Frank

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.

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

The 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.

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

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.

Not usually into jazz but honestly it doesn't matter when you hear Amy's voice.

Most of the time, when I’m looking for a retrograde album to illustrate how much gender politics have evolved in music over the last few years, I think of The Rolling Stones or Aerosmith. I do not think of Amy Winehouse. And yet, in this album’s opening song “Stronger than Me” we have an ear-grabbing reinforcement of terrible gender stereotypes. Winehouse tells her man that he’s 7 years older than her so should be strong, but he’s overly emotional and she has to comfort him so much, she wonders if he might be gay? It’s a jarring note on an album which dives headfirst into thorny relationships with relish (“Fuck Me Pumps” is a takedown of material women, “I Heard Love Is Blind” takes a defensive stance after a one-night affair). “Frank” launched Winehouse’s career and brought her miraculous voice into public consciousness, but it’s a million miles from the refined songwriting she’d display just a few years later on “Back to Black”. The music is flighty and restless, sometimes settling in a comfortable place: rooted in jazz-pop, flirting with soul, bossa-nova (“Know You Now”), sampled hip-hop beats (“In My Bed”, “What Is It About Men”). It’s a little scattered, sometimes snoozy, and definitely overlong: at various points, “Frank” feels a bit confused over its identity. There are a couple of standouts, though: “October Song” is a crisp and wistful ode to Eva Cassidy, and the cover of the jazz standard “There Is No Greater Love” is a real breath of fresh, dignified air. “Amy, Amy, Amy” is a fun, rickety mine-cart ride into self destruction. While Winehouse’s songwriting was still under development here, her voice emerges fully formed on “Frank” (at just 19 years old!) Thankfully, her vocals are miraculous enough to steal the attention from any questionable content: it’s honey, whiskey and poison. She has stunning depth, control and character which is utilised across every track. If nothing else will sell you on her music, the voice surely will.

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.

This wasn’t good. I felt it droned on to be honest. I know she’s got pipes but it was well below average for me.

When she said "you know that I'm no good" I didn't realize she was talking about this album! Damn!

This one is no longer on the list, but is a great album, obviously the work of a teenager but a truly gifted one. I do note the contradictions in the lyrics but some of these tracks are great just for the final form of music they’re as a whole. Fuck me Pumps and mainly, Help Yourself are songs for the ages. I bought this on vinyl from Europe just to get that song, and I will love it for the rest of my days and miss Amy and that side of her which she did not show that often every time I listen to it… I was going to give it 4 stars for it being so uneven, but I just love Help Yourself that much.

This is almost unbearably sad. Amy Winehouse released her debut album when she was just 19, singing about her life where the men that she craved love from were all weak, manipulative or needy. She sounds tired, cynical and world weary, and in retrospect it’s easy to see the path that she was already heading down. Nobody should be singing lines like “I’ve forgotten all of young love’s joy” when they’re not even in their twenties. Rest in peace Amy.

While I do slightly prefer Back To Black, Amy Winehouse's debut is still a really solid effort. There is still so much emotion and passion here. Easily one of the greatest voices of her time, taken from us too soon.

Loses one star just for not being Back to Black.

No. 237/1001 Intro/Stronger Than me 4/5 You Send Me Flying / Cherry 4/5 Know You Know 3/5 Fuck Me Pumps 3/5 I Heard Love Is Blind 4/5 Moody's Mood For Love / Teo Licks 3/5 No Greater Love 4/5 In My Bed 3/5 Take The Box 4/5 October Song 3/5 What Is It About Men 4/5 Help Yourself 3/5 Amy Amy Amy 3/5 Outro NR Brother 3/5 Mr. Magic 4/5 Average: 3,47 Really good jazzy pop album. Her voice was truly special.

2.8 - I’ll stick to “Back to Black.” This lightweight neo-soul does nothing for me. I feel like I’m listening to Macy Gray with a dash of gratuitous cursing.

It's Amy of course it's a slay AND will make me feel guilty about being a man. 5 stars.

I can’t say I’ve heard an album do a better job blending modern and vintage sounds. Amy Winehouse nods to Ella Fitzgerald and Ronnie Spector but adds something entirely her own, making for a timeless delight.

