Back To Black

2 great tracks, 2 that I really didn't enjoy, the rest were fine Rehab sucks apparently, and this song does too. This might be ruined for me because it's the pop radio earworm on the album. You know I'm not good and Me & Mr Jones are fine I didn't enjoy Just friends. Back To Black is really good. Certainly the best production. This could have been an awesome Bond theme song. Love is a losing game and Tears Dry on their own are quite good too. Wake up alone is an underrated banger. Thoroughly enjoyed this one. Some unholy war, he can only hold her and Addicted were fine

this is going to be a jack review, because i really could not pay attention while listening to this album. i played it on repeat like all day and just kept zoning out without really paying attention. maybe thats what the music is for? but it really just never struck a chord with me. it's a shame too because i really like amy winehouse's voice, from when i could pay attention to this release, she sounds like an amazing vocalist. but the sound profile was just so generic and inoffensive that i could never focus on the music itself. if she had a more striking backing track, maybe something jazzier or more soul-esque, i'd have liked it more, but the meh guitar and the near non-existent percussion really caused the general energy of the songs to fall flat. there was some good bass here and there, but it was all mixed in a way to be muted and kind of blend together, and it just didn't do it for me.

If Amy Winehouse could hold her liquor she would have faded into obscurity long ago.

If I knew nothing about Amy Winehouse she would definitely give off the vibe of a girl who says bruh, smokes too much weed and kinda has the same vibe as ogre Fiona from Shrek and despite this still gets mad at you when she overhears you playfully call your mate a retard cause it's offensive or whatever. Anyway important and deserving album to be on the list but still mid, none of the songs where bad, the title track is fantastic but not enough to save the album. Slightly backloaded but barely. Next album please. 5/10 Fav tracks - Black to Black, Tears Dry on Their Own, Least Fav - None

Fucking bored the whole time listening to this. Know what isn't boring? Blood Alcohol level of 0.416. 2/5 thats it

The candle that burns twice as bright lasts half as long. In Amy's case the candle burned 0.3335 times as long as the life expectancy for women in the UK in 2011. I was going to do a song by song analysis of this album but I think it does well as a whole. I love soul music and nothing has changed. This album is tight, well-produced and great to listen to. Amy Winehouse has a fantastic voice, as for the lyrics? Who cares. Phenomenal album, will be listening to this plenty more.

What I expected

Tormented artist second and last studio album. Has a deep and vibrant voice, a nostalgia-given modernized sound. A Good album to listen during 40minutes.

One of those records where the hype is very real. The pinnacle of 21st century soul music (no disrespect to D'Angelo's "Black Messiah" which is also the pinnacle of 21st century soul music)

got some bangers overall, really easy listen, i can see why this is some people’s first record, amazing

Good if you like moody tunes about drugs and cheating. Also been so overplayed in the UK that I'm likely immune to any charms it has.

It's like listening to my driving playlist. Ronson set down the sound of the next decade, arguably two, and the performance on the vocals is iconic in the true sense of the word.

jaja dios qué mujer

Best Song: Tears Dry On Their Own. This feels like the biggest and most ambitious production on the album, and some of the phrasing that Amy uses are just undeniably catchy. Worst Song: Just Friends. I really wasn't a fan of the "oom-pa" rhythm that ceaselessly ran in the background. Overall: Beautiful voice, with songs that drip with an undeniably individual character. The production is great, and the whole album carries this air of almost joyous melancholy that I can't remember hearing elsewhere.

I really love this album and every song (except for the last one "Addicted") on it. I really don't know what to say more about it. It simply "feels good".

I finished this album quickly. Amy Winehouse had a great voice. Her music was great. She was eccentric and unfortunately broke herself far too soon. Back To Black is a great album that I haven't listened to for a while but will listen to again on this occasion. 5/5

Tää ois neljän tähden lätty jos Rehab ei rasauttaisi niin pahasti.

4 maybe 5

While it’s not my style, man she had some pipes.

When I was a kid I always thought Amy Winehouse was black. Beautiful voice. Just great.

good album great singi g and production

Good album. Better than the other one from her collection featured here. 3.5 stars.

I think the only thing people may not like about Amy Winehouse is her voice and the way she sings. But people also really like her for that exact reason. Musically pleasing, the band is solid. Her blusey, soulful singing is on point. I’m assuming this was her breakthrough album. 5 stars says I’ll return to listen to it again. I just can’t do it. This is a good start if you’re someone like me who wanted to delve into the world of Amy Winehouse. It’s feel good music covering a world of pain . Choice cut: You Know I’m No Good

I knew essentially nothing about Amy Winehouse before listening to this, other than she had died young. The way people talk about her I even got the impression that she was active much earlier than she was. I assumed she died in the 90s or something. I don't think I've ever seen someone hit the "legendary" status that quick in my lifetime. Listening to Back To Black it's clear that Amy was a talented vocalist. This style of Pop Soul wasn't really a thing when BTB dropped. It's kind of crazy listening to this now after a decade of Adele on the radio, and the influence is obvious. Where Amy differs though is in a much more subdued atmosphere. None of these songs ring as anthemic to me as the Pop Soul I've come used to hearing. And the subject matter is a lot more melancholic. While I enjoyed my time with Back To Black, and maybe if I had first listened on release things would be different, I'm not enthralled by any of it.

It’s very good, surprisingly so. It’s not really my kind of music, but it’s undeniably catchy. I’m going to say it starts to get a bit old. Y the last couple songs, but I won’t sing it to hard because it has the decency to clock in at an excellently paced 35 minutes. One of the relatively rare albums that lives up to the hype.

Decent, full of classics

always beautiful

A pleasant album, easy to listen to. I never really understood the fuss about AW, she sounds good but nothing special IMO. Anyway, good album, worth a listen

longstanding blindspot i should have filled ages ago. the mastering is rough on my ears unfortunately, which is a big issue, but its the only issue i can pawsibly raise. she has to have been one of the most memorable singers probably Ever, and despite my production complaints the actual arrangements are so Zesty and Poppy. some rly nasty licks on occasion too! hoping this one will get a better remaster eventually. the title track made me lift a few feet off the ground

I loved this. I've always liked Motown era/style tunes and this is very similar but with modern production (I can hear the individual drums!). I never paid this much mind when it was released (not metal 👿) but this is going into heavy rotation going forward.

I mean, it's Back To Black by Amy Winehouse

Such a shame we never got more music…

so, rehab, back to black, and you know I'm no good are obviously classics. Everything else didn't inspire me much.

