signed with the label. Barnes has enjoyed a full career, but unlike J.J. Barnes, her older brother, it hasn't been scrutinized much, and a chronological discography of her work does not exist.

She debuted on Mickay Records in 1962 with two Dorothy Pierce tunes: "Your Picture on the Wall" b/w "Same as Before"; the single did so well locally that ABC Records acquired the licensing and reissued it in 1963. The dates dispute the notion that she got the secular singing bug at 14 when J.J. Barnes cut his biggest hit, "Baby Please Come Back Home," since it would have made her nine when she cut the Mickay single.

Other recordings include two popular Northern soul selections -- "Watch Out Boy," written by J.J. Barnes, Don Davis, and Kirkland Peterson and "I've Never Loved Nobody (Like I Love You)" -- in 1967 on Coral Records. Coral issued a second single, "Take My Heart and Soul" b/w "Heartbreaker," in 1968; the former was composed by Joe Hunter and Anthony "Tony" Wilson. A few years later, Wilson moved to Cleveland, OH, and was the Ponderosa Twins Plus One's manager; he co-wrote their song, "Bitter With the Sweet." Barnes worked behind the scenes, vocalizing on sessions and backing artists live. In 1980, she formed Cut Glass with Mildred Vaney for two singles on 20th Century Records -- "Alive With Love" b/w "Without Your Love" and "Rising Cost of Love" b/w "Sometimes Soon." She even cut a funk tune entitled "Green Eye Monster" in 1984. In 1987, she sang at Diana Ross' aunt's funeral with Ross in attendance -- the two songbirds were high school friends.

At WCHB she became a radio personality with her own talk show, Ortheia's Special Touch, which aired every Wednesday; she also had a cable TV show on Bloomfield Community Television that was broadcast on Booth Cable, but her aim to be syndicated for the show never happened.

Later, Barnes married elder Robert L. Kennerly and became Reverend Ortheia Barnes-Kennerly, evangelist and singer; she became part of SpiritLove Ministries and appeared and performed at many religious and civic functions throughout the country. She celebrated civil rights activist Rosa Parks' 83rd birthday in Nassau, Bahamas, performing with the Freedom Soldiers -- who consisted of Barnes, Sandra Feva, Pat Lewis, and Hezekiah Williams. She performed at the Plymouth Neon Jammin' Ball in 1995 to help introduce a new generation of young Detroiters to the city's historic Music Hall of Fame, and she represented at A Season For Nonviolence with Reverend Jesse Jackson and other luminaries. Barnes-Kennerly was also a member of Michigan's Volunteers of America.

~ Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide

LINKS:

- Artist Direct
- Hitsville Records Soul Club

The Edsels - Do You Love Me (1958, Roulette 4151)

ESP - The Edsels fueron un grupo estadounidense de música de estilo Doo-Wop - basado en la interpretación a capella - estuvo activo durante el final de los 50 (1958) hasta el principio de los 60 (1963).

Su nombre original fue "The Essos", si bien, con la aparición del modelo Edsel de la Ford cambiaron el nombre.

Los Edsel grabaron 25 canciones, entre las que se cuentan "Rama Lama Ding Dong", "What Brought Us Together", "Bone Shaker Joe" y "Do You Love Me" (la canción que escucháis en este videoclip), que les permitió grabar con Capitol Records en 1961.

El éxito que les llevó a la fama fue "Rama Lama Ding Dong", el único por el que son ahora conocidos. Esta canción se grabó en 1957, apareció con la carátula erronea indicando "Lama Rama Ding Dong," en 1958. Se hizo famosa gracías a un DJ de Nueva York que, en 1961, empezó a pincharla debido a su parecido a otro éxito del momento, la versión Doo-Wop de "Blue Moon" de The Marcels, llegando al puesto número 21 del Billboard.

_____________________________

UK - The Edsels were an American doo-wop group active during the late 1950s and early 1960s. The name of the group was originally The Essos, after the oil company, but was changed to match the then-new Ford automobile, the Edsel. The Edsels recorded over 25 songs and had multiple performances on Dick Clark's American Bandstand . The Edsels were one of the few doo-wop groups to sign with a major record label, as most groups of that era found success with small independent labels. Before their national hit "Rama Lama Ding Dong," songs like "What Brought Us Together," "Bone Shaker Joe," and "Do You Love Me" helped the group land a major recording contract with Capitol Records in 1961.

