On Lily's iPod: A Double Shot

Lily hit the music jackpot today! I was out running some errands to complete the packing list I made for my upcoming business/vacation trip. I cruised into Virgin Megastore do to a little window shopping and ended up scoring on the $10/CD sale. My dollars equals your possible listening pleasure today!

“Back to Black” by Amy Winehouse


In a recent post, I mentioned Amy Winehouse being a part of the new wave of British Songstresses taking over the music industry. While I enjoy Corinne Bailey Rae and Lily Allen – something about Winehouse’s soulful vocals and hard-as-nails attitude that makes me a huge fan.

If you’re looking for a delicate chanteuse, don’t get near this CD! From the opening lyrics of the first track, “Rehab” you just KNOW that Amy Winehouse has a story to tell. She’s lives a life that hasn’t always been pretty, nor has she been an angel. But you get the feeling that she’s not about to apologize for that fact. Oh no…she’s going to flaunt it in front of your face while drinking a Rickstasy.

She’s not the perfect pop princesses like Britney, Jessica, or Hilary. And she’s not the hyper-cynical rocker chick that Avril wants to be. This isn’t to say I can’t appreciate these girls and their music…it’s just not appealing to a female over the age of 25. Let’s face it – at that point you’re done pining over crushes and mooning over a break-up. We’re talking heartbreak. We’re talking revenge. They’re dealing with boys – Winehouse and others like her are dealing with men.

Make no mistake: Winehouse is more Rizzo than Sandra Dee, which puts her up there with a singer like Pink. They take no prisoners and say it like they see it because she’s seen it all and experienced it all. You can’t help but feel like you can relate to the growling vocals and head bobbing beats.

“Back to Black” is a 10-track ode to not only Winehouse’s life in lyrics, but a sound from days gone by. Taking inspiration from the 50’s and 60’s sound of girl groups and Phil Specter’s “Wall of Sound,” you can’t help but think you’ve heard this stuff before. Hell, one of the tracks is actually entitled, “Me & Mr. Jones.” But thanks to the talents of producers Salaam Remi and Mark Ronson, “Back to Black” breathes life into the style which only strengthens Winehouse’s words and vocal talents. With this style as the soundtrack, you are taken back to the days where women sung of being done wrong and lost loves.

There is a bonus 11th track on the CD – a version of “You Know I’m No Good” with a few bars thrown down by rappers Ghostface Killahs. This seems to be the only deviation to the feel of the entire album. The rest of the CD is definitely well paced and builds on each track.

With this effort, Amy Winehouse sets herself apart from the rest of the pack. She’s the voice of the 25-35 year old set, a voice that seems to be lacking in popular music. If you’re looking for a modern day Dusty Springfield or a gritty Tina Turner for the 00’s, “Back to Black” is your sure fire ticket!

“Life in Cartoon Motion” by Mika


I’ll be honest – I don’t know what to make of Mika. He’s got a five range octave. He dresses like the front man for the band All American Rejects. But he borrows from the Ziggy Stardust/Freddie Mercury school of performance. The artwork on his CD (done by his artist sister, Yasmine, a.k.a. Dawack) reminds me of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” The sound is modern – but like a throwback to 80’s synth pop.

I do know one thing: I really dig this album!

Sure, it’s a mish-mosh of things I’ve probably heard before and liked. Entertanment Weekly smartly points this out in their review of the album. “C’mon, play the matching game! What is ‘Big Girl’? An update of Queen’s ‘Fat Bottomed Girls’! How about ‘Relax’? A Bee-Gees-ish shout-out to Frankie Goes to Hollywood!”

Mika’s track choices had me conjuring making parallels to everything from pieces of “King Herod’s Song” (from Jesus Christ Superstar) to the attitude of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” The album is nothing short of flamboyant and can be listened to several times a day.

Everything old seems to be new again with music. But that’s what I love about this album. It reminds me of so many good things, which is something we seem to lack today. Every track is catchy with a hook that you can’t help but sing along with. “Life in Cartoon Motion” is exactly what it promises in the title – a fun and wild ride through the talent that is Mika.

Like or hate it, you have to admit that Mika’s sound is different from anything on the charts right now. The guitars mixed with the piano playing under his charming falsetto takes you back to when Elton John wasn’t a pissed-off jerk. Every track on the CD is effortless and light, even in the serious “Any Other World.” The use of symphonic strains is a welcome change and lovely addition when used.

While “Grace Kelly” and “Love Today” have received a lot of airplay – you cannot over look fun tracks like “Lollipop” and the aforementioned “Big Girl (You Are Beautiful).” You’ll also enjoy the harmonies provided by the children and gospel-esque choirs that sing back-up through the album.

Mika may not be a musical genius in this debut effort in terms of being new and breakthrough – but it’s smart in that it delivers something different. Much like its secretive creator, “Living in Cartoon Motion” provides a different look. It might be a look to the past, but it’s a look into something beautiful and lyrical.

How can you hate that?