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Amy Winehouse / Back to Black – You Know I’m No Good

The sassy 23 year old Londoner delivers the goods with swagger and panache. 2003s single Stronger Than Me and album Frank weren’t exactly great sellers, despite being hits with the critics, winning he an Ivor Novello award in the process. This time it’s a totally different situation, because she’s appealed to fans and critics alike. Winehouse has a new-found confidence, having slimmed down four dress sizes with more aggressive make-up; she’s turning into the UK’s most promising talent in years.

Week commencing 6 Nov, the album stands at no.3 in the charts, propelled by hit single Rehab, (w/c 6 Nov no.7, download no 8, R’n’B no.2) Back To Black is a masterstroke of contemporary Jazz-crossover material, all delivered with supreme style. Her razor-sharp singing is a major highlight (as shown on Later…With Jools Holland Friday 3rd November) however, this album is all about truly brilliant songs, all written by Winehouse herself, with some collaborations. Using Lilly Allen and Robbie Williams’ studio wizard Mark Ronson, Winehouse is going into a totally different stratosphere with this one, leaving Katie Melua and Norah Jones in her wake. Amy said, “I didn’t want to play that jazz thing up too much again. I was bored of complicated chord structures and needed something more direct.” That said, Jazz is very much a prime element, though this time, more subtle. (source…)