4.5

Rehab - 3,5/10 its fine but idk the chorus feels so out of pitch, i dreaded all the times the chorus played. it also feels empty You Know I'm No Good - 7/10 already has a better feel than the first song Me & Mr Jones - 5/10 for some reason it just annoys me Just Friends - 6/10 Back To Black - 7,5/10 Love Is A Losing Game - 6/10 Tears Dry On Their Own - 8/10 Wake Up Alone - 8/10 here you notice the editing in the vocals in the end, just like i thought i heard at an earlier song. Some Unholy War - 8/10 He Can Only Hold Her - 6,5/10 Addicted - 7/10 Valerie - 8/10 Cupid - 7/10 Monkey Man - 3/10 Some Unholy War - 6/10 Hey Little Rich Girl - 8/10 You're Wondering Now - 6/10 To Know Him Is To Love Him - 6,1/10 Love Is A Losing Game - 7/10

Excellent

It's a flawless album

Pisse lækkert, soul, rnb

Great stuff. Better than I expected (and I already thought it was good).

I think I’m a prude. I don’t really admire Winehouse’s bad person (woke man that I am) style (and substance). The musicianship is top-rate, as per her last album, and she’s undeniably one of the finest of her generation, but her message is medium-rate (even though it’s true, hence me being a prude and not wanting to look straight at the burning sun of her talent and addiction and self-destruction). This music reflecting self stuff is a hard business!

Incredible. Night and day from her earlier work. Darkness is a muse. Pain and the loss of control can make great art, but its nonrenewable fuel is the soul. This is raw and vulnerable, playful and defiant, broken and ragged. "Cry without screaming" as U2 says.... some people make their struggles so public, and the public will consume it as entertainment, applauding and calling for more.... Strangely, I wish that Tom Waits would cover this whole album....it carries his melancholy, his drunken growl, his parade of melodic persistence...

This album is excellent start to finish. It really is bittersweet as the level of fame it propelled her to was her undoing. Every day when I was taking the train to work there’d by another story tearing her down. Believe people when they tell you who they are - and on Rehab she told everyone clearly. But after its release, Amy was a force and you can see this in her performances at the time- her voice was strong and her lyrics were direct and representative of a subculture in London at the time. I love Motown and I think it was a stroke of genius to combine the wide eyed happiness and innocence of Motown with her lyrics about infidelity and drugs. Both balance each other out to keep me going back for more and it is one of the most relistenable albums for me. The production is rich and voice is powerful. I’ll go to bat for this album every day

very good album. Had this when it was released. Gone too soon

8/10

Great voice, only halfway cared for the songs I've heard, otherwise I was just waiting for this one to end.

A timeless classic - mostly because it mimicked, sampled or re-created styles and sounds from the bygone era of the 1960s Motown and Doo wop. Never been a big fan of the opening track "Rehab" for some reason. Every other track though is killer. But that opener - for better or worse - clearly prevents me from ranking this no higher than a 4.

Excellent overall. Really shows how much range and emotion she had when at her best

Pretty good, a bit sad, also drug mentions.

Good album

Such a great album !

So good. 4

Best album of all time

I never realised how angry this record is, despite the nostalgic 60s sound! The production is a beautiful remaking of the classic soul aesthetic from the hayday of Motown. At the same time, it clearly shows the troubled front woman who died far to early.

YES, QUEEN. Epic album, epic voice, epic woman.

Maybe i just don't get it, but it's just very annoying, repetitive wedding reception music and hasn't aged well at all.

Possibly, the best soul album of the 21st century (and we still have 76 years to go).

I thought I'd like this - I didn't expect to love it! Will definitely be re-listening!

Great album. It all comes together on this one with the perfect combination of styles and genres. Such an original songwriter and artist.

This album is so great. Tears dry is such a banger. No skips on this album, she is one of the best singers of our generation if not the best. Total legend

This is one of my favorite albums of all time. I will die on the hill that there’s not a bad song on this album. Top three (in order) 1. me and Mr jones 2. Tears dry on their own 3. Wake up alone

Solid but absolutely heartbreaking album. You Know I'm No Good is an all time banger. Considering all she went through, it's a bit of a miracle this album sounds so fresh despite here many issues.

It’s impossible to hear Back to Black and not think of the tragic way Amy Winehouse’s brief life ended—her struggles are woven into the DNA of every song. But there’s real joy in her work, a retro sheen to the arrangements and lyrics that deal with modern problems with a sly wink.

It’s Amy - nuff said. With a voice like that of an old soul Back To Black weaves a sad tale that is a must listen. L rates (4.5*s) J can’t disagree, solid (4.5*s)

It's Amy Winehouse, I can't even rate this objectively. The only bad thing is that she can't make any more records like this sadly. She modernized this sound so well, her witty lyrics combined with this retro vibe are a masterpiece. She's authentic and talented to the max. There's no bad songs, the whole album is a stunner further immortalized by her early demise. It only makes the whole thing that much more powerful. If you aren't bewitched by her then I know you're no good.

I like the throwback 60s style incorporation with current R&B. Amy's got an authenticity in her voice, you can feel her trials and tribulations on this album. I would have liked to have seen her try a Bond intro. Very short lived talent, too bad she hit the bottle so hard...2.55.

Despite her star status and the impact of her death I somehow managed to miss all of Amy's career so this is my first exposure to Amy Winehouse beyond the single Rehab which was a huge hit upon release. Back to Black isn't what I expected for some reason. It's not a bad album by any means but it was more lounge-act than I expected it to be. It's clear she is a talented and tortured vocalist but overall it didn't do much to resonate with me. In the wake of her death she was hailed as an icon and a "wasted talent" but I didn't have any familiarity so she was just shelved as another tragic rock star story. I'm probably not the target demographic for this album so despite its reputation its not something I think I'll be listening to any time soon. Relatively straight down the middle marks from me. 2.5 stars

It's a 3.5.

4-

1. rehab - 1.5 2. no good - 1.5 3. mr jonez - 1.5 4. juzt friendz - 1 5. black - 2 6. lozing game - 1 7. tearz - 1 8. alone - 1.5 9. uuar - 1 10. hold her - 1 11. addicted - 1

brilliant

I love a couple of the songs and enjoy the funky vibe of the rest.

i think i prefer Frank, but this is undeniably great too. such a shame we lost her so soon.

Ach, I’m so torn. I wasn’t feeling this so much today for some reason. Yet I have listened to it multiple times. I kind of want to give it a 4.5. She was such a talent

Lleno de clasicos y una Amy que gritaba sus letras con amor. Gran disco 8/10

Incredible soul pop album. Mark Ronson really cooked, and Amy of course.

Good performances from Amy. Not my favorite thing in the world but it was alright. Cool!

What a great album. Tears Dry On Their Own and Love Is A Losing Game are stand outs for me and a record that is crammed with other great songs. Such a shame she died so young, definitely an artist that makes you think “ I wonder what she’d be doing now…”

I really did not care for the radio hits from this album at the time. Rehab was so annoying to me when it came out. The production on this album is really interesting. It has a fuzzy feel to it which makes it sound like a lower quality recording which makes it feel older. I'm sure that was intentional and I'm not sure how I feel about it. The audiophiles online seem upset by it calling it "unlistenable". I don't mind it too much but I do think with her voice, it would have been better to have a cleaner sound. Overall this is a great album. It's a shame Amy Winehouse died so young.

