The story of Back to Black is one in which celebrity and the potential of commercial success threaten to ruin
Amy Winehouse, since the same insouciance and playfulness that made her sound so special when she debuted could easily have been whitewashed right out of existence for this breakout record. (That fact may help to explain why fans were so scared by press allegations that
Winehouse had deliberately lost weight in order to present a slimmer appearance.) Although Back to Black does see her deserting jazz and wholly embracing contemporary R&B, all the best parts of her musical character emerge intact, and actually, are all the better for the transformation from jazz vocalist to soul siren. With producer
Salaam Remi returning from
Frank, plus the welcome addition of
Mark Ronson (fresh off successes producing for
Christina Aguilera and
Robbie Williams), Back to Black has a similar sound to
Frank but much more flair and spark to it.
Winehouse was inspired by girl group soul of the '60s, and fortunately
Ronson and
Remi are two of the most facile and organic R&B producers active. (They certainly know how to evoke the era too;
Remi's "Tears Dry on Their Own" is a sparkling homage to the Motown chestnut "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," and
Ronson summons a host of Brill Building touchstones on his tracks.) As before,
Winehouse writes all of the songs from her experiences, most of which involve the occasionally riotous and often bittersweet vagaries of love. Also in similar fashion to
Frank, her eye for details and her way of relating them are delightful. She states her case against "Rehab" on the knockout first single with some great lines: "They tried to make me go to rehab I won't go go go, I'd rather be at home with
Ray" (
Charles, that is). As often as not, though, the songs on Back to Black are universal, songs that anyone, even
Joss Stone, could take to the top of the charts, such as "Love Is a Losing Game" or the title song ("We only said good bye with words, I died a hundred times/ You go back to her, and I go back to black"). [The U.K. edition included "Addicted," an extra track that didn't appear on the U.S. version.] ~ John Bush