Frank

Great, shit got me horny

Great album from great artist - one that I did not hear before. Nice to be reminded of her insane vocal! Great instrumentation as well - well played, but at the same time lets the vocals shine. Not the deepest lyrics, but they feel heartfelt and real.

This is interesting to listen to, knowing the material that broke though. I worked in a Camelot Music jazz section for a few years and I'd hear a lot the stuff that came out from 1993 - 1996. And there were certain albums that had just enough talent to scrape together an album. Nothing embarrassing about it but also not something that left a mark. This feels like those. A little better than those. I Heard Love Is Blind kicks off a pretty good run of songs, for sure. A little torn on this one.

If you're going to go grave-robbing, at least make it exciting. The music here is unimaginative, and only the attempt at approximating Billie Holiday moves this a notch or two up the Pat Boone larceny scale. People often comment on Winehouse's voice, which I'm not even convinced about. It sounds sickly, a curdling of all the great jazz voices she both cites and imitates.

Made me feel like I was walking down rows of shops in England... Nice feel to it, but her voice honestly took me out of it sometimes. It sounded a bit shaky and unable to find the right note. Lots of the songs weren't that impressive, either. I will say this, though. 'Fuck Me Pumps' was hilarious.

its got a style to it that i like, though it feels like that takes the place of substance

4-

Good modern jazz pop

Oh, I’m a bit disappointed with this. I always assumed I was an Amy Winehouse fan but this album is doing very little for me. I thought I’d recognise at least a couple of the singles but no. I don’t really like her crackley vocals and the production is OK. I expected more.

Wow, I loved this. Been sleeping on Amy winehouse, can't wait to listen to more

Classics and timeless sounding music, would listen again

Enjoyable jazzy album tinged in tragedy.

Talented for sure, not really my kind of music

I liked it overall

Good

Some of the songs were fun to listen too. Good lyrics and nice background music.

Great album

Great singer. Terrible lyricist. I remember Back To Black being better than this one. The lyrical content hasn't aged well and the album drags at points.

A great precursor to her break out.

7/10 I love her voice. The arrangements support her just fine, their just a bit too sleepy. It didn't detract from my enjoyment but that's why I couldn't go higher 6-13-2024

Decent album, very jazzy not usually my style but some good tracks. 7/10

Felt like I was in a chill coffee shop

I liked the whole album so much that I don’t want to add any one track to my playlist, 5/5

Giving me nostalgia even though this is my first time listening to her

Helt ait

She really does have a great, jazzy voice. This album has a couple of fun tracks that lean jazzy or bossa-nova, but I think Amy Winehouse really hits the magic formula with the full band pop sound on Back to Black.

realy nice

Even though this one, her first album, is not the best she already show the power and musical skills of her voice here. So for me this is clearly a "5".

Not a fan of her voice on this one. She also improves in the songwriting department on her next one, excited for when I get to it. What I will give her is that this oozes with personality and attitude, it gets infectious. So infectious that I started to really vibe with the back half.

Surprisingly good. Never given her the time of day, but to hear this from an 18-19 year old is pretty incredible. Normally not my genre at all so fair play. A few of the backing beats seem unnecessary, the latter half of the second track is ruined by them for example. Can see why she was fuming with the mixing of the album. Some really good tracks on here though, what a voice on such a young woman. 3.5*

I don’t think I’ve ever listened to a full Amy Winehouse album . I actually liked this way more than her more known songs

should have been called 'bill' or 'kev' instead

Not great, not terrible. No songs grabbed me, but the overall sound is pleasant enough

I like the rough cd 2 more

I actually think this is almost better than ‘Back To Black’. Certainly, I wasn’t expecting how much this leans into the world of club music and 4/4 beats, but I was pleasantly surprised. Jazz, bossa, funk, house, rnb, acid-jazz. It’s all in there, along with her incredible voice, and in some ways the variety present here is more invigorating (at least to me) than the straight-ahead soul she went for on her next album. This is a very accomplished debut.

I understand she has a great voice… I don’t understand how she became the icon that she is. Meh.

Hadn’t actually listened to her debut before. Cool to see where it all started, though I didnt like it quite as much as her other stuff. Enjoyed the clear jazz influences though.

A last goodbye

Such a talented, emotional voice

Great voice

Qué bien cantaba, pobrecica .... El álbum, correcto, pero no me ha entusiasmado.

Mixed bag. Enjoyed FMP, In my Bed, Amy Amy Amy

I did not like this much. Her voice often sounded like a muted trumpet and that just got annoying after a while. I listened through "Outro" and didn't bother with the rest; I figured that's where it logically ended so I "made it through." 1.5/5

Own

Not my style but even considering that I find her voice quite annoying - shrill. I wonder how much money she saved by using a drum machine instead of a musician.

I can haz soul jazz about bad relationships.

Classic and very influential, despite its own obvious derivativeness. (is that a word?)

Was für ei e grandiose Stimme...

This was extremely enjoyable, I love the instrumentation, and her voice. Listened to this 3 times back to back then listened to all of Back to Black, her second album. She really was taken too early from us. I'd love to see how she would've progressed in her career.

