Frank
Amy Winehouse
2003
Album Summary
Frank is the debut studio album by English singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse. It was released on 20 October 2003 by Island Records. Production for the album took place during 2002 to 2003 and was handled by Winehouse, Salaam Remi, Commissioner Gordon, Jimmy Hogarth and Matt Rowe. Its title alludes to the nature and tone of Winehouse's lyrics on the album, as well as one of her influences, Frank Sinatra.Upon its release, Frank received generally positive reviews from most music critics and earned Winehouse several accolades, including an Ivor Novello Award. The album has sold over one million copies in the United Kingdom and has been certified triple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).
WikipediaThe first (only?) artist on @1001_albums_gen i'd met and being a Camdenite of course know Frank inside out. And what an incredible voice Amy had. I know there is idolisation of stars that die too early - but not here, what a huge, massive loss.
Oh, Amy… 'Frank,' Amy Winehouse’s debut album, refers partly to the quintessential crooner Frank Sinatra, one of Amy’s earliest influences. A couple of tracks in I heard more jazz/blues singer Billie Holiday than Sinatra. Although I would not title Amy’s LP 'Billie' because Ms. Holiday, despite her own problems with men and drugs, had so much more depth (where would one drop ‘Strange Fruit’ among the collection of songs on 'Frank'?), both in voice and lyrics, a multi-dimensional artist in comparison to Amy Winehouse and her singular lyrical focus: hooking up with the bad boys. Every single song on 'Frank' (save one about the death of her pet bird, Ava- ‘October Song’) is about Amy’s desperate and shallow pursuit of masculine affection. Comedian Chris Rock once commented that a father’s main goal in raising a daughter is to keep her off the (stripper) pole. Amy’s mother and brother are briefly mentioned on 'Frank,' but no reference to her father, so who knows what went on there? I have no information nor do I even want to pronounce any kind of judgment on their relationship. Just wondering. I happen to like strong, independent women. And that bleeds over into my musical preference. One of my favorite female artists is Liz Phair, who has made a career out of unashamedly affirming and asserting her own sexuality. One gets the impression from her songs that her family origin might have had its own dysfunction that affected, for example, her ability to choose healthier relationships with men. But Amy is damaged in a way well beyond Liz. On the opener, she cruelly says to her man, ‘You always wanna talk it through, I don’t care… You always wanna talk it through, I’m ok. I always have to comfort you every day. But that’s what I need to do, are you gay?’ Other songs have her sleeping with married men, boasting about it even (‘What Is It About Men’), and then brutally criticizing slutty girls who just want to score a good looking sugar daddy (‘Fuck Me Pumps.’) On ‘I Heard Love Is Blind‘ she excuses (blames, even) her own cheating on her man by asking what did you expect, I was drunk, and he looked like you! But hey, at least ‘I was thinking of you when I came (with the other guy).’ Amy Amy Amy’ features the background singers in chorus pleading with her to get her shit together, but to no avail. Amy is cursed with her attraction to the kinds of dudes who apparently are great in bed but rotten elsewhere. And then there’s the hints of alcohol and substance abuse. Several of the songs have Amy hungover, so the drinking has already begun. The drug abuse, of course, was not far behind, and eventually took her life. Despite the competent jazz players who earn at least a star themselves on 'Frank,' Amy’s sickness just taints the whole thing, at least for this listener. I’m no stranger to the blues, musically or otherwise, but the sadness I feel for Amy is even more pronounced by what could have been. It’s very clear on this LP where she’s headed and the consequences that catch up with all who stumble down her path. ‘I can’t help you if you won’t help yourself,’ she sings to one of her ‘bad boy’ lovers, unknowingly prophesying her own demise. Would that Amy had listened to her own advice.
This album is more of a sign of things to come for Amy, as she wouldn’t hit her, unfortunately very short, peak until back to black. But I still love this album, it’s a raw look at the life of a 19 year old who doesn’t know much about the world other than her relationships with the men in her life. It’s honest (hence Frank), and that’s all it needs to be
Frank by Amy Winehouse (2003) In this debut jazz/pop album, sassy 19-year-old British vocalist Amy Winehouse sings songs revealing that in relationships with men, she expects to get what she wants. And what she wants is perversely oversexed, as if she thinks she’s discovered the right tool to fix what’s broken inside. It’s embarrassing. Lyrics are characterized by demanding, controlling, manipulating, objectifying, wallowing in splenetic superficiality, reducing the man to a mere instrumental cause for her deluded sense of happiness, slutsplaining her way through a closed labyrinth of contradictions and non-sequiturs. As a songwriter, she comes across like a tiny princess who does her ego shopping at the Big & Tall Men’s store. All this is really too bad, because the musical arrangements are excellent, and she has an appealing, good-but-not-great voice. If you’re 1,000 albums into the list of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die and this is the only one remaining, you could just as well go ahead and die. 1/5
Not usually into jazz but honestly it doesn't matter when you hear Amy's voice.
