So I am a day late and a dollar short, but lately I have been listening to Amy Winehouse's albums Back to Black and Frank. Don't get me wrong, overall I really dig her stuff. However, before I listened to her, I kept hearing and reading all this stuff about her that went on like she was the greatest thing since sliced bread. To me she's just doing a throwback sound with a grittier, modern twist. I think of this when I listen to songs like "Love is a Losing Game," which I LOVE, and "He Can Only Hold Her." Then other songs like "Do Me Good" and "Take the Box" remind me of Erykah Badu and the late 1990's Neo Soul sound. Overall, it's still just an interpretation of a sound from days past.

I know there is nothing new under the sun and that there are very few artists with a completely original sound - it's all derivative at this point. However, the other artists don't get so much attention. So I want to know what it is that has people jumping up and down about her. Why so much hype? Is it because when glancing at the current musical landscape she is a shining star in an otherwise black sky?

I don't think she's the end all/be all of music or that she should be seen that way, but I do think she has a unique voice and that she's bringing good music back to the top 40, and that always makes me happy. Her album is one that I can listen to from beginning to end and enjoy all the way through. It's not the best album I've ever heard, but it's fun, poppy, melodic and great for singing along to when I'm cleaning or whatnot. No, she's not the Second Coming or the Great White Hope - and even if she's fighting it every step of the way, I think she represents what I hope will be the raising of the bar for mainstream pop music, and I hope her popularity will open the door for artists who are even BETTER who wouldn't be recognized otherwise.

the UK 'popular music' scene, in general, is absolute shit. I guess she stands out as a unique talent on that same 'pop scene' being less main stream than most other chart acts. But as you point out, she aint really nothing new, just something fresh in the charts other than manufactured crap. Great voice though.

bonedaddy said:

But the USA pop music scene is far worse. Believe me.

bonedaddy said:

Who else is popular in the UK now?

bboy87 said:

don't know, I don't really follow popular shit if I can help it! I think the usual US hip hop, RnB type crap (and I do mean the crap, as I was always a fan of hip hop during the 80's & 90's) few samey sounding bands, dance shit. Hell, this is depressing, you get the jist, probably similar to the US charts with a few UK bands instead of your US bands.

I don't really get it either. She's a well-packaged nostalgia act, but that's not enough to keep me coming back. I don't get enough sense of who she is beyond her voice.
[Edited 6/27/07 20:21pm]

bonedaddy said:

? Guitar bands do quite well over here (and i dont mean britpop). kasabian, artic monkeys, the killers (which might be from USA, iam not sure). That sorta stuff ain't my thing, buts its OK.

Thanks for the input. Like I said, I dig her stuff, but I was trying to figure out why there was so much hype around it. There are other lesser known acts who were passed over during the past 10 years who I find somewhat similar to her, or even someone like Esthero who mainstream exposure has eluded. Maybe the English thing makes her exotic to US audiences.

bellanoche said:

The song "rehab" has a huge hook. Iam sick of it, but give credit where its due, its a good song. That helped kick things off over in the UK thats for sure.

bonedaddy said:

i'll take the UK pop scene over the U.S scene anyday!

KipWinger said:

For real

MendesCity said:

I don't think she's a nostalgia act so much as this was simply the direction she went when she was writing this record. I was a fan of hers when she was primarily doing neo soul, nu and traditional jazz here, and was a mainstay on the jazz festival circuit across Europe. Back in those days (performance wise) she shifted easily between Ella/Sarah influenced stylings, to being somewhat of a younger, (slightly softer) urban Brit version of Jaguar Wright. I suppose now she's just going through her Dinah Washington meets Motown phase. She's still young though. So provided she doesn't kill herself á la the style of the movie 'THE ROSE',she still has a lot of exploring to do in her recordings. That's the nature of being a musician and a real vocalist. You go through different sources and genres that inspire your overall craft

bellanoche said:

OMG, please don't mention ESTHERO!!! That's M'GURRRL....! And those label bastids just dropped my baby from her record contract

AnckSuNamun said:

U got mtv dance in the states? U and Mara would love that channel. I reckon some of the stuff they play you and/or mara would love. U know, chemical brothers sorta dance music.

thesexofit said:

nope we have MTV and MTV2. They both suck

AnckSuNamun said:

awwww addicts in love

Love both her albums, her voice and lyrics
Cant get enough of Amy right now

Love her voice, hate her song writing and style.
Shes a walking time bomb...
and she's gonna fall hard just like joss stone

Well, she does stand out. I don't like her or her music, but I can see why she gets the love she gets. There aren't many artists around right now that are doing the same thing. So even if it's not my bag, I can applaud the effort.

@nostalgia: Yes, it's based on the old sound. No, it's not just Amy who's doing it. Some like to call it wicked jazz (I don't) and it's growing some time now. You have Quantic soul orchestra, Sharon Jones and the Dappkings, etc, who all have that sweet soul sound with a new icing (mostly a new, harder hitting beat). It's kinda the new thing, rather than the old nostalgia thing. And I love it that it's gaining momentum!

@standing out: I just made my point that she's part of a movement, but she does stand out. You can find some live things on youtube, or that 'love is a losing game' with the big mike. I was thinking recently about which singer does stand out in todays music. Like James Taylor did. We have a lot of babyish, american-twang voices or self pitying weak voices. Amy does stand out, in colour/sound of her voice as well as ability.

@addiction: Sure, I'm not surprised if it turns out as a gimmick. The thing is, she's c-o-o-l (she got diamonds on her fingers, and a couple on her toes). Joss Stone is a pleaser, she's afraid of doing the wrong thing and lose the image-game. Come to think of it, Amy might be the female Prince...

Sander said:

She deffinately does her OWN thing, and she tells it how it is, she's got a voice and not afraid to use it. Don't know what Prince would make of her, she AINT no lady

bboy87 said:

Just those? We have regular MTV, MTV Hits (just music videos), MTV2 (Rock, MTV Base (R&B/Hip Hop), MTV Dance. Then about 3 different VH-1s and all the Box style selection channels which are about 20 different kinds.

Anxiety said:

Right on! I completely agree.

I think her appareance is what makes the difference.



If she was a dark skinned girl, noway people would care about her.

But this is pretty much what mainstream music is all about now : Timberlake, Thicke, Aguilera, Jojo, Joss Stone Amy Winhouse are taking over the rnb/soul scene.

krayzie said:

Yeah, that's true! But, sadly some of them appreciate the genre more than some of today's generation of people with the race that originated the genre of "R&B", in the first place. That's not including "Donnie" (From what I hear), "Musiq Souldchild", "Erykah Badu", "Chrisette Michele", "D'angelo", "Raphael Saadiq", and "Jill Scott"!!!

I'll give u one guess.....

krayzie said:

To group everyone into this category is a bit ridiculous. I'm not going to deny that that has something to do with her ability to score a record contract, but to suggest that all of her fans/supporters are one like-minded homogenous blob of uncredibility is unsavory. I like her, because I like her voice and I'm a fan of old school R&B. I don't listen to a lot of newer R&B, I don't listen to modern radio at all, don't own any Timberlake, Jojo or Thicke. Mainstream R&B is in a rut now, so to have something that hints at something better and reminds me of when mainstream R&B had some credibility is a good thing for me.
[Edited 6/28/07 6:56am]