Why didn’t anyone tell me Amy Winehouse fucks so hard?!? I’m definitely gonna check out the rest of her discography. Great vibes and this is exactly what I come to music for!

Great voice but not my thing.

One of the best crooners/skatters around. I just don’t particularly like crooning or skatting. RIP to a legend.

Expected to like this much more than I did since I liked Back to Black. A little too scoobadoobedoo jazz for me unfortunately. Re that first song: Amy Winehouse’s homophobia walked so Katy Perry could run 💅 (if Jeremy made the same joke that’s because we talked about it!!!)

Listened to all of it but was pretty distracted throughout the listen- good stuff, but not my favorite!

Shelby and I just listened to Back to Black a day or two before this, so I was really excited for this! I love Amy's vocals, obviously, but this album fell flat in comparison. I like the more stripped down, raw atmosphere of Back to Black. I am also biased towards albums that feel like a cohesive piece, which at moments this album does but largely just feels like a series of songs. I enjoyed Frank well enough, but I kept thinking "Do I really need to have heard this before I die?" Without the context of Back to Black, I don't think so. Still, a fine album from a talented singer. Stand outs: In My Bed, Take The Box

Not my music at all

Comparing this album with "Back to Black" sounds a bit unfair, but I can't see how much evolution is palpable when listening to this one after listening to "Back to Black" some months ago. It's still easy to see Amy's powerful voice and qualities along this release, but the production is so over that sometimes it masks her quality behind a wall of synthetic sounds. It's a great album, but it looks like what it is: a debut from a potential star (later confirmed).

There’s good stuff here, and Amy Winehouse had a great and unique voice. But there’s also signs of struggling to figure out what works for her. A big voice needs big songs.

Music is typical, she’s got a great voice tho

Frank by Amy Winehouse is a bit of a mixed bag. The music itself is fantastic, with some truly superb songs that showcase Winehouse's songwriting talent. Tracks like F**k Me Pumps and Help Yourself are standouts, featuring catchy melodies and soulful grooves. However, I can't ignore the fact that Winehouse's voice can be quite grating at times. Her raspy tone and occasional vocal inconsistencies are a bit of a distraction. Despite this, there's no denying her raw talent and honest songwriting. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 0 STAND OUT TRACK - None

Bit weird, not sure i'd come back to it. Her voice sounds great but it didn't really grab me. Also not a fan of scat singing but that's not Amy's fault

A good listen, already familiar with Amy from back to black. First time listening to this. Her vocals carry this and it would need several listens to fully appreciate.

She has a good voice, but I found this tedious to listen to. The songs did not grab me, I was bored. Give me Norah Jones every time over this.

I think I prefer Back to Black as a whole album, but this still v.good with exceptional vocals.

I've never been a big fan but quite enjoyed this lounge music without the (overplayed) hits.

Not quite back to black but ok

What a powerful voice which was cut way too short in life.

She had a good voice and the concept is good, I just found the album a bit one note.

- A good vibe but not terribly my thing - Know You Now has a great beat - Obviously her voice is fantastic

- her voice is so great - not a strong as Back to Black

Bombastic, sultry, and delightfully un-PC. Unmistakable and unmatchable. Not every track is a banger, but most are strong, and it stands as a lovely first shot from an artist who ended up with few to take.

Really vibey stuff here. First time actually sitting down and listening to Winehouse, but I'm not surprised that I really liked this. My kind of pop, moody and jazzy. 4/5

unexpected to have multiple Amy Winehouse albums here, and not sure that it’s really necessary. This album is a bit jazzier but not as powerful or memorable as Back to Black (which I gave a 3). the majority of songs are about relationships and/or sex. It just doesn’t grab me and more washes over me. You can see the talent is there and nothing is bad, but a lot of the songs are just whatever.

Was alright

I feel like this is only on the list because she only made 2 albums. It's pretty forgettable with some outdated (even at release) notions of masculinity.

Great album! The amount of musicians is staggering. I was surprised to see on the wiki that Amy winehouse didn't like it and didn't like the production saying "everyone was idiots" but she didn't elaborate. Great songwriting, tons of unique sounds, great singing!

Voice of the beehive.

she wears it well

First listen to this First Album. Drips with lots of Talent. Was familiar with her as her flame was burning at its hottest, and then burnt out. A terrible end and addition to the tragic 27 year old and done club.

Beautiful voice. Amy takes you on a journey where you’re hanging on every word and feeling. Band is tight. Solid album

What a great voice...

Classic Amy. Great to learn more of her original story and check out her debut. Easy to see how she evolved into the superstar she became

Not as good as the previous entry. Amy's voice kinda did me in on this one and I found it less appealing but I think thats mostly due to production choices. Aside from that she still showcases her talent, just wish it were a better album

Not nearly as good as her other album on here but still pretty enjoyable. Lounge music over hip hop beats must have been pretty groundbreaking back in the day!

I don't consider this my cup of tea.

86/1001 2/5

Timeless.

3/5

This is great.