Today, the group is known almost exclusively for their song, "Rama Lama Ding Dong." The song was recorded in 1957 and released, under the errant title "Lama Rama Ding Dong," in 1958. The song did not become popular until 1961, after a disc jockey in New York City began to play it as a segue from The Marcels doo-wop version of "Blue Moon." The song eventually became popular throughout the USA, peaking at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The group continues to perform today. In addition, James Reynolds performs with his five sons Jeff, Baron, Patrick, Chris and Carlise (as The Reynolds Brothers). That group released an album, The Reynolds Brothers, featuring songs written by James and fellow Edsels member George Jones, Jr.

- The Edsels official site
- Wikipedia
- JC Marion - The Edsels

The Pepper Pots - Now! (2009)

Si no fuera por lo que acabo de ver gracias a las noticias de Antena 3 TV en su edición de tarde no hubiera sabido de The Pepper Pots ni por asomo. Es de agradecer que un soplo de aire fresco inunde de buena música a la vieja usanza y con un sonido típicamente Tamla-Motown el panorama musical actual, a pesar de que el nombre de este grupo musical nos resulte prácticamente desconocido. Por desgracia, el "mass media" no se ha preocupado hasta ahora por descubrirnos a esta formación de músicos y tres cantantes que hacen una suerte de parecerse a grupos femeninos tan emblemáticos como las famosas The Shangri-Las (reconocidas por sus grandes éxitos Leader of the Pack y Remember (Walkin' In The Sand)), the Ronettes (por Be My Baby o Baby I Love You), The Shirelles (por Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow o Dedicated to the One I Love) o incluso las siempre eternas Supremes, las cuales algunos han tenido una inmensa oportunidad de verlas actuar en recientes días aquí en España. Las comparaciones son odiosas, pero sinceramente se caerá en el pecado de buscar los tres pies al gato para hallar esas similitudes cuando este acto anodino no sirve en muchos casos para nada. En cualquier caso, es una lástima que no haya podido oir hablar de este grupo, cuando llevan siete años funcionando, desde el principio. Por un lado, no suelo estar pendiente de las radio frecuencias ni de programas entiéndase tipo Radio 3 de Radio Nacional de España (desde donde posiblemente se les haya prestado más atención, y de hecho buscando alguna relación he hallado un video donde interpretan un tema para "Los Conciertos de Radio 3" que se puede ver más abajo), y por el otro, hablar de música en televisión es hablar de un caso perdido para siempre, a excepción hecha de lo que ocasionalmente pueda ofrecer para satisfacción de los aficionados a todo tipo de música La 2 de TVE o los segundos canales autonómicos de cada comunidad, pero ello no es suficiente. La música ha perdido peso específico en televisión, pero es mejor tratarlo en un post aparte.

The Pepper Pots es una banda española de origen gerundense con tres voces femeninas al frente: Adriana, Mercè y Marina. En su séptimo año de carrera lanzan su tercer larga duración, Now!, tras "Swingin' Sixties' (2004) y "Shake It!" (2007), trabajos con un acentuado sonido reggae y ska. Ahora proponen emular el sonido eterno de sellos como Motown, Stax o Studio One, y para ello han contado con una producción de lujo: Binky Griptite (Sharon Jones, Dap-Kings, Amy Winehouse). Grabado entre Cataluña y Nueva York, Now! supone una gran aportación de soul nacional, y prueba de ello son las más de 200 actuaciones que los Pots llevan a sus espaldas: Tokyo, Osaka, San Francisco, Los Angeles... El mismísimo Berry Gordy seguro que hablaría maravillas de ellas y los fans que amamos esta música las entronamos desde hoy.



Señoras y señores, reconozcámoslo, hay que abrir más aún las orejas y no ceñirse a que oigamos y nos hagan oir lo de siempre, entiéndase música kiss-efe-eme-que-todo-lo-repite, música de gente guapa para quinceañeras y adolescentes con más pavo que cabeza, triunfitos pasajeros y demás calaña. Y para que no vivan del aire, os sugiero compréis su disco. ¡¡¡Larga vida al soul!!!.