What a rad album. It's a bonafide blues and jazz record. Really instrumentation, cool brass, bass lines and keys. She also kind of experiments with some ska and dancehall elements. But really, its Amy's voice that ties it all together and brings the heat. Did Adele market correct her after she died? Did Amy Winehouse die so Adele could run? Her voice really hits all ranges of emotion from sadness and pain, to joy and laughter. This album is really varied in that nature. Its fun, but never overly poppy. I really enjoyed. I wish there were more artists that were doing this kind of music today.

Everything in this album sounds amazing from the energetic bright horns to the crisp reverb and clean tremolo tone of the guitar, the drum sounds and the RnB bass, it's a great recreation of the classic soul band recording which sets the stage for a stunning singing performance. Hugely charismatic and inviting. Amy Winehouse's voice is warm and coarse and covers a huge range of tone and emotion - in the tradition of great soul singers, she aspires to a model that's come before but adds her own 21st c contribution to that lineage in the lyrics and delivery. Used to be very overplayed, but it was so good to return to after a couple years not putting it on.

Dark poppy fun

Songs are decent, but I really don’t get why she gets so much praise. It’s not like she arranged the songs and everything.

Good blend of older and newer styles. My favourite would be Tears Dry On Their Own. I didn't used to like her very much. It turned out I had to get used to her voice. It's quite distinct.

I used to kinda dislike her due to only knowing 'Rehab', drug addiction and stuff but wow this album really changed my mind. Gone too soon RIP. High 4

Even with how long this list is, there can only be so many artists. Especially since so many of these have multiple noteworthy albums. But I still regularly take issue with some of the choices they made. But Amy Winehouse is an artist who I will fully get behind. She only got the chance to release two full length albums. Both of which deserve a place on this list. The more people that can be educated on this incredible woman’s career, the better. I thought Frank was a solid album. Maybe a little dated, but still worthwhile. The fusion between trip-hop elements and soul that they created for that record was cool to hear. But the former element was entirely abandoned for this follow-up. Instead, they fully embraced all of the soul and pop stuff. And it’s clear right from the start that this was a smart decision. Amy immediately feels right at home. And her voice is every bit as fantastic as it was on the debut. This may also be the first album I’ve heard that was produced by Mark Ronson. Dude has done some really great work, especially on this record. I’ll also mention Salaam Remi, who contributed just as much as Ronson, and did a lot of work with other 2000s artists who were very much inspired by Amy. This album feels the marriage of two time periods in the best way possible. It’s so reminiscent of the 60s, but has a fantastic modern coat of paint. And this is aided by the incredible Dap-Kings backing her. This also contains easily some of Amy’s most dramatic and emotionally open pieces of music she ever wrote, covering some very mature themes. Most of which were inspired by her relationship at the time, and him leaving to pursue his previous partner. Many of these songs are iconic, and they don’t overstay their welcome. It’s a well paced album, and one that everyone should hear. Amy’s story is one that far too many people can relate to, and unfortunately like her, many of them are not here to speak for themselves anymore. But we can continue to honor her legacy by listening to the wonderful art she put out during her short-lived, but stellar career. Rating: 8/10

really enjoyed my time with this one. obviously amy winehouse was a terrific vocalist and she is putting on quite the performance here. i really loved the throwback soul sound that the production employs here - one of the songs even interpolates marvin gaye and tammi terrell's 'ain't no mountain high enough.' for me, i think what keeps this album in the good-not-great territory is the crop of songs here. there are two songs i think i would consider great - 'rehab' and the title track. the rest of the songs are somewhere between fine enough and good. nothing really stands out from the pack. that isn't to say the songs are bad, i just didn't find them interesting enough to bump them up to the great territory.

Favourite Song: You Know I'm No Good

Okay, this is a sound I can dig. I've heard plenty of great things about Amy Winehouse, but this is my first real experience with her music, and it was incredible. The sound is obviously inspired by 50s and 60s girl groups, and we hear plenty of elements carried over: lush horn sections, backing harmonies, a soulful lead vocalist, clapping, a light acoustic drum in the rhythm section... man, what else could you ask for? The compositions themselves are so darn memorable and present a great album experience, with energetic highs and lows creating the ideal journey for the listener. Rehab, my personal favourite and arguably the catchiest track, is placed at the beginning – exactly where it should be. The team behind this album deserves several pats on the back for doing their darn homework. I guess the only things I would improve are the production (sometimes the volume maxes out and causes some distortion) and Winehouse's singing, which has that heavily-accented twang that makes her, and hundreds of other 21st-century singers, sound kind of tipsy. (See: the track Love Is A Losing Game, where she sounds very drunk the entire time – but then, maybe that's exactly the point.) But never fear! These don't take away from the music very much. Bangers up and down. An easy 5. 5/5 Key tracks: Rehab, You Know I'm No Good, Back To Black, He Can Only Hold Her

Good .

Great voice, great lyrics, great tunes. 'Nuff said.

This was a bit of a change from the debut album Frank, but it really works. Yes, the music style isn't groundbreaking, but excellently executed with well written lyrics and score. 5/5

I had never actually gotten around to hearing this album. I had heard the single for decades. I quite enjoyed it and I will keep it in the shuffle

What an album! I already knew a lot of these songs, and the others were just as good! Grew up with a lot of these songs, but never truly appreciated how good they were until I was older 5 ⭐️

Probablemente, el mejor álbum de Amy Winehouse. Tan solo 36 minutos de duración, pero ningún segundo sobrante. Una producción prístina, una performance envidiable y composiciones que vivirán por siempre en el inconsciente colectivo. El pop "retro" de Winehouse prueba que los géneros pueden reinterpretarse constantemente y proliferar en el panorama pop global.

really good

Es una locura cuando piensas que este es apenas su segundo disco, tan solo su segundo disco y con todo, había tal nivel de expresividad y emoción en su música que este es unos de los discos más importantes de la historia. No es mi género, pero sin duda lo disfruté.

There are songs on this album that absolutely make you understand why Amy winehouse is an icon such a limited career. It's impossible to listen to it without knowing how it all turns out

A modern classic.

Was waffling back and forth between my long-standing 4 stars and a high 3.5, but the highlights are too damn good for me to consider changing now. I could probably live with a nice compilation of my favorites between this and Frank, but overall, I just think she was an amazing talent and I wish we could have seen where she'd go from here. 4/5

ill come running through the suits, the empty elevators, concrete portraits and tarmac carpets, through the meaninglessness, empty utterance and growing ambivalence, loneliness and resin pit homegrown masks, ill come running til my legs turn to weakness

wonderful album, had never heard it before now.

Really lovely from start to finish. Such a shame that the world lost out on more music from Amy.