Not familiar with her songs.

jazz/r&b with a retro flair. rich soulful voice, that, depending in the song, can be powerful or vulnerable. while not as polished as her follow up, 2006’s back to black, certainly an impressive debut. sadly, in july 2011, she succumbed to alcohol poisoning at the age of 27. r.i.p. amy. highlights: “fuck me pumps” “what is it about men” “amy amy amy”

Never got the appeal.

этот альбом не идеален и чуууть-чуть длинноват, но поставлю 5, он охуенный

вкусно, очень вкусно Алкоальбом: крафтовый стаут со вкусом милкшейка

That Rehab song was my only reference going into this. More to AW for sure. Dig the beats. Estelle vibes.

It was pretty good, I didn’t love it, but it was good.

Pretty good. Think her second album is better Rating: 3.6

Misandry right out of the gate. This isn't looking good. Nope. This is toxic AF. Winehouse is a mess and a hotbed of drama that I have always gone out of my way to avoid. She's a great singer, but it's unfortunate that the balance of her voice on this recording is constantly in clip. I usually don't listen to the content of the lyrics, but that's all this album has to offer me, being anodyne backing tracks to spotlight Winehouse's voice. Since I can avoid the content of the lyrics, I'm going to avoid the album.

This must have been added before Back to Black came out, right? I can’t see any reason why this would need to stay on the list after BtB. Anyway, I’ve never really been an Amy Winehouse fan. I do like the singles off BtB but the rest of her repertoire, including this entire album, is a chore for me to listen to. Her voice and her songwriting are not nearly as developed on this album.

This felt like a demo of Motown cuts or something similar. Some really nice stuff, some funky beats, and some beautiful, cool vocals.

Amy Winehouse is known for having a tragic backstory. After her death, Amy's music is still listened to a lot. The album's songs are really good. I think "Frank" is greater than "Back to Black". It's way better than I thought. 4 stars from me.

I can see why it was popular but not for me

Debut offer from everyone’s favourite dead smackhead. Crisp, tight sound with lyrics made of syrup and razor blades. Disliking this record is probably a criminal offence these days since Amy’s elevation to National Treasure.

I’m not one for crooner type stuff, male or female lead. And most of this seemed pretty traditional and nothing very inspiring. I’ll bump it up a mark though for Fuck me pumps which was very funny/bitchy.

I've never listened to Amy's music before and I like it more than I expected to.

I like Amy, but not necessarily her music.

It's got some good elements, not my genre tho. Will I listen to again: 10%

Good album. Love the jazzy vibe and her voice is awesome.

Musical arrangements are good. I like the bossa nova guitar parts. Vocals are good. Lyrics are honest but annoyingly immature. The jazz composition does a lot of heavy lifting and it's a better album if you don't pay attention to what she's saying and just vibe out to the music.

Bine, bine

Meh…dated

Anyone one listening to Frank can appreciate the talent of Amy, although the song subjects are very much those of a teenager, and so weren’t as interesting as they might have been at an earlier time in my life. My favourites were: Cherry, Amy and f me pumps…they were great.

Mi ha rotto il cazzo alla quarta canzone

Incredible. I may like it even more than Back to Black.

A little dated, but still fantastic.

Not bad. I thought I didn't like Amy Winehouse very much, but this album was a pleasant surprise. I'll explore her back catalogue a bit I think.

"Frank" is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse. Jazz, R&B, soul, hip hop and bossa nova are the listed genres. I heard all that throughout the album. The album title was named after one of Winehouses' influences, Frank Sinatra, and alludes to the nature and tone of the lyrics. There were a host of producers including Commissioner Gordon, Jimmy Hogarth, Salaam Remi, Matt Rowe and Amy herself. Commercially, it hit #3 in the UK and #33 in the US. It had generally positive reviews and was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize. The album opens with Amy scatting which goes into "Stronger than Me." There's a slow hip hop beat and jazzy with the guitar and horns. She's frustrated with her partner who's not in control. Hand claps start "Fuck Me Pumps." This is sliding into R&B territory with a piano and organ. Amy is poking fun at women who go to clubs looking for guys. "In My Bed" really brings the kitchen sink. What sounds like congas, a guitar and a flute. Layered vocals. This song crosses into hip hop, jazz and bossa nova and is my favorite on the album. "Take the Box" is slower. There's a piano and female back-up singers. A R&B and soulful vibe. The album closes with a string of songs. "Amy Amy Amy" has an interesting beat and is sultry. She can't resist the evils of a man? Record company? Both? "Mr. Music" brings the jazz and dance beat. Interesting combo. The first thing you notice is the uniqueness of Amy's voice. The album slides into many different genres - jazz, R&B, hip hop and soul. I don't think I'd call it fusion but, regardless, Amy's easily sings in all those styles. I don't know if I completely understand the songs which change into another song midway through. This is a decent album; she would obviously take it up a notch with her next and last album but this is worth a listen.

she was pretty good i won’t lie…

Remember buying this off the strength of one track i'd heard on late night radio just before it came out ( the one with the same Nas sample ) . Aside from the slight hip hop elements, it's a laid-back jazzy album with several standout tunes, and an amazing voice throughout. Not perfect, but that's for the next album.