Como noticia a destacar, el jurado del Festival Altaveu ha otorgado uno de los premios de la presente edición a The Pepper Pots como una de las más destacadas bandas del 2009 y recientemente actuaron en el Festival de Sant Boi del Llobregat el pasado día 11 de setiembre.

Now! se presenta tanto en CD como en LP, formato éste último que hace aún más natural el sonido tan fresco y analógico creado en el estudio. Me lo apunto como próxima compra.

Por mi parte, intentaré seguir la pista de este grupo de forma constante.

Simplemente, ¡me ha cautivado!

Pistas:

01. Real Tru Love
02. You're Still In My Mind
03. Talk To Me
04. Dream Guy
05. Highway
06. Time To Live
07. Young Girl
08. Keep Waiting
09. That's Enough Forever
10. Starlight
11. Take A Chance

Escucha Now! via Spotify

Links:

- The Pepper Pots en MySpace
- Web del grupo

Cómpralo:

- The Pepper Pots - Merchandising
- eBay (edición en LP de vinilo, a la venta)
- Zona de Compras
- Mis Compras
- CD Baby

Ray Charles - Volcanic Action Of My Soul (1971, ABC Records)

US original release: ABC Paramount - Tangerine, S-726
UK release: Probe, SPB-1039

LP Tracklist:

Side A:
1. See You Then
2. What Am I Living For
3. Feel So Bad
4. The Long And Winding Road
5. The Three Bells

Side B:
1. All I Ever Need Is You
2. Wichita Lineman
3. Something
4. I May Be Wrong (But I Think You're Wonderful)
5. Down In The Valley

SPOTIFY

CD/MP3 Purchase:

- Concord Music Group
- Amazon USA
- US DADA.net
- Rhapsody
- E-Music
- 7-Digital (USA)

Ray Charles - A Message To The People (1972, ABC Records)

It was 1972, the turbulent ‘60s were winding down, and the music world was about to fork off in several directions: the soft rock of James Taylor and Carole King, the outlaw country of Waylon and Willie and soon . . . Disco.

America was on people’s minds: Don McLean with “American Pie” and there was even a band named America. Our nation was at war in Vietnam; we had landed on the moon. African-Americans were emboldened and encouraged by the progress they were achieving. The album A Message From the People, produced by Ray and recorded at his RPM International Studio, contained a song that did not chart at the time, but went on to become one of his best loved recordings: “America the Beautiful”. He would perform it countless times on TV and in live concert for the rest of his life.

“Mr. Charles wanted A Message From the People to include 'America the Beautiful' because of his tremendous love for our country,” stated Valerie Ervin, President of the Ray Charles Foundation. “Throughout his career he performed 'America' at a Super Bowl, a World Series game and for seven U.S. Presidents”, she added.

The songs Ray selected include “Lift Every Voice and Sing”, also known as the Black National Anthem; Dion DiMucci’s hit, “Abraham, Martin and John”; “Stevie Wonder’s plea for brotherly love, “Heaven Help Us All”; “John Denver’s loving ode to America’s heartland, “Take Me Home, Country Roads”; and Melanie’s “Look What They’ve Done To My Song, Ma,” which was also a hit single for Ray. Ray even came up with the idea for the album’s cover featuring the faces of Abe Lincoln, Dr. Martin Luther King and Jack and Bobby Kennedy, and commissioned artist Al Willis to bring it to fruition.

As of April 7, the entire post-1960 catalog of Ray Charles classic recordings became available for digital download for the first time ever. These are some of America’s most cherished and requested recordings by America’s greatest artist of the second half of the 20th century. Included are such iconic tracks as the #1 hits “Georgia on My Mind,” “Hit the Road Jack,” “One Mint Julep,” “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” “Unchain My Heart,” “You Are My Sunshine,” “Let’s Go Get Stoned,” as well as “Busted,” “You Don’t Know Me,” “Together Again,” and many more. (© Concord Music Group)

Label: ABC Records
Catalog#: ABCX-755
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album

Country: US
Released: 1972
Genre: Funk / Soul, Jazz
Style: Soul-Jazz, Swingbeat
Credits: Arranged By - Mike Post, Quincy Jones, Sid Feller
Producer - Ray Charles
Recorded at RPM/Tangerine Studios, Los Angeles.