To be frank… it’s actually a refreshing debut that is lacking pretense and hype - just a strong decent soul record

Unique voice but most of the songs sound very similar

Never really understood what the big deal was with Winehouse. She became a celebrity who often appeared in tabloids and "entertainment news", due to her off stage addictions and indulgences, but really what was the fascination? The story of a talented singer, lost in a sea of drugs and booze isn't an uncommon tale, but somehow she had the look and tragic story. She was an above average jazz singer who had a good voice that was years beyond her age with a persona as a diva from beginning to an end that came way too soon. The songs are okay, her music brought the jazz genre into to the pop mainstream and she was an amazing performer. I still think she was a tad overrated and not as essential as we might think.

A nineteen year old Brit doing the cliched female jazz singer voice 😒. The music is okay, but Macy Gray had given me all of this I needed long before Amy Winehouse came along.

Nice one to listen once. Do not added smth to my playlist.

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.

She sultry. A talent reminiscent of another time but completely modern, too. I would have loved to see how her sound and point of view progressed over time.

Love Amy Winehouse, but this is not her strongest album. I think you can tell it's her debut, the sound is there but it isn't as refined and polished as it will be in future albums. There also aren't really any hits on this one. All of the songs are perfectly fine and nice to listen to, but none of them have stuck with me past that initial listen. A perfectly nice way to spend an hour, but nothing to write home about.

Prank

It's always bugged me that Amy Winehouse received more plaudits than Sharon Jones. It stank of bigotry to me that the culture at large embraced Winehouse while they generally ignored Jones, even though the latter had a stronger voice and stronger songs. Because of this I ignored Back to Black for years. It is a good album, even though I think it's another attempt by the music industry to put a white face on music that had already been innovated by black faces. But that's really more on the industry that pushed Winehouse, not the singer herself. And she and her producers do good and interesting stuff on that album. This bullshit, though? Weak mimicry. Winehouse doesn't have the control over her voice she exhibits in Black, sounding like a copy of the girl groups she idolized. The backing tracks sound like beats that were rejected from 90s R&B and Neo-Soul albums. In My Bed has a good beat, but too bad it had already been used for Made You Look by Nas. And naming the album after Frank Sinatra when it owes a larger debt to the black singers that came in between them? Get the fuck out of here. It's the Starbucks version of Jill Scott and Erykah Badu.

A laborious record overall. The production is clean, dense and has just about all the qualities needed to make an \"easy listening\" album. However, the core problem is that it is difficult to get through because of the whingy, cursive, and nasal vocal performances. The project length also does not help matters because there is not enough lyrical variety to warrant an hour's runtime. The songs end up blurring into one monotonous moan. Score: 29/100

Annoying

No hit and still every song slaps

I love this album dearly. I first listened to it some time around 2007-2008, when “Rehab” was everywhere and I immediately wanted to hear more from Amy. I feel like this album is a close friend that has grown up with me, and there have been different times in my life when almost every song had its moment of reflecting exactly how I felt. It’s tempting to go song by song and expand on why I love each of them, but for 15 tracks that’s a bit much. On the other hand, it’s hard for me to single out favorite tracks or moments, but I will try: - the increasingly dizzying and desperate vocal expression on “You Sent Me Flying” - the sense of urgency that sets in immediately with the percussion of “Know You Now” - the biting satire in the lyrics of “Fuck Me Pumps” and “I Heard Love is Blind” - “There is No Greater Love” is, I think, the only track on the album she didn’t write or co-write, and it’s such a beautiful rendition of a jazz standard and a perfect inclusion - “Take the Box” is a perfect breakup song, no notes - “Amy Amy Amy” sounds like the theme song for knowingly making bad decisions - the two “hidden tracks” after the outro, especially the slinky and sentimental “Brother”, are such lovely parting gifts The whole album is sustained by Amy’s amazing voice - it is powerful, soft when it needs to be, has a beautiful rasp and a fantastic range. It recalls several of the jazz greats while being wholly unique. The musical blend of soul, jazz, and R&B is delightful and doesn’t sound dated by even a day, 21 years later. This is an album I have been coming back to consistently for nearly 20 years and will continue to, probably forever. It blows my mind that this was released when Amy was just 20 years old. It blows my mind that I’m now older than Amy was when she died, and still the genius of her music continues to give me so much. RIP my friend. 10/10

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.