I hadn't listened to this album as a whole piece before. What a voice, foregrounded by simple jazzy arrangments. Powerful.stuff.

Great singer and artist. I think I prefer Back to Black to this one, I hope it made the list too. A bit jazzier than I remembered/ expected.. Favorite song is “What is it about men “

What an absolute treat, her voice is so amazing and these songs are incredible

We really lost a great one. I could listen to her sing anything.

Great voice, such talent. Sad it came to such a tragic end. These songs not as strong as her other outing but still mad enjoyable.

Back To Black is a far superior album

There are so many artists whose stories ended far too soon. Amy Winehouse is unfortunately one of those. It’s so unfortunate that all of the most beautiful and talented people face the most tragedy in life. But in reality that is what creates the best music. Amy’s debut is one that feels unfamiliar with its own sound, and yet aware of what makes a successful neo-soul album. I standby the opinion that anything influenced or directly related to jazz often benefits the most when they fully embrace it. Frank most definitely does. And god does Amy truly have a voice like no other. Her accent adds so much to her character, and she just sits in a league of her own. But the music itself is equally as interesting. The vocal jazz live band elements mixed with electronic trip hop drums id a match made in heaven that is hard to do wrong, unless you just happen to have no knowledge on making music. The topics and themes of Frank aren’t as personal and serious as those found on Back to Black. It’s less focused on herself and her own struggles, and more on the people around her and the things she has experienced through love. But really she could be talking about anything and it would sound good. She just had a knack for worming her way into your brain with her voice. And it breaks my heart reading about all of the things she was put through. Now it seems like all they can do is profit off of her death, especially with her new movie coming out soon. Talent like this that the world loses needs to be left alone and at peace. Rating: 7/10

Legendary voice, but nothing compared to Back In Black

I remember back in the early 2000’s when (seemingly) everyone was raving about Amy Winehouse, what a great singer she was, how dramatically good her music was…. I didn’t hear anything that really rocked me at the time, and most of what I saw seemed to revel in her addictions and self destructive behavior. She seemed intent on destroying herself, and succeeded after releasing only 2 albums in 8 years. What a waste. So, what about the music? “Frank” is ok, gets credit for being different, for not following in the Beyoncé/Christine Aguilera/Missy Elliott/Jennifer Lopez mold of the day. But this jazz/crooner influence makes me long for the real thing…. I’ll take the real Frank (Sinatra) any day. There’s not any really memorable songs, though it’s all benign. Winehouse’s vocal stylings are nicely different, but the baby-girl overtures don’t really work for me. I think she was certainly a competent singer, but not outstanding. I suspect her popularity may have been based on her ability to stand out, though it seemed to be centered on the Heroin Chic look of the 90’s. Anyway, it’s fine. Points for breaking from the crowd. Most of what I read says that her next album is the brilliant one, which makes me wonder why this one made the list. Anyway, 3/5

Meh

Not sure why I thought I wouldn't, but I enjoyed this more than I expected.

I used to dislike her voice, but I got used to it. I think she took jazz in a good direction; a good mix of modern and retro.

It's a great introduction to Amy Winehouse as well as the new modern jazz style.

This album did the opposite of what I was expecting, by starting off really quite badly, and seriously picking up steam towards the end. It’s not hard to see why Amy Winehouse is so revered, although admittedly not usually for this album. She certainly has a great voice, I’m just not sure I like it as much as everyone else seems to. It’s used to great effect in the latter half, where In My Bed and Help Yourself rescue this album from an ‘unfavourable’ rating. The epilogue isn’t half bad either. In fact if this album skipped the first seven tracks and started at In My Bed, it’d be good. Still not something I’d choose to listen to, but good nonetheless.

Raw voice… but album not my cup of tea

Interesting album to start with. Drums are nice. the chords 😍. decent grooves throughout. She loves talking about cigarettes. Some kinda separate storyline happening with the intros/outros. She’s talking directly to herself a lot. Feels like a lot of foreshadowing, knowing what we know. In my bed is a vibe musically. A stand out. I don’t like her voice at all. I tried. there’s not enough variety. Socially it doesn’t change enough. Even if the music tries to her voice brings it all back. If you heard anyone singing or humming her songs to themselves it would be cringe as hell. Surprisingly the lyrical content picks up halfway. Ok nevermind. I can’t take “amy amy amy” seriously. Outro idea is cool. But I wish it would have started with the idea a little more clearly.

Excellent as always.

I was expecting to give this a much lower score, because I hate 20s/50s revival with a passion. But the fresh instrumentation suits her charismatic voice perfectly.

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.

Nope, don't particularly care for this one. And I know her voice is pretty much universally considered to be a good voice, but I didn't find myself particularly caring for it either.

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.

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.

Amy is such a force! Amazing voice and style.

Nice album

Great album.

Loved her melodies, but didn’t connect with the words

Winehouse is an amazing vocal talent and the jazz ensemble is fantastic. A lot of the subject matter didn’t register for me but no denying the sound.