LP Tracklist:

A1 - Lift Every Voice And Sing (3:05)
A2 - Seems Like I Gotta Do Wrong (4:10) (Written by Dee Ervin)
A3 - Heaven Help Us All (4:05)
A4 - There'll Be No Peace Without All Men As One (3:25)
A5 - Hey Mister (3:54)

B1 - What Have They Done To My Song, Ma (3:45) (Written by Melanie Safka)
B2 - Abraham, Martin And John (4:49)
B3 - Take Me Home, Country Roads (3:32) (Bill Danoff, John Denver, Taffy Nivert)
B4 - Every Saturday Night (3:22)
B5 - America The Beautiful (3:38)



Purchase of CD/MP3 reissue:

- Concord Music Group (CD record label)
- Amazon
- Rhapsody
- 7-Digital (ES)
- US Dada.net
- E-Music
- 7-Digital (UK)

Norah Jones - Feels Like Home (2004)

Norah Jones blew everybody away with her jazzy, country-tinged, Grammy-winning debut CD, Come Away with Me. On this recording, Jones doesn't mess with her trademark formula.

Under Arif Mardin's cozy coproduction, Jones is supported by her writing partners, her Handsome Band, and some special guests (country legend Dolly Parton, Levon Helm and Garth Hudson of the Band, and jazz drummer Brian Blade, to name a few). Jones's Texas-twanged vocals and her sparse acoustic and electric Wurlitzer piano lines enliven the CD's 13 tracks, from the light and lively single "Sunrise" to Tom Waits's "The Long Way Home" and the bouncy duet with Parton, "Creepin' In."

Jones's soul-baring piano/vocal rendition of Duke Ellington's "Melancholia," retitled "Don't Miss You at All," proves she's a true Blue Note artist with unlimited potential. --Eugene Holley Jr (Amazon)

Track listing:

01. Sunrise
02. What Am I To You?
03. Those Sweet Words
04. Carnival Town
05. In The Morning
06. Be Here To Love Me
07. Creepin' In
08. Toes
09. Humble Me
10. Above Ground
11. The Long Way Home
12. The Prettiest Thing
13. Don't Miss You At All



Buy it:

- Norah Jones site merchandise
- Amazon USA
- Amazon offers from $1.40
- 7-Digital UK
- 7-Digital ES
- Rhapsody

Amy Winehouse - Back To Black (2006)

Amy Winehouse's second album, Back to Black, is one of the finest soul albums, British or otherwise, to come out for years. Frank, her first album, was a sparse and stripped-down affair; Back to Black, meanwhile, is neither of these things. This time around, she's taken her inspiration from some of the classic 1960's girl groups like the Supremes and the Shangri-Las, a sound particularly suited to her textured vocal delivery, while adding a contemporary songwriting sensibility.

With the help of producers Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi, "Rehab" becomes a gospel-tinged stomp, while the title track (and album highlight) is a heartbreaking musical tribute to Phil Spector, with it's echoey bass drum, rhythmic piano, chimes, saxophone and close harmonies. Best of all, though, is the fact that Back to Black bucks the current trend in R&B by being unabashedly grown-up in both style and content.

Winehouse's lyrics deal with relationships from a grown-up perspective, and are honest, direct and, often, complicated: on "You Know I'm No Good", she's unapologetic about her unfaithfulness. But she can also be witty, as on "Me & Mrs Jones" when she berates a boyfriend with "You made me miss the Slick Rick gig". Back to Black is a refreshingly mature soul album, the best of its kind for years.

--Ted Kord (Amazon)

Track Listing:

01. Rehab - 3:33
02. You Know I'm No Good - 4:16
03. Me & Mr Jones - 2:31
04. Just Friends - 3:11
05. Back To Black - 4:00
06. Love Is A Losing Game - 2:34
07. Tears Dry On Their Own - 3:05
08. Wake Up Alone - 3:41
09. Some Unholy War - 2:21
10. He Can Only Hold Her - 2:44
11. Addicted - 2:45



Buy it:

- Amazon USA
- Amazon UK
- CD Universe
- Play.com
- 7-Digital UK
- 7-Digital ES
- Rhapsody
- Go Music
- Music MP3