AMY WINEHOUSE NEW ALBUM

FUCK THIS, I JUST FOUND OUT THAT STS9 IS DOING RED ROCKS FOR 2 NIGHTS IN SEPTEMBER BABY, C-MON JAM BASE ,GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER

Amy Winehouse + Ghostface Killah = the win

british huh... i betcha she shags like a minx.

pablo- HAHAHAHAHA

"R&B and Modern Rock radio have already embraced songs "Rehab" and "You Know I'm No Good" while Winehouse videos are quickly becoming a mainstay at VH1 and MTV"

That bit right there should make it clear that this article really shouldn't be on jambase. I'm pretty sure most jambase readers don't watch MTV or VH1, and the radio? You mean the clearchannel ad box? This belongs on billboard or one of the many many many many other mainstream outlets.

ganjjjj - that's the same type of attitude that the rest of the music world look at jambands with... why let labels and areas of distribution affect your decision? Think for yourself, make your own decisions. Did you listen to those links in the article? Winehouse is awesome... Think Etta James living a dirty life in 2007. Keep your mind's open people... music doesn't care what you call it, just listen! -kayce

Making a judgement on things before knowing anything about them seems to be a way of life for some of these people on this site. What I've heard of Amy Winehouse so far I really like.

amy winehouse is the shiznit. she's a lot better than that pretentious lilly allen. and she seems like she could hold her own in a pub fight or soccar riot.

Kayce - Yes I listened to the links, and its the same old pop to me. Yes she has a good voice, but thats about the only positive thing I can really say. Just like a good jazz record shouldn't focus on one person the whole time, neither should a good vocal record, which is the fundamental flaw in most vocal pop releases these days. This is just some girl singing over a tape of cliches. It's definitely good for pop, if you like pop you should enjoy her music, but why not simply watch MTV if this is the kind of coverage you're looking for?

And by the way, I wasn't saying anything against her at all in my previous comment, I was just saying there are more appropriate outlets for this kind of news, there are more important things going on than some chick who is already on a major label and putting out music videos on MTV.

Personally I'd rather see coverage of bands who haven't already broken into the mainstream. Jambase is a powerful voice that reaches a lot of people and it starts to worry me when I see it becoming more and more of a corporate whore (for lack of a better term).

"Same old pop"? Are you sure you hit the right link? This shit is Etta James pain... and if Ghostface Killah is the "same old pop" i guess we just have different ways of describing music... but shit, Ghostface don't pick up your run of the mill vocalist to play on his albums, and i'm sure you are aware that how off the charts Ghostface's last few have been.

Although Winehouse is about to break, i'd say she's still flying pretty low... i mean sure, a lot of industry folks can tell she's gonna be big, but most folks on JamBase are not aware; hence why i'm pushing the issue. I'd love to hear a few female vocalists you find better than Winehouse? Maybe Chan Marshall... who else?

Just because there are no female vocalists out there who are really pushing the limits (that I know of) doesn't mean you should just cover the ones who aren't. I'm not saying the production isn't good, but its nothing special. It is unique in that it's taking that 60s vibe (sounds almost like Jefferson Airplane to me sometimes) which hasn't been visited in a while, but it's been done.

And I repeat, I find this to be enjoyable pop as far as pop goes, better than most of the stuff that I hear on the adbox, but if I go to see her in concert, do you really think I'm in for a show that could compare to the likes of, say MMW just as a random example. Their show is vastly different every time and they're always going to be exploring new territory. The standard for a vocal centered group is nowhere near as high as the standard for an instrumentalist virtuoso group these days. If she was singing with a truly dynamic group instead of over produced beats it would be much more interesting to me.

The fact that Ghostface Killah is producing one of the tracks drills this point home more, singing isn't like rapping. Rapping requires lyrical fluency and interesting rhythm in the vocals (See 93' to Infinity - Souls of Mischief). Her lyrics can't hold their own compared to rap, its just her singing the obvious notes over a beat.