Little quieter than her later stuff but still good.

Her voice is really good, but none of these songs grabbed me in any real way.

Pretty good, not bad.

Strange

Unique voice but every song sounds the same after a while.

2.5

A neo-soul record with amazing vocals. Winehouse is always smooth, jazzy and just slightly sleazy. It sounds classic while remaining modern. There's a nearly unanimous feeling that 'Frank' is the lesser album compared to 'Back to Black', but it's nice to hear this out as the showcase of young potential, as opposed to the tragic later days of a tortured soul. Amy Winehouse was definitely a talent and cut through much of the mass produced music of her era.

really liked it! definitely need to listen to Back To Black now.

If Mona Lisa Saperstein wrote music for Nora Jones

Iconic voice. Simply one of a kind. So tragic we don't get to hear any new songs from hear. I don't typically listen to this kind of music. I don't hate it but it's not my first choice but I can not hate Amy and her one of a kind voice.

Never listened much to Amy Winehouse. Possibly my mistake as this was pretty good. Amy added to favorites for further exploration.

Highlights: Fuck Me Pumps, I Heard Love Is Blind, No Greater Love, Take The Box, Help Yourself, Amy Amy Amy. In a nutshell: the cis-female Millennial's companion to love, loss and desperation. Ethereal high notes (the end of Take The Box, wow!). Smart and crushing lyrics about shitty relationships ("But you made me cry, where's my kiss goodbye? I think I love you"). A vocal style that flirts with ska, soul, hip-hop and R&B. The reuse of tweeting birds got old quick, as did the split songs (Intro, Cherry). It's not perfect. It doesn't need to be. It's as rough, tough and vulnerable as Amy was. Overall: 6/10

She has a nice voice, but I don’t really care for any of the songs, the writing doesn’t speak to me. I’d totally listen to her doing jazz vocal classics, but I wouldn’t run this album back.

I don’t like Amy Winehouse, but I didn’t hate this as much as the singles I knew going in, so it gets a 3.

Love Amy :)

I give it 3/5 but it feels like some of the lyrics are outdated and... sad, in retrospective.

This was okay. Not my fave Amy and some of these gave weird vibes. The October one was good but the slow ones - meh.

Some great songs, and a great talent, but none of the hits of Back to Black.

Почему старушка открестилась от этого альбома мне вполне понятно - сыроватые аранжировки, пресноватые местами, не отполированный звучок. А я так скажу - несмотря на минусы, все вполне антуражно - на крепкую троечку, учитывая че там дальше у неë будет

3.5/5 - amazing vocals and good instrumentals and lyrics, some songs fall flat

meh

She has a good voice, but doesn't show a whole lot of range on this. It gets a bit repetitive.

Winehouse borrows from 50s traditional pop and 60s Motown soul with modern pop production and all sorts of chill, groovy jazz genres, with other genres like downtempo, reggae, and bossa nova. Compared to Back to Black, it's not as refined or mature. The instrumentals are more like instrumental backings like a lot of pop electronica from the period (e.g. Moby). It's very much a pop album that goes the extra mile and is largely characterized by Winehouse's distinguished soulful vocals and gospel backing. The first 5 tracks were the strongest. From there, it is a mix bag that is largely enjoyable and innovates but does feel underwhelming to what she's capable of. Also, due to the mix of styles, it loses the thematic coherency that Back to Black would have. Favorites: Know You Now, Fuck Me Pumps, Mr Magic

Never ceases to amaze me how talented and unique Amy Winehouse is.

Really nice

Bad

Jazz-pop fusion. I had heard a couple of the songs on this album before but never the entire thing. Amy Winehouse is an incredible vocalist -- one of my favorite singers of the last 40 years. Her pitch and control are perfect, her tone is pure and unique with a blend of brashness and vulnerability, and phrasing and timing are truly original and swing seamlessly between jazz and hip-hop. She turns just about any song into an experience. This collection of tunes is good but not outstanding -- it almost doesn't matter. Stronger Than Me is probably the best of them; Know You Now and Fuck Me Pumps and also excellent.

AW really shows off her jazz bona fides in this album, it felt like a breath of fresh air having listened to Back to Black many times. I particularly enjoyed the references to Lullaby of Birdland.

This just made me so sad. The band trying so hard, her talent so evident. Downgraded for being a shameless money grab.

A self-assured debut from a 19-year-old Amy Winehouse. Although it's hard to listen to this album without thinking about all the things to come (the alcoholism, the drug abuse, the bad relationships, the constant paparazzi, the bulimia etc.), I keep returning to her voice. Frank doesn't hit the heights of Back to Black and a lot of the lyrics are about Amy's dysfunctional relationships with men, but it marked the debut of a true original.

Sounded great. Not as produced as Back To Black but sometimes that's OK. The lyrics, the themes though .... difficult. I don't think I'll be returning to this one.

This is a tough listen with hindsight. Underproduced too. Just feels too light since we know what can be with Black

I’m not really into the slow, smooth style of most of the songs on this album, but there were a couple that I was able to get into (“In My Bed”, “Amy Amy Amy”). I really still don’t get all the Amy Winehouse hype though.

