Thursday, June 14, 2007

Not Sick Of Amy Winehouse Quite Yet.

Many of us are suffering Winehouse fatigue because a) "Rehab", the worst track off of 'Back To Black', is the first single to be released Stateside. WHY? Why not "Tears Dry On Their Own" or "Me And Mr. Jones"?

"Rehab" is essentially a Dr. Demento variety novelty song that wore out its welcome three months ago and is only now scaling the Billboard charts!

b) It's cool to bitch about how over Amy Winehouse we all are because misunderstood 17 year old MySpace lonelyhearts are just now adopting her as their avatar.

c) Misunderstood 17 year old MySpace lonelyhearts are just now adopting her as their avatar because Rolling Stone put her on the cover of their most recent issue, and, even though nobody at all reads Rolling Stone anymore, Rolling Stone is reliably four or five months behind any given trend, thus the publication is strangely in synch with the learning curve of misunderstood 17 year old MySpace lonelyhearts hailing from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin or thereabouts.

But...I just got a hold of Amy Winehouse's 2003 release 'Frank' and it's pretty great. A couple straightforward jazz standard covers ("(There Is) No Greater Love" & "Moody's Mood") and a barnstorming track rocking a nifty prohibition-era swing-band hook ("Help Yourself") are standouts on this brassy, gin-soaked, sailor-mouthed confessional that is Winehouse's debut. 'Frank' knocks it out of the park and it's worth seeking out.

Let the little girls n' gays have their 'Back To Black'. 'Frank' is The Shit.

2 comments:

Martin said...

Have you heard her stuff with Mark Ronson? And his Smiths cover, which sends me into joyous convulsions because he of how changes up the second chord?

This is a fun time to listen to free online BBC radio.

I did get drunk during the day on half day Friday or else would've visited you at Catty. Can you put your DJ schedule on here? Wow, I'm chatty today and it's not even 8.

Joe Schraufnagel said...

Didn't Mark Ronson produce both 'Frank' and 'Back To Black'? So there's other Winehouse/Ronson stuff out there just floating around on Limewire? Remixes? Does she guest on Ronson's new release? The other thing I like about Winehouse is that she's bringing back the double sided hit single (a la "Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever")..."Rehab" is backed w/ "You Know I'm No Good"...I'm should definitely listen to online radio...Hot 97 soured me on radio forever...

I spin @ Cattyshack every Wednesday, every Friday (7 to 11...all request), Sundays and Mondays @ Big Lug. You should come to Alfredo's Bday party tomorrow night (Wednesday night, June 20th)...I'll be spinning, there'll be food, free booze...me spinning...what more could anybody ask for?