Major artists who die young like Amy Winehouse typically become defined as much by music by them that's released after their death as the music released while they were still alive. And the first in what will undoubtedly be a series of efforts to cement Amy's musical legacy has arrived: it's Lioness: Hidden Treasures, a collection of previously unreleased tracks that the singer recorded between her late teens and mid-20s. Although this collection of 12 songs was put together over just a few months and has no overarching theme or consistent tone, it still stands as a strong testament to Amy's strength and versatility as a vocalist. Hidden Treasures, released in the U.S. on Dec. 6, 2011, lives up to its name.
Musical Variety
Upon her death at the tender age of 27, Amy Winehouse had only released two albums, just one of which -- Back to Black -- was a major hit. So it stands to reason that there wouldn't be a whole lot of spare recordings by her just lying around, unlike other iconic artists who died young, such as Jimi Hendrix, Jani Joplin and Kurt Cobain. Although they're all also members of the infamous "27 Club," each had recorded at least three hit albums during their lifetimes.
Of the dozen songs compiled for this collection, the most striking thing about them is the variety of musical styles employed. The opening track, "Our Day Will Come" is a bona fide reggae track with ska undertones, while the song that follows it, "Between the Cheats," is old school '50s doo-wop music. She also transforms the classic song "The Girl From Ipanema" from a smooth bossa nova number into a modern jazz standard, complete with Ella Fitzgerald-style scat singing; and her collaboration with the rapper Nas is a ghostly hip-hop track. It's a credit to Amy's singing abilities that her voice sounds equally comfortable across all the musical genres. It's also a credit to producers Salaam Remi and Mark Ronson, both of whom worked with Amy the most during her lifetime, and oversaw much of Lioness.
Of the dozen songs compiled for this collection, the most striking thing about them is the variety of musical styles employed. The opening track, "Our Day Will Come" is a bona fide reggae track with ska undertones, while the song that follows it, "Between the Cheats," is old school '50s doo-wop music. She also transforms the classic song "The Girl From Ipanema" from a smooth bossa nova number into a modern jazz standard, complete with Ella Fitzgerald-style scat singing; and her collaboration with the rapper Nas is a ghostly hip-hop track. It's a credit to Amy's singing abilities that her voice sounds equally comfortable across all the musical genres. It's also a credit to producers Salaam Remi and Mark Ronson, both of whom worked with Amy the most during her lifetime, and oversaw much of Lioness.
Repeat Listening
Among the best of the songs are her rendition of the '60s classic "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," recorded in 2004 as she was just exiting her late teens; the pop-jazz "Halftime," which benefits from a simple arrangement that serves as the perfect compliment to her smoky vocals; plus the opening track, the aforementioned "Our Day Will Come," a cover of the Ruby & the Romantics' 1963 hit song. Also worthy of mention is an alternative version of "Tears Dry On Their Own" -- simply called "Tears Dry" -- which is much more downbeat and haunting than the previously released version.
If there's any drawback to Lioness, it's that some songs still sound a little rough around the edges. They're not quite demos, but at the same time not quite as polished as a standard finished recording. This is understandable under the circumstances however, and won't be much of a problem for devoted Amy Winehouse fans. There's actually just two songs that don't really work in the context of the album: one is her jumbled version of Leon Russell's 1970 classic "A Song For You." The other's a duet with Tony Bennett, "Body & Soul," which was recorded in 2009. Two things hold the duet back; one is that the voices don't mesh well together and the other is that neither artist clearly was at their peak vocally at the time of the recording.
But overall, Lioness: Hidden Treasures lives up to its title; there are definitely some treasures here that Amy Winehouse fans should enjoy listening to repeatedly for months to come.
If there's any drawback to Lioness, it's that some songs still sound a little rough around the edges. They're not quite demos, but at the same time not quite as polished as a standard finished recording. This is understandable under the circumstances however, and won't be much of a problem for devoted Amy Winehouse fans. There's actually just two songs that don't really work in the context of the album: one is her jumbled version of Leon Russell's 1970 classic "A Song For You." The other's a duet with Tony Bennett, "Body & Soul," which was recorded in 2009. Two things hold the duet back; one is that the voices don't mesh well together and the other is that neither artist clearly was at their peak vocally at the time of the recording.
But overall, Lioness: Hidden Treasures lives up to its title; there are definitely some treasures here that Amy Winehouse fans should enjoy listening to repeatedly for months to come.