"feel like a lady and you my ladyboy" there's something queer about that, amy. 3.5

On one hand, this album made me realize how much of what I like about Back to Black is the production. On the other, Frank made me realize why Amy's voice and vocal styling was such a big deal. Unfortunately I remember the media cycles around her, her struggles with substance abuse, and her weight and appearance so well from that time and it makes it all feel so heavy and sad.

It took 43 people to make this? Unpopular opinion but I think Amy Winehouse’s voice is weak and annoying. The songwriting left me cringing. Much like every other post 2000 female r& b artist. Very commercial and definitely not for me. Owes too much to its influences.

It's a good album but I'm not sure I would listen to a lot of it again

It's alright, I'd have to be in the mood for it

a bunch of skips for me, and i sit through a lot...

💖 amy amy amy 🗣️ 6️⃣

Pass

Amy's vocal talent is undeniable, even though she was 19 or 20 when she recorded this. The problem is that outside of a couple of songs, the production is corny as hell, and has aged terribly. You can see why she came to dislike the album in few years between its release and her death.

why the hell did Salaam Remi want her to sound like Alicia Keys so badly

it has all the ingredients but the cake comes out with a weird aftertaste.

Transcendent. Genre, time, mood. Name a characteristic, and Amy will reinvent it.

One hell of a voice, from one hell of a trashy lady.

Nice beat, great voice. A pleasure to listen although there are no hit singles on it.

want on vinyl

Her voice was stellar

Amy Winehouse is a polarizing character. There's both a charming 'frankness' you don't normally hear in jazz and a clear sense of humor - sometimes self-deprecating, sometimes simply as a commentary on women's relationship to men and love generally, sometimes on men themselves. I'd challenge anyone listening to this thinking that her lyrics are just about hooking up with bad boys to reflect on how serious she's actually being in her songs, how much of it is commentary on hook up culture in the first place, and how often Frank Sinatra and other greats sang about love and women. If it's fine when other jazz crooners did it in there era, why is it not ok for Winehouse to sing about love and sex in the modern era? Lyrics aside, Amy's voice and the jazz are really what create the atmosphere here. There's a lot of range on display and Amy had one hell of a voice, an extremely unique style, and so so much potential. Her struggles with addiction are truly tragic, and of course add a lot of weight to her lyrics where it's clear she is struggling with her lifestyle and substance abuse.

Solid debut.

Smooth, sexy, enticing even when not the most identifiable wine house songs

I’ve loved her style since the first time I heard her, which unfortunately was after she’d already died. Her nod to Grover Washington was especially fun.

2 stars

quite good for a debut album

Starts strong but fades in the second half

I can appreciate the talent, even if the album isn't quite my vibe

Not bad, ninice to chillax to

9/10

Her voice is a throwback to early Vegas. I would have loved to see her in a small, intimate venue with a pour of top shelf bourbon set upon the little, round table in front of me; lights dimmed except for one spot radiating down from the ceiling, illuminating Amy. I can almost see it. What a performance.

Amy, Amy, Amy. Gorgeous sound and gorgeous voice. Some of the lyrics are a little tough but it feels raw and honest. Low: know you now High: in my bed, you sent me flying/cherry, fuck me pumps, amy amy amy

Very similar songs, easy listening, smooth but not a huge fan of her

On voice alone this is a great record. Some solid arrangements too.

Intro / Stronger Than Me 3 You Sent Me Flying / Cherry 3 Know You Now 3 Fuck Me Pumps 2.9 I Heard Love is Blind 3.3 Moody's Mood for Love / Teo Licks 2.8 (There Is) No Greater Love 2.5 In My Bed 3 Take the Box 3.1 October Song 3 What is it About Men 3.4 Help Yourself 3 Amy Amy Amy / Outro / Brother (Hidden track) / Mr. Magic (Through the Smoke) 3.1 Score: 3.007692308

Brilliant. 5

It’s obvious she has an incredible voice and at such an age it’s shocking. I’m not familiar with any of songs so it was nice not having a sort of bias while listening to her, but there’s no denying she has much talent. It’s not my favourite and a lot of the vocals is the only focus but I would listen again.

One of the massive dividing lines I discovered upon becoming a parent was how utterly and completely you don't know what tf is happening in many parts of the outside world. It's one ginormous blind spot for about a decade. Prime example: not only did I completely miss Amy Winehouse, I'm not convinced I had even ever heard her before she passed away. OK this is the spot where I'm going to gush over how my late discovery of her changed everything blahblahblah.... I can't remember if I feel this way about her singing on the next album Back to Black (and I know that's coming here soon so I'll get there) and she had a great talent but man, sometimes her vocals grate on me. It's in the ending of some of her phrasings - the multi-syllable-izing (?) of the end of words. It's an annoying habit that *thankfully* she doesn't do on every song but it's enough to be off-putting. Maybe that was a youth-thing. Maybe I can blame the producer (which a quick check shows 4 of them. ...another generic critique: too many cooks in modern music) The music is generally refreshing; different and obviously-intentional to throwback to lounge/jazz music but with a very modern flair and mix (even if those crackles on "Know You Now" and "No Greater Love" are obviously added after-the-fact.... eh it's still neat). It gets a little stale by the end of the record for me. TL;DR: I retroactively apologize to all my older relatives when I mocked them in the 80s for not hearing of X, Y, Z. I get it. As for the album, it's *ok* - i like the sound, the music... in small doses. And those songs where Amy isn't sounding so affected. 5/10 3 stars.

