Amy Winehouse – Back To Black

Having been raised Jewish, my mom forever encouraged me to meet a “nice Jewish girl.” Fine … that’s to be expected. But it also tends to be a bit of an issue, considering I’m a pretty bad Jew – tattoos, boozing, godlessness, problems with authority.

But in Amy Winehouse, I’ve finally found a kindred spirit. Although the girl is Jewish, she’s got more tattoos than I do (for now), she’s a positively epic boozer, and she apparently has some well-publicized emotional issues. In other words, perfection.

It also doesn’t hurt that Winehouse is one of the best female singer/songwriters to come out of England in a very long time. Her award-winning 2003 debut album, Frank, reflected a major traditional jazz influence – one which complimented her vocal talents well.

Many critics believed her alcohol use and emotional problems would ruin her chances for a successful sophomore follow-up. They were absolutely wrong.

Her second album, Back to Black, released in late 2006, was an instant success in the UK. Despite having worked with Wu Tang Clan and other high profile American R&B artists, however, she has not obtained the same amount of notoriety here in the States – yet.

I just sat down and listened to Back to Black in its entirety. Despite (or perhaps because of) her personal issues, Winehouse has recorded one of the best female R&B albums I have heard since “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.”

In contrast to her jazz-influenced first album, Winehouse’s focus on this album is described as “shifting to the girl groups of the Fifties and Sixties.” As such, although the album was produced by Salaam Remi and Mark Ronson, its tutelary genius is really Phil Spector.

The first single released from the album is the Ronson-produced “Rehab”, a song about Winehouse’s refusal to attend an alcohol rehabilitation center after it was encouraged by her management company. It is the lead track and, in my mind, the backbone of the album. It sets the tone perfectly for her new focus in ’50’s and 60’s based R&B, and it is absolutely superb.

Amy Winehouse – Rehab

Perhaps the best aspect about this song, and the entire album, is how well Winehouse (together with Remi and Ronson) integrate old school R&B sounds – prominent horn and string sections, pianos, a treble-heavy pitched snare drum, supporting vocals, and low bass beats – with current subject matters and production techniques. It’s a bit like listening to Ray Charles had he been allowed to digitally produce, completely uncensored, songs about his ubiquitous womanizing and drug use.

Think raw lyrics with deep, smoky, Billie Holiday-style vocal stylings, combined with Sarah Vaughn, Edith Piaf, and Martha (Reeves) and the Vandells. While I know I throw this line out a lot, in this case I mean it — it’s just THAT good.

First, listen and watch the video for “Rehab.”

If your still not convinced, check out some of her other songs from the album, starting with this live – and drunken – version of Me And Mr. Jones (which offers probably the best lyrics I’ve ever heard: “What kind of fuckery is this? You made me miss the Slick Rick gig“).

Amy Winehouse – Me And Mr. Jones

Winehouse is incredibly talented. She’s also incredibly tweaked in the head (as are most Jewish women). Although I personally love that in a woman, hopefully she’ll make it past the drug, alcohol, and anorexia issues to come out relatively unscathed on the other side.