A Good one

sorry amy I don’t fw the vocals but the song back to black is a BANGER

This is a far, far better Winehouse album than her first. She's more confident, and although Mark Ronson is all over the sound like a rash, she seems more comfortable with what he has to say.

Amy was a fantastic talent, enjoyed this — but not absolute top tier songwriting or poetry for me. Stylish as, though.

3.5

album davvero fantastico. lei perfetta, non sbaglia una canzone. otitmo anche se non mio stile, 5 stelle assicurate.

OK but not really deserving of all the hyoe.

Favourite songs: Rehab, Back to Black, Tears Dry On Their Own Least favourite songs: Just Friends, Some Unholy War 3/5

Love this album. Was so devastated when she passed away, I already had the tickets to see her at a festival

I remember listening to this on repeat with my mother on the way to school.

Somewhere in between genius and underwhelming. I only knew her hits - which are fantastic - and expected more of the same. Unfortunately, that was not often enough delivered. Instead, a few songs seem very artificial and bland. I still heard some hidden gems in there. 3.5/5

Good album, but I'm not as blown as I expected to be. I only knew her everyone-knows-this hits, which are great, but I was slightly underwhelmed by the rest of the album. 3.5/5, I enjoyed the listen, but it's unlikely I'll listen to any of the non-hit songs again out of my own volition.

She oozes with style . Such a unique album for its time. 3/5 Might listen again.

Masterpiece. It’s a shame we only got one album from her, but knowing her story I kind of wish this one wasn’t even born.

This album rules. Love the entire vibe of it. It loses a bit of steam at the end, and it's not the most dynamic (as plenty of songs sound like others). But it's so good, man.

Rarely does such a swingin' & soulful album of pure vulnerability & self-awareness exists. It is challenging at times to understand the inner mind of someone in such a tumultuous roller coaster of a life, struggling with decision-making that from the outside, seems so erratic. But here it is perfectly on display, fully produced by a soulful Mark Ronson with the Dap-Kings. He's captured this romantic & explosive creative spirit who won't hesitate to choose oblivion if her standards of independence & authenticity aren't met. A beautiful & tragic document that you can dance to, and still hits every time. Also there is Ghostface Killah coming in at the last minute and a half, which is aesthetically kind of weird considering there isn't any other rap on the album. It nonetheless works however, because it is Ghostface and just kind of makes me want a whole secret Amy & Ghostface side project to drop one day.

Great album

Beautiful, love her voice. Too bad her addiction and POS dad cut her short.

Perfect album. Rip 😞

rehab

It’s not only the amazing talents of Amy Winehouse but the brilliant production that makes this record sound both new and fresh plus classic at the same time!

A major step up in quality of both songwriting and production from "Frank" - on the whole I think the Ronson produced tracks are the superior ones.of the lesser known tracks, I liked "He Can Only Hold Her". Good stuff.

another member of the 27 club, and still we can't get the kardashians in a helicopter. she had an amazing voice, and definitely channeled some old-school stuff that really worked for her - etta james & otis redding spring to mind. her style isn't really for me, but i definitely see why people loved her.

Love this record. Everything about it , her voice, the music , the sounds. Classic record. Back to black is a classic track

she did something, she did a sound but not mine

Really solid! Enjoyed this the whole way through. Not sure how often I’ll go back to it, but she was a legend for a reason.

HOLD UP! his writing is this fire?

Heck Yeah.

Excellent!

Excellent. Best tracks are Rehab, Tears Dry On Their Own, Back To Black and You Know I’m No Good, but the rest of the album is great too 4/5

Press play

Album is too good man

Like, I get it, but it's not for me.

Nice

The well-known songs - Rehab, Back to Black, a couple whose names I never learned - have kept their hooks in my memory, proof of Winehouse’s chops as this is of the aimless movement of movements that mark its era, artists that called back to greats with pantomime. In trying to sound both old and modern, the production has the chintzy artificiality of a badly retouched photo, Vanilla Ice pasted into the Yalta Conference. Back to the Future did it better. Amy Winehouse was smart and witty with a jet plane voice that can still ambush with lines that shiv. Early on she appeared on a kid’s show play-acting in a butchers: “I always wanted to work with meat!” I immediately liked her, though not the music. She was treated disgracefully in ways that were obvious at the time and this record heralds trauma with a vuvuzela.

This is horrible - hate her voice and the shitty mock-60's production. I left the UK before her heyday, fortunately, so didn't quite know what to expect but got something even worse than her debut we were forced through a while ago. Mercifully brief, it appears the inspiration for this nonsense was the Artful Dodger from a borstal production of "Oliver!", which seems fitting.

Felt repetitive but overall very good. Rehab is not my favorite but it’s very catchy so I think it lores the audience into the rest of the album which I ultimately find to be a lot better

Classic. Love it.

I won’t see the movie, love & respect ya too much <3

Meghan Trainor music if it was good

Still think she was massively over-rated. But this was pretty good to listen to without the hype behind it.

Her voice is so emotional, and the production is gorgeous but I wished for the raw edges of Frank.

Her incredible voice and swagger, blended with such cool retro sounds of soul, jazz and blues, made this a truly one-of-a-kind album.

This album is very good, just not a sound I generally enjoy.

This is an exceptional album - her voice is full of character and flawless in the execution, but it's the production that makes this feel relatively fresh despite being a genre that's been done to death.

trabalho foda. gosto muito

She had a great voice, but a tragic life. I still don’t like this record.

Loved the first disc, not so much the second.

Nice

Great voice, great rhythm, great lyrics, overall great music.

Nice production and voice, but they don't add up to anything particularly compelling.

So ein Talent. Viel zu früh von uns gegangen.

I don't have much to add to the review currently topping this section (as of June 2024). This is not a *perfect* album, but the peaks on it (exactly half of the tracklist: "Rehab", "You Know I"m No Good", "Back In Black", "Tears Dry On Their Own", and "He Can Only Hold Her"--plus bonus track "Addicted") make it worth the price of admission. And if the rest is slighly less impressive (more by-the-book reenactments of old soul / classic rhythm'n'blues shenanigans, with a tinge of Jamaican music sometimes), it's still enjoyable overall. Add the iconic figure that Amy Winehouse was, plus her idiosyncratic lyrics and phrasing, and surely, you have an "essential album". 2006 didn't have a lot to offer when it came to up-and-coming artists. Without Amy, it would not have been the same 4/5 for the purposes of this list. 9/10 for more general purposes (5+4). Number of albums left to review: 149 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 367 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 216 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 272

Look, she’s really good at what she does, as are all the other musicians involved, but it’s not really original or innovative is it?