this is so much better than Back To Black. This makes me want to re-rate Back to Black at a much lower score. I would give this album a 3, and B2B as a 2. It feels way less produced, and way more on point. Better flow, music better suited to the host. Just better in every manner, even if B2B has Tears Dry, which is a much better 'single' that anything on this record.

KILLER ALBUM

I miss her voice

ansprechend, tolle stimme und instrumentierung. auf die dauer dann aber auch anstrengend. trotzdem: reinhören hat sich sehr gelohnt.

Ja, sie war gut die Amy. Der relaxte Sound ist grosse Klasse.

Frank is a good album but feels more like a taste of what's to come than the kind of classic I'd expect on this list. There isn't really anything that stands out to me like her later work.

Having a good voice doesn't make a great album if all of the songs suck.

She’s slick with it

No va

A timeless talent, gone too soon. I’ve never heard an album quite like this one.

I can't say I get the Any Winehouse hype. I did dig the lyrical content, quite a few alternate takes on relationship dynamics.

Its a 3.5, slightly too long but rounding up.

She was amazing. This is a first-time listen for me and just so blown away by her talent.

Delightful

This album fucking rocks

Really like her style and creative melding of jazz, blues and r&b. Too bad we lost her to substance addiction.

Amy Winehouse's second album, Back to Black, cemented her as a powerhouse. This album is more like her training wheels. It's perfectly fine for what it is, but goes on far too long and has some dated lyrics. There are certainly glimmers of the star here, but for the most part, this is a kid finding her footing.

Amy Winehouse! Not much more to say.

RIP

gay bad implications Lyrics strange at times She is direct sure Maybe black music influence Album flow weird Has good stuff w/ more energy

I skipped the first song where she champions toxic masculinity. Then I skipped the second song where she started singing off-key. I listened to a little of the third song for the few seconds it took to find a new album to play.

Feels like being in a jazz club, 4 stars rather than 3 as think I’d buy a vinyl of this (if I had a turntable)

Ok

OK

Enjoyable listen but not something standout I plan to listen to again soon

Jazzy and soulful, with incredibly trashy lyrics. I completely didn't know what to think.

Cool. Typical Winehouse vibe.

great listen, gone far too soon. rip amy

Beats are great, Amy is so so

I didn't hate it, but it wasn't my jam.

I wasn't familiar with any of the songs on this album. I think her big US breakout was after this one. That said, this was a stellar pop/jazz fusion album. I enjoyed it quite a bit. Amy had a great voice.

When everyone and their dog liked Amy Winehouse back then, so did I. Or, well enough. Listening to this album today, here's a little thought I can't shake now: "Frank" is the rowdy, dark twin of Norah Jones' "Come Away With Me" that I had earlier this month. It's about 19 times more interesting, but still firmly in the same safe and trifling genre of 'Rehashing X for People Who Don't Like X'. It's... good at what it is, and my mouse hovered over "Add to Playlist" on two, three songs but ultimately, I would probably end up skipping them.

Really cool record. Certainly not quite Back to Black but it's going for a different vibe. The instrumentals are both more jazzy at points or more trip-hoppy, which is a really amazing and smooth combination with Amy's singing. 7/10

Her voice and the music is so magical, but the lyrics are very hit and miss. Sometimes the lyrics go too edgy and grimey that it really takes away from the song overall. Great debut album, but shows as a debut, she really built on this later in her career.

Love Her!!

I’ve always enjoyed Amy Winehouse’s sound. It’s a shame that mental health and substance abuse issues cut her life short before she could produce more.

to jazzy

The emotions expressed in this album were intricate and layered. Humans are complex beings.

Nothing to see here, your time is better spent elsewhere, move on. Unmemorable, except maybe Fuck Me Pumps. There are hundreds of albums like this out there that no one talks about, why this one made the list beats me. Guess my mama was wrong after all, getting wasted in public does pay off!

Great album

I always thought I wouldnt like Amy Winehouse, but that is maybe because I despise Valery as a song. This album though was a really pleasant surprise. Good songs, nice mix of different styles. Will listen to it more often!

Not quite the hit count of her follow up "Back in Black" but still pleasant to listen to. Jazzy pop songs. Not really my sort of thing but it could be!

This is good. Kinda knew it would be, but first album length listen for me

Great to hear this debut which I’d not heard before.

Of course her story precedes her, but I’ve never really listened to Amy Winehouse before this list. After listening, I can see why she’s held in high regard. I’m not the target audience, but I can certainly appreciate that she had some serious talent. Not an album I’ll come back to, but glad I heard it.