When she said "you know that I'm no good" I didn't realize she was talking about this album! Damn!
I struggled through this album. There were times I absolutely just wantes her to stop singing. Her voice just got more annoying as it went on. There aren't really any redeeming songs on this album.
i know every word, such a slay. fuck me pumps, double slay album art - deserved better, but good 7/10
Good stuff from Amy - more laid-back than I expected but none the worse for it
I love everything about her voice! Her music is timeless and cherished
holy shit this is amazing? did she only have two albums?! I listened to both Frank and Back to Black, and the deluxe editions of both with the bonus content of course everything is a 10/10 super talented artist, gone way too soon, holy shit that’s depressing
Listen, Fuck me pumps will forever ring out in my house. Big fan of Amy, and this is one of my favorites.
GTFO. Absolute LEGEND of an artist, really just riffing from the depths of her soul, a little bit different every time. I love how jazzy and playful the tracks are, and I just freaking love her, OK?!
Didn't expect to like this but it had some great tunes and really funny lyrics
This album is peak Amy for me. She has some fun with the inevitable Erykah Badu comparisons, but this is a bright new talent, rather than the significantly retro retooled Mark Ronson stuff. I can barely listen to Back to Black due to its ubiquity and idolatry but this? Forever.
Quite fucking swanky in my opinion. Kind of a darker, after-hours Norah Jones. I enjoyed this, maybe even more than Back to Black
Id listened before. Her voice was something special & it couldve been legendary
Amy Winehouse was so talented. It was impressive that she could sound so much like singers such as Billie Holiday, but it doesn’t sound like it was a gimmick or an impersonation. Probably my favorite album to come up on here so far.
Very unique sound and voice, lots to pick up on upon repeat listens, classic album
So much Soul. Amy is so incredibly talented and this album hits in all the right places. Easy 5 stars
ok LO AMÉ. fue como poner un tiny desk y eso es decir un montón para mi onda los tiny desk lo son todo para mi(?) 9 / 10 colta
blew me away, did not expect that. i’m familiar with amy, but never got into her full albums, this was phenomenal.
The sassiest and most satisfying sort of soul. An astonishing debut on multiple levels, the conifdent delivery and assuredness, her versatile singing style, from belting to vamping. The lyrics are great, too, with many funny bits ("Fuck Me Pumps," "I Heard Love Is Blind") and empowered feminist (and post-feminist) proclamations ("Stronger Than Me," "What Is It About Men"). A big-time talent strutting her stuff for the first time. One loves the overall vibe and feel of the record, too – the retro instrumentation and song selection, backed by modern beats and 'tudes – "Mr. Magic" is a great exemplar of how this respectfully and intelligently freshens up a classic genre. Excellent all the way around.
What a voice and what a sound! A call back to Jazz lounge singers in the 30s and 40s. So soulful. I loved her documentary AMY. A talent gone far too soon, but a legacy amplified by an early demise. RIP.
It's hard not to be sad when one thinks of what Amy Winehouse could have been. Had she not been caught up in the whirlwind of the sleazy and seedy underbellies that bellies stardom and fame. Had she not been pigeonholed into a idealism that celebrated debauchery and decadence and a downward path towards death. Seeing this album cover, and the music contained within it, is a reminder of who she was and what she was; a disciple of the jazz and hip-hop woven tapestry that enabled her to express herself in ways that felt real, that felt unencumbered by media expectations and fuckery, that felt... well, frank. A stark example of not knowing what we had until it was gone and not knowing what to do with it when we had it. She was an incredible talent who should still be making music today, who should still be alive today.
Pretty nice, Amy's voice is quite powerful as they said, and the music went hand in hand with her voice.
To my surprise I enjoyed this a lot more than Back to Black (which I quite enjoyed), which has such a strong reputation and I've always assumed is *the* polished work to look towards when it comes to Winehouse's discography. Rather, the classic jazz influence is more charming with less polish/production, the humor actually caught me off guard (I always found Rehab depressing and over-obvious), and is more emotionally acute if not as raw as BIB.
I think this was my first time really listening to Amy Winehouse; and she had a powerhouse of a voice
This came out when I was a teenager, so I totally missed it, and then I was out of the country when Back to Black came out, so I totally missed the Amy Winehouse boat altogether. I get it now.
Amy's voice will always be so charming. Love the instrumentals, but it definitely wouldn't be anything without Amy herself. Amazing album, such a pleasant listen. Fave track(s): Stronger Than Me, Fuck Me Pumps, In My Bed
Before she was Back in Black she introduced us to Frank. That seems to be the appropriate word…Frank. An uncompromising and classic sound seems at times throwback and others wholly what was missing for the time. A WONDERFUL record. The world could’ve used more Amy Winehouse.
Wow what a record. Stronger Than Me into You Sent ME Flying/Cherry is a ridiculous opening. I felt the tracks may have been a bit long but the soundcloud era has damaged my attention span. Long Live Amy
Great Album. Back to Black gets a lot of the love, as it should, but this isn't one to sleep on.