I've always loved this album. She had an amazing voice and was such a great performer. Her life is a sad story and I feel like listening to this album you can hear all sides - her struggles, hopefulness, longing for help, striving for independence, maintaining dependence on others, wanting to improve, wanting to stay as is. I mean really that all shows up in just Rehab. It's a brilliant record and was made that much more meaningful after her death. I wish we had more performers like Amy Winehouse around today. 5/5

Amy Winehouse's Back to Black marks a noticeable improvement over her debut album Frank, presenting a more accessible and polished sound. Embracing a 1960s girl group vibe, the album benefits from Mark Ronson's tight production, which keeps the arrangements focused and cohesive. Tracks like Rehab and Tears Dry on Their Own stand out with their catchy hooks and memorable melodies. However, Winehouse's vocal stylings remain polarizing; her dramatic delivery can sometimes overshadow the music itself. For fans of retro-soul, Back to Black is a solid addition to the genre. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 3 STAND OUT TRACK - Some Unholy War

Das ist ein Klassiker grandiose Stimme, der man alles abnimmt.

just wonderful. a talent we haven't seen the likes of since, her voice is just unreal. perfection

minder mig om min mor hehe. nostalgisk. 90% på grund af gode minder fra at høre det i vores gamle bil og stue, at dette får 4/5 <3

Blurred snapshots from a slow-motion train wreck. Listening today, in a far different musical landscape than 2006, the freshness of the approach and genre is not so readily apparent, but that makes the pain from which the music emerged more immediate. The well known hits still play well and the lesser known title track shines when put into it's context. The overall derivative approach, simply borrowing riffs, hooks and melodies from older music, is also more in your face when you hear all the songs together. Some of the music feels like you walked into a set halfway through a song and then wandered back out, with things feeling slightly incomplete. Overall, knowing that she would die just a few years later, the album hits slightly different.

Back to black is soulful and almost makes a jazz fan out of an anything-but-jazz listener like me.

Unique style and talent …. Would’ve liked to see a catalog of 20 albums over a full career ….

So “Back To Black” by Amy Winehouse was one of those “captured lightning in a bottle” albums IMO… It is one of those efforts where everything just came together to fit together so perfectly, and the result was an absolutely exceptional album… The combination of Amy’s amazing song writing (i.e. Amy genuinely sharing her autobiographical anguish and vulnerabilities related to a challenging relationship and her mental illness and substance abuse issues…), a unique and perfect musical style as a backdrop for those songs, and her emotional vocal delivery, was one of those rare recipe’s that was likely never to be repeated… “Rehab” & “Back To Black” are clearly the best tracks IMO, but there is not a throwaway track on the album – although the last song “Addicted” is probably the weakest lyrically – though it is genuine… The raw emotion that comes through on this album, both the lyrically and via her vocal delivery, is definitely the highlight of the album… When this album came out, no one had recorded that style of 60’s “pop and soul” music in over 40 years, so it sounded incredibly fresh and unique in 2006 – which made it easy for the album to stand out, and then the lyrics, vocals, and the picture that was painted did the rest of the work… Also pretty eerie to have such an amazing album laying all of this out in advance of her untimely demise a few years later… For the uniqueness of the musical backdrop for these songs, along with the raw and genuine lyrics – combined with the perfect emotional vocal delivery, lead to a perfect “imperfect” album in my eyes – and one of the rare 5’s that I give out…

soothing and enjoyable while still fun and loosy goosy (i don't know why but that phrase makes me think of amy winehouse) - also a lot of fucks.

After listening to Back To Black, I can absolutely say it was nothing like what i was expecting. I was expecting a more pop oriented album since that's the kind of vibe Amy Winehouse gave me (prior to seriously listening to any of her music) but it ended up being a more jazzy soul like album and honestly, i think its great for that. The songs here sounded pretty dark at points but managed to stay catchy and fun and also had Amy do some really good singing. The album was also the perfect length, long enough to sink in but not so long that it becomes tedious. This is definitely a great album. Best Song: Back To Black Worst Song: Rehab

This album is fine, and I clearly recognize the talent, but I was never a fan of Amy Winehouse, mostly because I just am not a fan of this style of music or what she is trying to recreate. I can understand, though, how someone into old R&B and Soul music would like her modern-retro take on the genre/style.

First album from the 21st century I've had on the list. I've heard a few of the songs before but never the entire album. I recognised more of the songs than I expected to. I remember hearing some of them on the radio when I was very young. I really enjoyed it. Such a powerful and expressive voice. The instrumentals are just as impressive, combining sounds and styles from previous decades with 00s. Highlights: Rehab You Know I'm No Good Back To Black Tears Dry On Their Own

Definitely a nice record. I probably rate her other one "Frank" too high just based on how good her voice was cause there are better / more memorable songs on this one and she's singing just as good.

I'm not surprised but there's more chops here than the tabloid view of her suggests. The vibe she's grabbing is older but she's doing it really well. Tons of feeling and the instrumental work has all the flourishes to accent what she's bringing so smoothly. I always like an artist who feels real and this album carries emotion. Great vocal talent too, especially in her ability to go from almost silent to powerful in the same bar. I'll likely listen to this again.

This is a really listenable album. Her vocals are interesting enough to grab attention and the writing is captivating. The production sounds great. The music itself is played too safe and sometimes forgettable. Not sure if this belongs here but kudos too whoever put Ghostface Killah on the "You Know I'm No Good" remix

Fav: Tears Dry On Their Own Least Fav: Wake Up Alone

Not my favourite. It was pleasant, but didn't really scratch any itches. Would listen to as background music, but not something I'd reach for when wanting to actively listen to music

80/100

It remains hard for me to listen to this album and not just feel like its talent abused and ultimately wasted.

The album vibe is not really for me; favourite track is probably the titular one

🎙👠🌃🥃 highlights: love is a losing game. see also: nina simone, amy (2015).

This is the greatest album ever made. It's number 1 on this list fs!

This is one of my favorite albums of all time. Most played vinyl I have in my collection probably. Gone too soon.

A true classic sound with a very modern edge for the time. We lost a unique voice when we lost amy

Pretty good album, but I expected a little more after hearing so much about it. Some of the songs start to sound the same after a while, but that is okay, because they are still good songs.

3.5/5

A classic 60's style R&B/Soul album, with the odd reggae track "Just Friends". The lady sure can sing, but ultimately, it all depends on whether or not you're a fan of this style of music.

Never understood the hype. Edgy lyrics & nice voice, Just not for me RIP.

Best sou from last 20 years

UMA OBRA DE ARTE

What a voice! What great songs. What might have been? I was slightly disappointed by the recording and production, all the character in the brass and strings has been "filed down" somehow, leaving just the sound with none of the transients. Could have been virtual instruments for all you can tell.

Hard to know what was a bigger hindrance on Amy Winehouse's career - her alcoholism or Salaam Remi's production. Thank god the Ronson tracks are immaculate, at least.

Not a fan of the weird reworking of Ain't No Mountain in "Tears Dry on their Own" but overall the album is a great throwback of old school type soul. None of these songs are that happy, but the horn arrangements make up for it.

Pobre mujer ... Rehab.