Didn't expect to like this but it had some great tunes and really funny lyrics

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

such a voice

Are you gay? 3.8/5

Amy herself was not a massive fan of this album. As quoted in the Guardian "Some things on this album make me go to a little place that's fucking bitter. I've never heard the album from start to finish. I don't have it in my house. Well, the marketing was fucked, the promotion was terrible. Everything was a shambles. It's frustrating, because you work with so many idiots - but they're nice idiots. So you can't be like, "You're an idiot." They know that they're idiots... Look ... I know its a terrible thing for someone to come out and say they hate their own music. It's the worst thing you can do. My album isn't shit. If I heard someone else singing like me I would buy it in a heartbeat." Amy Winehouse has one of the most distinct and awesome voices of the 21st century, and her early passing has me grasping at whatever straws I can, just to enjoy her presence. Realistically, much of this album is under-baked juvenilia. There are signs of what is (soon) to come; the great voice, the jazz and soul stylings, sometimes shocking lyrical honesty, her confident and fresh persona. Musically mellow, but often lyrically nasty, there are some really strong songs here (Fuck Me Pumps, In My Bed, Amy Amy Amy). She still hasn't entirely found her own thing yet, relying heavily on cribbed Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan mannerisms and phrasing (not that I am complaining too much; more people should sing like that). But the production is quick and dirty, and certainly without the clear and focused artist vision of Back to Black (which is a staggering work of genius). The "jazz" playing is simplistic and corny, the beats are cheesy and underwhelming. It's like a series of demos and drafts for a better record. And yet -- and yet -- it is a pleasure to spend some time with a young and playful Amy Winehouse. I would rather listen to this draft of a great record than many of the soul-less, over-polished production pieces on this list.

have only really listened to her as a feature on songs, really fun album to listen to. rip amy #27club

I think Amy Winehouse is a good example of how media portrayal can make or break an artist. What I knew of her was the portrait of an individual struggling with addiction. Though she died from her addictions and joined the famed 27 club I wish I got more coverage of her contributions as a musician. I thought this album was a pretty great blend of new and old styles with just enough of a twist to keep it interesting.

Favorite song: Fuck Me Pumps

-Amy Winehouse my beloved.. I didn’t realize she took inspo from Frank Sinatra! Makes sense though. Her voice is phenomenal in this album -Favorites are Stronger Than Me, Fuck Me Pumps, and I Heard Love Is Blind

I miss her dearly; she was taken too soon from this world. I wish her life had been easier. Not just for her endless talent, but also because she deserved to live so much more.

One of the all time great voices. The album's topics didn't really land with me, I just don't think I have ever been that crazy about a guy. Also what was that 'its fine that I cheated' song? Favorite track was in my bed.

A confident debut that blends jazz sophistication with Amy’s smoky, magnetic phrasing. The musicianship and production are polished, and her voice is as arresting as ever — playful, cutting, and effortlessly soulful. Still, it feels more like a talented artist finding her footing than one fully in stride. I admire it more than I love it, but the brilliance is undeniable.

I was expecting to go I’ve this a one. & yes, I think a lot of the songs blend together & yes, it overstays its welcome & yes, it’s wordy & verbose….but I liked it! Maybe not any individual songs but I get why she was a such an icon

Good, love the vibes - just a bit monotonous as a full album after a while. See myself going back to this tho.

It’s a good debut but I like the follow up better. She was a great performer and a rare talent. It’s a real shame that she was let down by everyone in her life. Despite the turmoil, her music endures. I love her so much.

Almost everything here represents a solid outing and excellent performance. The production is good, but nothing too exciting. I'm more familiar with Winehouse's legend than her music, and I found her reputation as a solid vocal reader to be well earned on this debut. I found the lyrical content to be pretty immature, though sometimes legitimately fun, like on "Fuck Me Pumps." I am well aware that, as an almost 50-year-old man, I am not the target audience here. I imagine others would connect with this music much more than I did, and I am hopeful that I'll enjoy her later releases even more. Three stars.

Impressive debut considering her age at the time. She moves in and out of a few different styles, but at the end of the day she has that sultry lounge singer sound down to perfection. She was a unique talent. I was not familiar with her music in depth. I will visit Back to Black as most reviews reference that as being better. My take is she is slightly overhyped and overrated due to her being part of the “27 club” considering her tragic early death. It would have been interesting to see how her career would have evolved over time.