Most definitely not something I’d usually listen to, but it’s the first day of this project so we’ll see how it goes. But yeah… I’ve heard worse? Not sure I’m gonna be much of a soul fan. The end of most of the songs seemed a bit nicer-sounding. Potentially just paying less attention by the end though? I Heard Love is Blind and (There is) No Greater Love seemed nicest of the bunch (so far) in terms of sound. For some reason it only seems to sound good when I stop paying attention to it. Not exactly meant in a bad way, just an interesting observation. Progressively getting more into it! Turns out to be rather a chill album. I rarely pay attention to lyrics so this is not much of a deal, but I’m not sure if I’m a fan of the nature of the lyrics, particularly in Amy Amy Amy. Generally a very nice introduction to the 1001 albums project! I think I warmed up to Amy Winehouse a little in the end after all.

Good voice. Lyrics make no sence. Not that good 2/5

ni lo termine,pero es interesante

Very good album. Amy Winehouse's vocals are one of the biggest highlights of the entire album. The production is also fantastic as it perfectly utilizes jazz elements to create a cohesive and engaging album. Winehouse's lyricism is also fantastic, as she describes points in her life. One of the most surprising aspects of this album is the fact that she was only 19 when this was recorded, which is an astonishment. As a whole, this was a fantastic album and one I will most certainly be revisiting.

Molto figo è da 5

I don't think she should have been allowed to do the new York accent on all these songs

don’t like Amy Winehouse

One of my favorites. So good.

Amy is just fantastic! Need I say anymore? Great album!

Standout track: In My Bed Boring at times.

No knee slappers for me but her singing and style makes her very easy to listen to. Feels like Im in an old lounge drinking whiskey listening to her.

Good vocals by Amy.

Very few lows on this album

A great album but not one I’d want to listen to again

definitivamente uma voz em um milhão! obra sólida! tenho consciência de que esse 4 possa ser injusto... não estou em um dia legal e a vibe do álbum foi muito dissonante da minha, I was not feeling it! tenho vontade de ouvir de novo, porém

Lindo. A voz dela é algo de extraordinário. Maravilhoso. As letras dela eram muito boas também. Loved everything!!!

I’ll definitely listen to this again. What a loss for the world! Timeless voice.

Prefer her hits to this one

her voice is impressive, not my style tho

Wasn't super into it

Very blues

A good introduction to Amy but not as epic and influential as Back To Black

Such a fantastic voice, such a waste.

Really great sound and blend of old and new aesthetic. Also her voice is obviously a huge draw. I don't think I'm about the a lot of the lyrics though, and I think I was waiting for more of something. Still a good experience to listen to it.

LOVE!!!!!

Another one where I appreciate the artist being on the list but not this album. To my ears, neither the material nor the production are worthy of Amy.

I haven't heard that many songs from Amy Winehouse (and I don't think any of them featured on this album), so this is a nice expansion in my Winehouse-literacy. I like her sound, and I can only hope that when she was recording and performing all of the other issues in her life took a back seat, because she seems like she was a great performer and artist. A solid 4!

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.

This was an awesome album, and so glad it’s on here. I liked it more than Back to Black, too. Really like a Soul Jazz album. Definitely inspired by Frank (duh) Sinatra but also some of the old female crooners like Billie Holiday.

Oh man, so stoked to find this one on here as well. I got this album on vinyl very early into my journey, and I think it was a blind (or rather deaf?) purchase - I just knew she was Amy Winehouse and it had to be good. Sure enough, it's excellent. I've loved it for many years, so many great tracks veering into jazz crooner type territory. Back in Black is more immediate, edging into popular sounds. After hearing that one in the context of this list, I'm honestly not sure which I prefer anymore. But this one is really special and nostalgic to me, the vibes are immaculate. Rest in peace, Amy. Favorite tracks: Intro, You Sent Me Flying, Fuck Me Pumps, No Greater Love, In My Bed, Take the Box, Amy Amy Amy, Outro, Brother. Album art: Adore this one, an off-kilter photo of Amy walking a dog or two in the middle of the night. Might even be a paparazzi photo. But she looks happy and healthy here, maybe that's part of why I love it so much. The pink text to match her top is a spectacular touch. Just about as good as a late-'00s singer album cover could ever be. 4.5/5

God this woman's voice - don't find Frank to be have the showstoppers that her later albums do, but fun to listen to how she develops as a singer and artist.

I think I was kind to Back to Black a few years ago, but this is just reheated easy listening with a few swears and edgy bits. Pretty bland.

I understand why people like her now, a very interesting voice. It's jazz, which isn't my thing, unfortunately for this album. My dad would probably like it. It was OK. Likely won't pick it up.

Technically impressive singing, subject matter was not for me

This album is so ahead of its time. Not my cup of tea necessarily but definitely an easy 4 star album for me.

10/10, loved the album and Amy's voice is insane.

Like her.

Amazing

It was great

I still like the Jazzy/pop sound, but her cadence on a few songs put me off a little. Still some good ones though.

I liked it better than her other one

Not my cup of tea. Best songs were when she was doing scat and not singing one star.