Fantastic album, great songs throughout, definitely a 5 star album. HIGHLIGHTS: Rehab, Tears Dry On Their Own, Back to Black, Wake Up Alone MEH: Just Friends

The Biopic about her is a Crime. Doesnt do Justice to a complex Woman Like Amy Winehouse

Liked song Back to Black

Great album. So much emotion. But if you don’t like her voice then you won’t like it.

A true gem!

I like it!

Day 20 of listening to 1001 albums, one day at a time. Amy Whinehouse was truly one of those artist that was gone way to soon. This album articulates how great of a singer and writer she was. Her openness talking about her addictions and relationships. The way she can manipulate her voice so perfectly for every song. It’s just sad we didn’t get to see more from her.

Ah Amy. One I actually bought way back before we could stream everything. So yes, this is my cup of tea.

An icon of the 2000s. Amy is greatly missed today, for her originality and talent. Back To Black is certainly one of the 5 best albums of the 2000s. The rating will be nothing other than 5 stars.

I was really unsure on this one. I heard a lot of reviews at the time and requests from her father to not buy it. The idea was it was glamorizing addiction and furthering her self-destructive habits. First, to me it does not glamorize addiction, there is a lot of sadness and bluntness behind her music. To some it may be glamorizing but in reality it is just her speaking about her life. For her family, I understand the concerns and can only imagine the difficulty they deal with when it comes to losing their daughter to such a difficult disease. In the end this was a dark beautiful album that reflects on a life full of hard times.

She has one of the most soulful, sultry, & sensual voices ever. I think I'm in love with her classic 50's/60's soul jazz rock vibe thing. Makes her dreamy and timeless. Great instrumentation too. She's working with some talented musicians that really know how to work a song. Beautiful recording. Amy really sings about the drama. She's bold and unapologetically herself which gives the poetry alot of depth.... like I'm swimming in it and trying not to drown. Favorites: You Know I'm No Good, Back to Black, Tears Dry on Their Own, Addicted

I dig the lounge act vibe of this. Nothing totally knocked my socks off, but it was a cool album.

Back to Black is a great soul and RnB album. The voice of Amy is just fantastic. In retrospect the lyrics in a lot of the songs are really sad.

Cardinal sin: never do a Marvin Gaye interpolation. Similar to the Adele but probably better so I say 4. Don’t rly think it’s a top 10 all time album @apple While I think this sounds good, the failed Marvin/hitsville interpolation demonstrates some of my issues with this record. Did this song sound better than the original? No. Did it do anything to push the boundaries of this kind of music in anyway? I don’t think so. It’s good for an early 2000s pop record, but if we actually want to put it up against some classic mowtown and soul music this falls short. Perhaps I need to listen to this when I’m sadder or get broken up with, but after listening I put on some Marvin Gaye, and it’s significantly better. I guess I’m just arguing against apple and some rediculous straw man , but whatever

I don't love a lot of 60s retro music. Sometimes throwback artists seem to prioritize perfecting the sound/production and end up with a general imitation of an entire era and nothing distinct enough to make it memorable. Not with Amy. This album would sound fresh no matter what year it was released. Hard to believe it's approaching its 20th anniversary. The live version of Valerie on the deluxe edition is so intimate and sounds incredible. This record is between a 4 and 5 for me so I'll just go ahead and give it 5.

good record.

Gem of an album, gem of an artist. Will forever wonder where her artistry would have gone all these years. She's dearly missed.

Very good. Great voice. Although I swear this album already popped up on this list? What am I thinking of? I didn’t know (or simply forgot) The Dap-Kings were the band on this album.

If you ignore the tabloid background nipping at the heels of this album, not to mention the tragic end of the artist herself, we’re left with a pretty good throwback to the sixties, a solid soul record with an incredible band. I try but I have trouble not comparing this unfavorably to the Dap-Kings other work with Sharon Jones. Which, I understand, almost nothing is going to hold up to scrutiny when compared to Sharon Jones. This is a very good record though.

Really good and really sad. It’s a shame that she didn’t come out the other side of what she was going through. This had a bunch of great music on it, but couldn’t quite get to a five for me, for whatever reason. She deserves all the accolades and recognition she got.

Her voice and music is still not my thing, but I enjoyed this more than Frank. 2.5/5

Absolute classic, but I don't want to let the nostalgia tint my ratings!

This is just a solid as hell album, what more can I say. Great vocals, great lyrics, and groundbreaking genre blending. Amy truly was a huge loss from the world, she deserved better and we all deserved more from her.

Very good album, always a pleasure to listen to it every now and then. Also, pretty consistent, almost any song can be a single.

I like it, nice album 😊

Top 10 album of all time? It’s ok. I do get the timeless appeal of her voice, but I have no desire to listen to it again.

Undeniable talent and some really good music, but I isn’t really connect with this one. Good listen, but perhaps a bit too retro without enough innovation to really capture my interest and imagination?

These are the Winehouse songs I know and love!

Schöner Soul.

One of the greatest albums ever made. I’m not normally one for pastiche, but there’s something forward-thinking about Amy Winehouse’s (and Mark Ronson’s) interpretation of retro soul that’s crasser, more biting, and more honest. It’s not reverent, it’s referential. While I personally don’t return to the ballads like “Love Is A Losing Game” and “Wake Up Alone” as much as I do the upbeat kiss-offs of “Me & Mr. Jones” or “Tears Dry On Their Own,” there is absolutely no flaw on this album, especially on a full listen. Timeless in all the right ways, with a little something for everyone, for every mood and every occasion.

Great voice, amazing arrangements, it was very good overall. My only complaint, some of the songs were a bit boring after a while, there was no variation.

I remember when this album was released and feeling like it had a throwback sound to it. Years later it seems the wow factor has been faded into feeling like it wasnt anything innovative, just borrowed from the past. Still has a couple catchy songs that are fun to listen to.

Unique beautiful voice. Was Amy Winehouse the best at this style? Probably not, but she was the only mainstream artist doing it at the time. Her addiction made her a stumbling mumbling mess and stole every bit of promise from her.

Really liked this. I had added this album to favorites after listening to the first Amy Winehouse album (Frank) on here. Will definately be listening again to both in the future.

Better than average

What a waste. She could have been so good if she had lived. But at least we got one great album. So soulful. Just a beautiful record.

Dit moet ik zelfs niet luisteren om een 10 te geven. Vanaf 'Rehab' tot 'Addicted', Back To Black is een perfect album. De productie is top, natuurlijk dankzij Salaam Remi en Mark Ronson. Back To Black, het nummer, is een ultieme classic, Tears Dry On Their Own een blijtschijfke, You Know I'm No Good een meezinger, Wake Up Alone is tekstueel diep en dan heb je zelfs nog Rehab, de grote hit en Love Is A Losing Game, een fan's favorite. Op het moment dat ik dit schrijf, is het 25/05/2024, heb ik BTB al even op vinyl en dit is nr. 1.