Don’t get on Amy’s bad side if you’re a dude, ‘cause she’ll definitely be singing about all the ways you wronged her in her songs. Impressive that she was only 19 when recording this album. I can appreciate the fusion of old and new to make a modern jazz/pop/soul sound, but it all pretty much sounds alike outside of her cover of (There Is) No Greater Love. I was never a huge fan of her stuff most likely because of the clinched vocal delivery, but this was a fine listen. Most likely only making this list because she’s a member of the 27 Club.

I had never heard an Amy Winehouse album before. For some reason, her albums just blew right past my knowledge. Mostly because it was not necessarily my kind of music and failed to hit the sweet spot in what I like to listen to. I can't say this has changed dramatically after hearing "Frank." I did enjoy the Lily Allen-like sass on Fuck Me Pumps and.................pretty much every other song. I was taken back when I heard the same sample used on a Nas song (Made You Look) used by Amy Winehouse on In my Bed. I did not see that one coming and had to check Spotify to make sure the album wasn't over or somehow I was listening to Nas. I can't say the music is not at least interesting and somewhat compelling, though I also can't say we needed both Frank and Black to Blue in the book. Amy Winehouse herself didn't love this album and so I'm going to give Back to Black a listen and see if it was better representative of her. I can't really bash this album. She is a clearly talented singer and though the material isn't the strongest, I think at least one Amy Winehouse album needs to be in this book.

Je suis désolé pour Amy qui nous avait autrefois sauvés d'une entame de générateur catastrophique, mais cet album m'a un peu laissé sur ma grosse dalle.

Le cadavre d'Amy Winehouse nous propose une performance certes moins fringante qu'à l'accoutumée, mais néammoins très convaincante.

I found this album a real struggle. It’s nothing like back to black. I find Amys voice a tough listen, and it grates as you go further through the album. There are no big hits on this either to help to redeem my score. Favourite song: I couldnt pick one Least favourite: All the songs were just not for me. Jazz mixed with pop is a bad combo. Album artwork: Good cover, she looks waisted on it though

So many others have done this style better. It's like someone impersonating a jazz singer.

This really pissed me off. I'm tired of 1001 albums recommending a crappy first album when there are terrific later albums. Yet here we are. In Frank, Ms. Winehouse has yet to find her groove though there are glimmers of greatness, especially in the side B songs, such as "What is it about men." Her songwriting skills are as immature as her singing, but she will eventually (though not here) get there. The music is equally underwhelming; I can practically feel the musicians wanting to bust out of their sad little cage.

The vocals feel at various times like parody or caricature, the backing tracks are mostly insipid and boring, the lyrics are all forgettable mush.

There's flashes there of the talent that would really come to the fore later, but it's all too few and far between on this album compared to Back To Black. The opening track has a lot of the bite that goes into her best work, but without the soul and the wit, and that's a common theme throughout the album - there are quite a few songs that are one missing ingredient away from being really good, but if you're being realistic only one or two of these songs would get close to anything on Back To Black. 2/5.

Not really seeing what the big deal was with her

I can appreciate the artistry involved in the production of this album, however, as a whole, this neo soul/jazz offering feels rather uninspired and lacks any track that justifies the high praise it has received. For those who love Winehouse and enjoy her music, great. Keep on loving it. I listened to this album 3 times to make sure I was not missing anything. And I was not. I find her whiney and nasal vocals to be the weakest part of the album, and as the album progressed, they became just outright irritating. Quite frankly, I think I'd rather listen to Fran Drescher laugh over a soft music beat for 40 minutes straight. Hard pass. If you are looking for something in a similar style that is genuinely enjoyable, I recommend Macy Gray's "On How Life Is."