As for popularity... reached #1 in England, being played on MTV and VH1, and playing on Letterman in support of a major label release.... If by pretty low you mean emerging pop star then you're right. Just to make it onto clear channel waves means that you've got substantial money behind you.

I wouldn't be surprised if there was some really interesting fusion going on somewhere that includes vocals in improvisations, and if not it's just waiting to happen, hell Amy Winehouse could be the first person to do it right, first thing she'll need is a real band though.

Check out a track on Soultrane, one of the reason Coltrane's records were so great was because everyone else on the record was so great, there are chunks of more than 5-6 minutes where Coltrane isn't doing anything.

What's up Gang?

Well, here's my two cents ... After listening to "Rehab," I will say that I do think she has some soul, and that I like. If she becomes a pop tart indeed, wouldn't it be a good thing for our kids to be listening to some artists that are actually worthy?

That said, she's certainly no Ani Difranco... But then again, who really is? No one, and I mean No one, compares to Ani D.

Other females out there who hold their own with this one ... How about Beth Orton. Joss Stone. Joan Osborne. Norah Jones even. Diana Krall. PJ Harvey. Margo Timmins of Cowboy Junkies is my personal goddess. Point is, there are plenty of females who can hold their own. Some get more attention than others, and some who certainly don't deserve the attention.

And so what if she is about to break mainstream? Again, wouldn't you want you're kids - those who pop music is really aimed at - listening to this, rather than say, the next Debbie (Britany Spears) Gibson ... ?

Kayce's got it right, keep you're minds open people.

I think Neko Case rocks the shit.

cliff, I totally agree that shes way better than Britney Spears, in fact I specifically said she is better than most pop I've heard, and I also agree with most of the female artists you mentioned. Ani Difranco is continually experimenting and each one of her albums has been fairly distinct, however her technical proficiency is nothing amazing. Norah Jones I haven't heard enough of but she certainly has a great voice. I don't think she's written most of her hits (at least her first one was written by her guitarist I know).

If you check out something like Count Basie's orchestra wayyyyy back in the day, he included vocalists quite often, but his show wouldn't be just one vocalist singing the whole time and focused around the vocalist. There would be all kinds of instrumental stuff going on as well, and large parts of the show would feature just improv and instrumental stuff.

PS I love these little thumbs down things hahahaha

I don't think I would buy this chick's CD, but I would definitely let her give me an Asian massage!

In reply to ganjjjj saying "Her lyrics can't hold their own compared to rap..."
She used to be in an all girl rap group when she was younger. Her music is inspired by hip hop, check her myspace page, listing Nas as one of her influences. She has been embraced by the hip hop world, as she is now an Okayplayer artist...you know, the group founded by The Roots' Questlove. Her first stateside concert, which was held in NYC was attended by many of the hip hop greats, including Jay Z. Before speaking about which you do not know, how about doing your homework first. Download her album, or at least her lyrics. There is no "pop" artist today with as much honesty in their lyrics and music as this woman's. She knows her flaws, embraces them, and doesn't apologize. She is exactly what the "mainstream" music world needs right now. For those besides the above guy who haven't heard her music or her story, do yourself a favor. Check her out!

Oh, and you can sample the whole album on AOL's Full CD Listening Party.
http://spinner.aol.com/songs/new-releases-full-cds/spinner

ok ok although I repeatedly tried to specifically not bash her this lyrics thing is too much. If you really think her lyrics hold their own compared to hieroglyphics, living legend, biggie, eminem (OLD eminem), del, even MF Doom (yes, an okayplayer artist as well!) then you really must not have heard any of them:
from Rehab:
I don't ever wanna drink again
I just ooh i just need a friend
I'm not gonna spend ten weeks
have everyone think I'm on the mend
...
The man said 'why do you think you here'
I said 'I got no idea
I'm gonna, I'm gonna lose my baby
so I always keep a bottle near'
He said 'I just think your depressed,
kiss me here baby and go rest'
...