I love the singles off this album (except ‘Love is a Losing Game’). ‘Tears Dry on Their Own’ is AMAZING. However, overall, while I found the music itself interesting and I think Winehouse is a talented lyricist, this album simply didn’t appeal to me. I preferred ‘Frank’.

Great album but so sad what happened to her

i've been wanting to listen to amy winehouse for a while now! her vocals are incredible, and her lyrics have both humor and tragedy. i like the jazzy, jukebox feel to these songs. her style is iconic, i didnt realize i had already heard snippets of some of these songs before and didn't know they were by amy winehouse. i read up on her history and it seems like she was truly a lovely person, just with many struggles, and that's reflected in her music. RIP 💔 i personally liked this album but it's not a 5 star for me.

I was a little disappointed with this album. Winehouse had such a great voice, but other than Rehab, there wasn't much there for me. I did like the deluxe version, which included·lots of covers like Valerie - one of my favourites by her. Anyway, it's a case of love the voice, don't love the songs. Liked songs added: - Rehab

Such a great album.

Nonaned extreme stimme undso und crazy album aber halt jz auch eher nit so catchy -- würd i wieder anhören aber nit wirklich täglich

I have obviously heard a few of these songs before, but I never sat down and listened to the entire album. I like it, I can see why she was so well loved at the height of her popularity. The instrumentation is nice I like the variety of sound between tracks. It’s not an album I will likely go back and revisit on my own, but I wouldn’t be upset if someone decided to put it on.

I’d never listened to this album way thru. She has a great voice and the first two songs are stand out singles, but I wasn’t totally moved by the album as a whole. I wish the whole album hadn’t been pieced together at different studios with different producers. It’s kind of messy and isn’t cohesive. The Dap Tones are amazing as always, but this is the first album we’ve heard that I don’t think belongs on this list.

I think this a good to great album. I didn't know until reading the notes today that The Dap-Kings were Amy's backing band -- and that makes so much sense! I am sucker for the R&B/Soul revival and is one of the best in the genre!

Lots of familiar songs, more than I anticipated. Really enjoyed it, but most likely won’t visit it again anyways.

I was promised a unique modern spin on soul music, and that's exactly what I got. The vocals and the horn section are great. But the songs are a bit too real.

eh..

not a big fan of the do wop revival from this period, but this album had a few great songs on it. can see why millenials ate this shit up

Amy Winehouse greier det som få er forunt: Smelte sammen tidligere musikkstiler, her spesielt swing og soul, inn i det moderne musikkbildet. Godt hjulpet av bl.a. Mark Ronson, som senere gjorde det samme med Bruno Mars. Plata i sin helhet er veldig, og det er som alltid imponerende å ha flere låter som er så sterke at de står seg alene. Spesielt viktig er albumet også for å åpne opp for senere artister, men foreløpig så står det seg allikevel veldig godt. Dette er en veldig sterk 4er, og jeg har full forståelse for de som vil gi det 5.

It was okay, but I was hoping/expecting to like it more

There is no doubt Amy Winehouse had talent. Her lyrics are very specific and laced with "after-sight is 20/20" wisdom of her untimely demise. She had that strong jazzy voice and it fit her song qualities well. I am angry with those around her who were enablers and profited from her state of being. I am angry that those closest to her were not able to say "you've gotta' step off this crazy train." And, I am angry with her. Just as I am with so many bright shining stars that take their own lives (intentionally or not). And... I am angry with a system that overvalues worth by dedicaton to work, skills, or financial success and undervalues mental health entirely. Oh but she died young (!) PR gold! Somebody "wins" ...

Amy Winehouse recreates the classic soul sound very faithfully but also turns it into something fresh and modern. A lot of that updating comes from her lyrics. I love the line “What kind of fuckery is this?” on “Me & Mr. Jones.” It's something that could have obviously never been on an older soul song but also doesn't feel out of place either. The retro soul sound runs through the album but each song has its own distinct flavor. I like the reggae bounce on "Just Friends." And man, I love the soaring doo wop of “Tears Dry On Their Own.” The production on this album is fantastic. So many classic songs on here -- "Rehab," "You Know I'm No Good," "Back to Black" -- but the album tracks are excellent too. This is such an easy album to listen to. It's full of raw emotion, big hooks and excellent backing music. A classic without question and a pleasure to return to.

When this album art appears, I let out a sad groan alongside a "Oh Amy"; as if she was a first-name-basis friend of mine. As if I could walk around my wife and friends and randomly bring up "Amy" and they would know that I mean this person. When I type Winehouse on this computer, the last name doesn't come up as a typo on my browser's spell checker- because it's been long ago added to my browser's cached dictionary. I can't help but feel an oxymoronic excited sadness, as I'm about to dive into one of my favorite albums that always makes me sad. It's going for a walk in a beautiful park when the forecast says there's rain coming shortly after. When this album stops I'll be sad. I wrote a similar note for "Frank", way back as our 21st generated album on this project, and it hasn't changed- not that I thought it would. Enough about me and my experience. Amy is amazing, Back to Black is amazing, and she should be celebrated. There's so much to immediately be attracted to with this sound. The music is tight and calculated, while also loose and flexible. Her voice is sultry, evocative, and playful. The lyrics are deeper than your standard run of the mill pop; they delve mostly into her substance abuse issues and relationship nuances, and also throw some edgier wordplay out there to keep you on your feet. "He left no time to regret, kept his dick wet with his same old safe bet." What a starting line for a song. Frankly, she could sing about a pile of dirt and I'd still be enthralled. After 20 years of playing guitar (and without trying to sound too pompous) I've probably forgotten how to play more songs on the instrument than most people have learned on it. With that being said, a song like "Back to Black" is one of a very few that I will never forget how to play; it will be something I can pull out and jam until the day I die or the day my fingers stop moving. It's masterfully written in every single way. It's written for the listener to hear and enjoy, it's written for the guitarists and instrumentalists to play and have fun, it's written for the producers and engineers to tweak and nudge and adjust and smile while doing it, and it's written for a master vocalist to excitedly perform and embrace the otherworldly feeling of when a human being taps into the magic of authentic music. I genuinely feel that there are acts that transcend music, and then acts that transcend that group. It's a small amount of people, in modern days I'm thinking Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, The Beatles. Give Amy a few more years on this earth to make a few more records and to "wow" the masses for a little longer and she is in that group. Hell she might even be there for me personally.

Gone too soon. Classic.