This album just left me feeling sad. I never jumped on the Amy Winehouse bandwagon. I always found her voice kind of grating, and I didn't understand why everyone was obsessed with a song about a woman actively trying to destroy herself (Rehab) as if it was cute and funny. This album confirmed that I have zero interest in her as an artist. Her opening track complaining about all the ways her (much older) boyfriend fails to meet her needs is an ode to toxic masculinity and sexist ideas of gender roles and explains why so many people end up in awful relationships. Several other songs describe more ill-fated relationships with awful men as they use her, she uses them (or cheats on them), they break up, and she goes out to find the next one. Underneath it all, there's a sense that she knows she's deeply wounded but just can't help herself. There's also a song where she tears down superficial "trophy wife" women, a song where she tells her deadbeat boyfriend to get off his ass and help himself, as well as a song where she complains about her brother needing to get his shit together to take care of their mother. Amy seemed to relish living in a glass house and throwing stones. What Is It About Men? and Amy Amy Amy both prove she is capable of introspection, and she actually does seem to acknowledge that she's out of control. But then on the latter she just doubles down on it. The instrumentation alternates between annoying and badly done R&B beats and sleepy (boring) jazz songs. And through it all, there's Amy shouting in her whiny, affected jazz voice (you can tell she's talented, but dear God she needed a good producer to rein her in). It's actually kind of horrifying that this was her debut album and she was so clearly going down a bad path even then (at 19!). It seems like Amy was always surrounded by the wrong people. Her views on men and relationships suggest someone who was never taught how to respect herself or have a healthy relationship, and she turned that outward by believing it was okay to use other people the way they used her (and turned it inward by destroying herself). And then in her professional life she was surrounded by yes men who were all too happy to cash the checks written by her suffering and self-destruction. It's deeply sad and disturbing, and I just feel bad for her that no one seemed to be there who really cared about her. Even if she was determined to destroy herself and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it, they didn't all have to stand around and encourage it. 1/5

#76. I haven't cringed this hard in quite some time. This whole album is pretty yikes-tastic. Do people actually like this? No part of listening to this was enjoyable to me. 1/5: please stop.

This is the kind of wailing scatting atonal jazz shit that I absolutely cannot stand. Had to listen in like 30 second stretches with lots of breaks in between. The closest I've ever come to a DNF in over a year of doing this.

Love Amy Winehouse.

Excellent. Even for not being my kind of music, it's clearly a quality record. Gone too soon. RIP Amy.

Faixa favorita: Stronger Than Me Letra favorita: Fuck Me Pumps Como me senti: reflexiva, emocionada Resumo geral: Soul-jazz moderno com letras espertas e uma voz inconfundível. Em Frank, Amy mostra quem é com seu humor ácido e coração pesado. Frank é o nascimento de uma lenda e o prenúncio suave da sua tragédia. Reação pessoal: Frank é um espelho que não dá para não olhar: lindo, cru, cheio de humor e tristeza... o reflexo real de humanidade.

O álbum que colocou o nome de uma das mais reconhecíveis, históricas e tocantes vozes do mundo, Frank é a essência do que Amy queria mostrar ao mundo. A voz marcante de Amy se mostra tão gostosa de ouvir em cada faixa “boba” que parece que estamos ouvindo uma amiga cantando sobre letras escritas no quarto dela — como quando fala mal do namorado em Stronger Than Me ou julga uma amiga em Fuck Me Pumps. Amy é crua, vulnerável e não se esconde atrás de nuances ou floreios desnecessários. Ela amava seu estilo e fez questão de torná-lo seu. Fico realmente feliz de ter ouvido esse álbum do início ao fim. Não é apenas um clássico — é histórico para aqueles que amavam quem ela foi.

Super enjoyable, poor girl.

90/100. Confident, clever, and emotionally rich, the album stands as a fully formed introduction to her talent, one that showcases not just her incredible voice, but her honesty, wit, and deep love for jazz, soul, and hip-hop. Amy Winehouse may be remembered most for Back to Black, but Frank is where her genius first crystallized. As an opening statement, it’s remarkable.

They tried to make me go to rehab and I said no no no!! Great album

Of course we all know Amy Winehouse, but I've never given her stuff a listen for myself so I'm pretty excited about this. Listened to the first 9 songs on the bus into work, so I'm just now sitting down to write about it, but I'm blown away so far. Obviously the vocals are implied when it comes to Amy, and they're outstanding, but the musicality of the instrumentals has complimented her voice outstandingly well. This album is so jazzy, so bluesy, and just so good. The horns are outstanding. The intro track was a great way to start the album and immediately had me hooked. "F*** Me Pumps" is a classic and for good reason, as is "Take the Box", but I haven't come across a single skip yet. "In My Bed" caught be by surprise in the best way possible by sampling "Made You Look" by Nas. I don't know why but I just never thought Amy would be the type to sample a beat from a rap song, man was I wrong. She embodies rap in so many ways, most of all because she's real. The pain in her voice is unfortunately real. Her social commentary is real. The heartbreak is real. And her taste in instrumentals was clearly real as well. Like I said, the vocals speak for themselves, but I also just don't have the words to speak for them in a way that does them justice. Her range, her control, her willingness to experiment with delivery, her voice, it's all so captivating. Without a doubt one of the most talented vocalists of the 21st century. This album is outstanding. Maybe I'm getting a bit liberal with my 5s or maybe I just like music. But Amy gets a 5.