From Hieroglyphics Make Your Move:
now baby dont cry like that
I gotta get this money ma i'll be back
and he turned and walked into the world
young man facing the land chasin his dreams
motivated by a picture of his daughter he embraced in his hand
thinking what it might take him to win
and a 9 to 5 aint supplyin what he tryin to drive
looked up and got signed to jive
for a deal got a quarter mil
shot back to the house on the hill
and blow some dough to show its real
flossed his wheels and lost his deal
but its just a set back your boy got get back
kept that ball rolling
god blessed his gs invested cheese and now they all rolling
just doin what a man'll do handle your business or it'll handle you


Tell me whats more fluent and I defy you to find a verse on her album thats near equal...

What pop needs right now is some really truly well thought out music and lyrics, not production.

You are chosing the weakest track on the album to compare to. Listen to the album. Let the music speak for itself. The link above gives you the opportunity to hear each track in it's entirety. Get over your pride, and listen...it's free...

I just visited the AOL page and listened to the songs that werent on the myspace page. I've already put more time and energy into this than I ever intended, but to sum up, after hearing the CD it really doesn't change my mind at all, I heard no improv on the whole album, the beats are straight out of the 60s, some sound directly lifted from motown. They have obvious elements of soul funk and hip hop. None of them feature any real musicianship and my complaints stay the same:

The whole album focuses only on her
No improv
Nothing but chord tones
Same old topics (mostly love songs)
Simple and sloppy near rhymes with more ebonics than is probably healthy

I don't want you to think I'm not giving this a chance. I really am, I'm not fundamentally opposed to the mainstream, or even this album, I just think we can do better than this.

And for the like 5th time i'd like to repeat that I think she is way better than most pop coming out right now, but we can still do better!

does she suck the chrome off a trailer hitch live? can i get a live 2007 slurp, slurp

the columbus dispatch had a write up on her as one of the 'londoners to look out for' (along w/ james blunt) -- which in my mind means stay the f' away from this music at all costs!!!!

KCman- why dont you tell us how great this song is this summer after we have all heard it ten million times... no, wait to tell us how good it is next fall when even the pop radio stations are sick of playing it....

file this one under 'Ice Ice Baby'

WHATEVER PAYS THE BILLS, RIGHT KIDS?

Amy Winehouse? Anyone remember Joss Stone from 3 years ago? Not exactly the same type of music but kind of inspired/borrowed vibe. What happened to Joss? Well, as the wife tells me, she's basically the British version of a public American blond idiot (Spears, Duff, whatever else I can't remember). Anyone seen here around. This Winehouse chick has an awesome PR team and they should get an award.

"Think for yourself, make your own decisions." Kayce

Um, after listening... I did. The chick has a nice faux black woman's voice and slick production crew. Sign her up for American Idol.

Not only is this chicka smoking hott, but what i've heard is pretty damn solid. I like it, so I could really give a fuck what anyone else has to say. Give 'em hell Kayceman!

I have listened to this CD multiple times and while overall I think it is good, it isn't great. She is just getting tons of hype because people in the music biz like to be able to tell someone they were the first to like a new artist. So they hear something that is decent and pass the word around and everyone talks about how great it is. A bunch of followers. And every once in a while one of the hyped bands lives up to their hype (My Morning Jacket, Secret Machines, etc). Often times they don't (Arctic Monkeys).

Like I said it is good but it isn't mindblowing. There is a lot more creative, better music out there going unnoticed.

I guess we'll have to wait and see if she has staying power, which I don't think she will. Someone brought up Joss Stone and I agree with the comparison.

I personally would rather see Jambase spend less time on hype bands like this and other indy (currently popular w/ the mainstream) bands, and focus on the jam scene but be more critical. I can't remember the last time I saw a bad CD or concert review. Not everything in the jam scene is great but since everything is treated like it is, the scene is oversaturated with a bunch of average music.

Ummmm...Daddy likes.