Amy winehouse made awesome music. Her unique modern r&b and jazz combo is super good. It’s not as good as back to black but it’s still full of bangers. Fav: you sent me flying
Solid album. She has an incredible voice and works with very talented musicians. Really like the jazz and soul vibe.
A lot of same-ish sounding tracks, but "Amy Amy Amy" rocks and is the most female-gaze song I've ever heard. I'm surprised more of these tracks don't show up on playlists/mixed tapes, but I couldn't tell you which ones I'd go for besides that "Amy Amy Amy"
Volim jako Amy i njen glas koji bi mogla i a capella slušat, nije bas album kojeg bi stavila u favorite favorita ali sviđa mi se osjećajnost i besramno izražavanje ljubavnih jada, we all can relate
Really nice blending of styles, from soul to blues to jazz to indie rock. Wild that this is her first album.
What a talent she was. This type of music doesn't get me going, but she did it so well.
I liked this a lot! I was a fan of Amy Winehouse before, but like a lot of artists I haven't ever listened to her albums all the way through, I just listened to individual songs. I was really able to hear the Frank Sinatra influence on the album, particularly on Moody's Mood For Love and No Greater Love. There were some much more boring tracks, but overall solid album.
Pros: - One of the most evocative and romantic voices in popular music - This album is less in-your-face than Back to Black, and while I like in-your-face music, I appreciate the contrast in the two albums. This one is more romance from a positive light. - Lots of different \"feels\" on this album which I really appreciate. Cons: Misc: - The only con for me when listening to Amy is that I can't think of her without thinking of the word \"tragic\". I'm cursed. I think/hope in the future that will go away because I completely adore her and her music. To me it's like being a kid on Christmas day and getting the most fun video game console and a few games, but then after a week or so there aren't any new games released for that console. It's still new! It's still amazing and powerful and brings you so much joy! But you have this sadness that there won't be any new games. I don't recall any other artists that I feel this way about who have passed.
Damn, she’s got swagger. The strength of this album isn’t really in the songs but her performance. Her voice is an elastic band and it’s fun to hear her play with it and riff on these melodies. She’s clearly having a lot of fun. On her next album, she’ll dial back the riffing a smidge and record some truly great songs. But this album captures her raw and unfiltered, doing some loose and jazzy numbers about love, sex and nightlife. The production oozes cool, balancing retro and modern styles, and provides a perfect stage for her to do her thing. Song after song she lets it rip and it’s a blast to listen to.
I'm glad she's in this journey! Have been curious what style she is... she could have been the Brit Lady Gaga!
4/05/2022 Today's Album: "Frank" by Amy Winehouse - This is a fairly solid early 2000s singer song-writer and R&B record by the legendary Amy Winehouse, whom I had only known prior through a few hits. I think her voice is probably the best thing about this record. Not only does she have incredible technical ability in tonality and range, but she also brings a lot of personality to every line she sings. I like a lot of the bass and guitar grooves that are sprinkled across this album, with only a few songs feeling either boring or simply off/underdeveloped. I think my overall problem with listening to this is that Channel Orange was such a solid introduction into R&B music and although this album can be no considered bad, it just doesn't stack up within the R&B pop genre as anything less than a predecessor. Ironically, "Frank" (Ocean) ended up outdoing her. That being said, this is no album to simply shrug at and there is a lot of great material on this project. I like the sweet love song (There Is) No Greater Love and I think Cherry is a really funny interlude track where she confesses that she has feelings for another to her partner, but then admits the other person is her new guitar. I like the very fun and bouncy Amy Amy Amy and all of the other highlights listed are worth checking out if you like some great R&B and even greater vocal performances. Check this one out if Amy Winehouse has ever interested you before or you simply liked other R&B projects and want more. Score: 7.5/10 Pretty good, but dated by comparison Highlights: Stronger Than Me, Cherry, Fuck Me Pumps. No Greater Love, In My Bed, Take The Box, October Song, Amy Amy Amy, Brother, Mr. Magic
Having never heard a performance by Winehouse, I was kind of pleasantly surprised.
Surprisingly jazzy! Not what I expected at all - I guess I only know her from her later stuff.... An engaging and enjoyable listen! Fave track - "Fuck Me Pumps" was great, and I guess the only one of these I'd heard before. Also enjoyed "In My Bed" and "Amy Amy Amy"
I first heard Frank in a wine shop. Which makes me sad. Not the booze and stuff, but because I was trying to become domesticated at the time (I failed), and for a while this became semiotic cue for all the things I foolishly wanted to be at the age of 30 whatever. I guess it was actively disliking Back to Black (I've gone back somewhat on this over the years) that nudged me into listening to this a little more carefully. Winehouse's voice here was subtle, delicate, abrasive, plaintive, brash...I wonder what a different set of producers might have made of her?