I was blown away by this album. Just completely amazing.

really nice sound and iconic voice. I would listen to this again a bunch

I’m teetering on a 5, this just so hit the spot for me tonite. Just the perfect accompaniment to a dreamy, post-rainstorm twilight walk, the lights smeary and romantic. I love the jazz and bossanova stylings here, perhaps even more than her retro-60s Motown of “Back in Black.” And her unique and powerful voice is captivating. She was a singular talent, and I miss her.

Beautiful vocals. Incredible lyrics. Icon!

Dead but good

Kick ass.

Denne skiva har en magisk evne til å være moderne og poppa, samtidig som den er gammel og jazza. Jazzen føles også veldig autentisk og ikke bare slengt på for vibens skyld, det er en sentral og integrert del av musiseringen til Amy Winehouse. Alle vet jo at Amy Winehouse synger dritbra, og det gjør hun virkelig på den skiva her og, men det som jeg ikke forventa var hvor kule veldig mye av arrangementene er også!

I love Amy! One of my dearest vinyl albums. Stronger Than Me is such a good opening track and the rest is also so vulnerable and musically fresh.

love Amy

I really love this album, I think it might be better than back to black but it's so close

Jamais écouté complètement, mais les accents un peu trip hop sont incroyables

Intersting

Amazing debut. So thoroughly mature as a songwriter and a great voice and sound to match. This and Back to Black are bona fide classics.

Pues muy jazzy.

What more can I say about Amy. I love her, I've always loved her. My late sister loved her, my best friend loved her and we used to smoke bowls inbetween shifts at Starbucks together and thats when I really connected to the tunes. She's much more than a small girl with a big ego like someone here said. She's a Teenage girl thrusted into stardom at the hand of a heavily demanding and manipulative father. Albeit supportive his rigorous expectations from age 14 onward lead to a longing to escape through drugs and sex. Frank is her autobiography in going against life's hardest moments at 19 through the lense and stylings of a crooner. Amy has a certain patoís to her vocal delivery, where it remains crooner esque yet exotic. Her influences are clear when she blends late 90's hip hop and r&b with soulful new life, the reggae melody was robust and charming. I mean people who don't look beyond the surface are missing the whole legacy. Amy is my Beatles, she can do no wrong. We didn't get enough of her. And that's the worst part.

pour one out for r kid

It's wild how I've considered Back to black one of my fave albums for like 10+ years, but I haven't listened to any of her other music I think?? I'd give this 4.5 but I'll go for 5

AMAZING

pleasant music - brilliant voice

I love Amy Winehouse. This is right in my wheelhouse. Amy Winehouse, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu...all of them making music at the same time, a great time for women in R&B. Know You Now is a great song. I know Fuck Me Pumps is the hit, but I don't understand why, it's the weakest song on the album so far. I mean, I get it. It has Fuck in the title and talks about a woman having sex but the lyrics are like what a 16 year old would write. I could do without all the split songs. Just make two or cut the coda. In My Bed is a jam. Help Yourself is probably my favorite Amy Winehouse song. I wish someone would get the rights situation sorted out so this could be streamed in the US. Amy, Amy, Amy is a fun song. Followed by a stupid Outro and two post-Outro songs for some dumb reason. I'm so glad streaming is killing the hidden track. Great album, underrated album.

Good Songs: Intro / Stronger Than Me, You Sent Me Flying / Cherry, Know You Know, Fuck Me Pumps, Moody's Mood for Love / Teo Licks, (There Is) No Greater Love, In My Bed, Take the Box, October Song, What Is It About Men, Help Yourself, Amy, Amy, Amy, Outro, Brother, Mr Magic (Through The Smoke) Mid Songs: I Heard Love Is Blind Bad Songs:

Such a distinctive voice - I had not listened to this album before. I really only knew her earlier one Back in Black. She's incredible, so sad what happened to her.

Jazz is hit or miss for me, but when it's Amy Winehouse it's pretty much an instant hit. I've only heard music from the Back to Black album prior to this, so I was pretty interested to see what kind of artist Amy was when she first hit the scene. I was not disappointed. The fact that she was a teenager when she conceptualized, wrote, and sang this album is insane to think about. What Is It About Men is almost haunting when you think about the course of her life, leading all the way to the end. Amy Winehouse is an incredible talent. Phenomenal vocalist & just so raw. There's not another kind of album out there like this one, and I thoroughly enjoyed every single song.

My first time listening to an Amy Winehouse album and it was a treat! It’s like someone picked her up from the 60s and dropped her off in the early 2000’s. Such a classic sound but she made it keen for the times. Really an enjoyable listen, no complaints!

Fantastic album, fantastic voice.

amazing 9/10

While not as famous as her other album, this is still pretty damn great. 4.5 bumped up to 5.

I’m at a 5. My initial reaction upon seeing this pop up was just some surprise that this album was here – I figured “Back to Black” would cover the bases pretty well in terms of Amy Winehouse & her style, and going back to her debut might just retread the bases a bit. After all, she IS just a jazzy singer evoking the 50s & 60s with more modernized production, right? Go ahead and slap me across the face for that one – we’ve got a fucking R&B album here clearly inspired by the Lauryn Hills & Erykah Badus of the world. This thing could not be farther from old Frank Sinatra, cited often as the inspiration for the album title. Amy Winehouse is NOT just a jazzy singer evoking the 50s & 60s like that; she’s inspired that way vocally, sure, and that inspiration comes through a number of times on the album, but production-wise? This is just a slightly updated take on 1996 through 1998 in the black R&B / girl group scene, with some of that 50s/60s flair, though used more so as an additive to enhance the 90s production, in a way that probably felt fresh (if slightly dated) for 2003 and feels oddly modern in 2025. Lyrically, I really like this album; there’s a full spectrum of ideas on display here in terms of how to portray femininity, and while some of it hasn’t aged as well (specifically the gender dynamics at play on “Stronger Than Me”), I think a lot of this album is fully fair to Amy’s experiences up to this point in her 19 (19!!) year-old life. Some of this album is flirtier, especially on stuff like “You Sent Me Flying” or “Amy Amy Amy”, some of this is sadder, like “Take the Box” or “October Song”, but I find most of this album to just be confident, in a way that’s not really revolutionary, but just openly welcomed for 2003. Take a track like “Fuck Me Pumps”, celebrating *those* types of people who show up at the clubs, framing it in a way that’s not necessarily shaming anybody, and instead just putting their style to power, even admitting it wouldn’t be as fun without them. The flipside is sort of true on “I Heard Love is Blind”, which is a track that takes flimsy excuses for cheating to a comical level, yet still portraying it with a sort of klutzy confidence that you can’t help but admire the audacity of, especially since the track is played for laughs. This album runs through a spectrum of confidence, both in its flirtier & defiant ways, and Amy Winehouse portrays the confidence through her vocals incredibly well. Obviously, her vocals are the star of the show here; even at 19, she’s belting these out, and her voice would only get even stronger by Back to Black. I can’t complement them enough. Really, I’m just immensely surprised that this album feels so evocative of something like “Miseducation”, without all of the spiritual elements behind it. “Back to Black” only painted a corner of a picture of Amy Winehouse for me that I simply boxed her into, and that’s entirely my fault. This is an album that aligns with my musical sensibilities so, so much, and to hear Amy Winehouse doing it THIS well is a welcome surprise, and an awesome find for me. I think it’s a breezy 53 minutes (45 if you choose not to listen to the bonus tracks, which are both really good), and I’m just kicking myself for questioning this thing’s presence on the list to begin with. It isn’t as good as “Back to Black”, but that’s designed to be a timeless record due to its style. I think it’s just as enjoyable at its best points, and overall, you can’t go wrong here. This is a 5, and an easy one at that. At worst, a 3 if you really fucking hate R&B. P.S.: "In My Bed" is insanely good. Standout of the album for me.