-The only songs I'm 100% sure I know are the title track & "Rehab", though I've been looking forward to hearing this for a while now. (Frank [2003] was 497 albums-a-day ago :0) -ok, I also know "Tears Dry On Their Own". Classic - a Sunday comfort listen, at least as much as it can be knowing her tragic decline after Back to Black's release. I've never been the biggest fan of Winehouse's tunes, but I recognize greatness when I see it. HL: title track, “Tears Dry On Their Own”, “Rehab”, “He Can Only Hold Her”, “Addicted” (bonus track, not on the CD copy I found) May 19, 2024

Such a different album when it first came out. Starts out really strong. I do think that it ends kind of weak. Her voice and persona are so unique. It really is a shame that she passed away so young. I think she really could have made some great music.

biblical

A contralto masterpiece of love and pain. Exceptionally emotional songwriting and one of the best vocal performances of all time. Listened to: at home. Favorite tracks: You Know I'm No Good, Some Unholy War, Back to Black

An endearing yet very melancholic soul record written in the aftermath of a recent breakup, and Amy really sells it with her truly one-of-a-kind voice. There's a strong tenacity to the singing along with the instrumentals that leads to a pretty consistently great listen, even if I find the tracklist to be fairly front-loaded.

Not my jam. But there's def more to AW than I thought. I can totally see how she played a part in the British white lady soul thing. I liked the earlier album more I think.

one of the greatest to ever do it...the singles from this album go so crazy hard. incredibly nostalgic for me. faves: you know i'm no good, some unholy war

Debated if this is a 4.5 or a 5 star situation but there’s really only one appropriate rating for an album that has Rehab, You Know I’m No Good, Me & Mr. Jones, Back to Black, Tears Dry On Their Own (one of my favorite 200 songs probably), and Some Unholy War. We love you Amy Winehouse, we love you Back to Black!!!!

A great album but marred but Amy's sadness. You can hear it in her voice making it not as full or vibrant as her first. Hauntingly good, but not her best I think.

I actually liked this album more than I thought. Her voice and this jazz like sound was really impressive.

I understand that sometimes using a major key can work with sad, depressing lyrics but it didn’t here. Also, it is sad that she was mocking people who were trying to stop her from killing herself. This is straight up one of the most depressing albums EVER

Her voice reminded me a lot of Adele, which was nice. Both her voice and musical style were very enjoyable along with the overall feel of the album but I can’t rate this higher than a 3 because of the lyrics. They’re so sad especially in light of how soon after this she died of the very life she was condoning in this album. If the lyrics had a better purpose to them this would probably be getting a 4.

overall I really enjoyed this album. love the Motown/jazz/throwback sound. she's got a great voice & talent at expressing herself through lyrics. that rawness with lyrics is quite a contrast to the music (I enjoyed it). given how her life ended though, it does come across pretty bleak and sad

Tales of self-destruction, booze & drugs, and failed relationships set to neo-soul music that doesn't sound like it could have come from 2006. What sets this album apart is that she is a phenomenal singer. There are so many singers who write songs about drinking and cheating, but none of them sound like Amy Winehouse.

Like the other record by Winehouse, her voice is amazing, but the retro sounding songs with modern language are not interesting to me. It just does not sound genuine.

I had never listened to any of her songs besides the super famous ones so this was cool

amy winehouse is the most prevalent example of needing to look into a discog. all her hits are good ofc but when u listen to her bsides and less streamed tracks you get such a bigger look into how gifted of a artist she was.

Simply simply lovely 4/5

Rehab was very catchy, albeit tragic in retrospect. The rest of the album was an interesting blend of retro sound design with modern, dumpster fire lyrics. I'm usually a fan of the later, but it mostly didn't click with me here. Perhaps the problem is, I can't help but compare her to Lana Del Rey. And compared to the often mercurial, vivid lyrics of Lana, Back to Black felt simplistic. There was an element of rawness that many would likely find appealing, but again, compared to 90's hip hop it wasn't that raw. Maybe taken in isolation, it's a good enough album. But I can't view it through that untainted lens.

It's good, there's nothing really wrong with it, but I just don't connect with in a way where I'm likely to come back to it in my free time.

I likey

Didn’t really appreciate this when it came out, but I really enjoyed the Motown inspired grooves, despite the lyrical content being a bit depressing when considering what became of Amy. A great album and I’ll listen again for sure

I love her music and words of the songs

I just don't have strong feelings about this.

It’s so hard for me to pick a favorite Winehouse lineup but this really might be it.

She’s just the best

Quintessential Amy, through and through. Such an incredible singer, so unique.

Beautiful and sad

RIP

I was familiar with a few songs that I sing on the regular, then there were a couple I had never heard before, but I liked pretty much all of them. You can hear how much she matured, her voice, between this album and the one we had earlier and I enjoy it quite a bit. Her style is very different but good, and it was just a good album.

It's nice to have a more-recent album in here on occasion but a little ironic this one comes dialed in with a retro sound - I like it. The music on this album is definitely more to my liking than from her first album. She still does that vocal thing I don't love (although much less on this album). I feel like I critique vocals on every album (I do) - she's got a great voice but it's her style that sometimes triggers me. The modern extension at the end of words that's hard to describe... over-vowelizing? I think it's changing her formants in the vowels. It's a choice, I don't love it. The scratchy and organic sound to the music tho - this is great and definitely overshadows any ridiculous gripes I have about vocals. Is this a mono sound on the drums? I usually hate lo-fi but it's more like a stylistic choice here. Fave tracks: "Tears Dry On Their Own" and "Back To Black." TL;DR: cool album overall (I nitpick. Vocalists hate me.) and short which really works for it - any more would be too much. 7/10 4 stars

If not the most beautiful, then one of the 5 most beautiful female vocals.

Ok!

Just a damn classic album. Been awhile since I listened to it and this was a great reason to give it another spin.

Great voice, for sure, but after a while a lot of her songs sound the same to me.

Such a talent!

Taken far too soon - great album and you can really hear the tortured soul

OH NO I HATE THIS. Does she have a good voice? Yes. Does she do anything interesting with it? No. The music is so boring. All the songs sound the same and have the same subject matter. The throwback sound isn’t good it’s so boring. When the album finished Spotify recommended Sharon Jones who is also a throwback and is also 100x better because her voice has more range and the instrumentals were fun and funky. I wonder if this is popular because of the *gasp* scandal. She’s singing like she’s from the 60s…but they didn’t talk about drugs and sex.

While running errands, I gave Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back to Black’ a listen. Her voice didn’t resonate with me, making it a bit of a challenge. I appreciate talent, but enjoyment is key in music. This reminded me of John Zorn, whose intricate music is admired by many but not for everyone. Music should resonate with the listener, and this one just didn’t click for me.

Helt ait

Sounds modern and classic at the same time, will and has aged well

Solid - in its own lane.

a rare instance where music based around a singers voice doesn’t suck. Her voice is like an instrument that adds to the rest of the band, without the rest of the band being reliant on it.

Coming into this review, I had a lot of thoughts about Amy Winehouse, but they weren't about this music. They weren't even really about her as a person, honestly. They were more about how the media in her time, specifically tabloids, treated her—as nothing more than a junkie barrelling to an early grave. Or how I assumed her biopic this year would treat her—I hear it's as "nothing more than a junkie barrelling to an early grave." Hell, I was thinking a lot about how the woman who co-presented Winehouse her GRAMMY for song of the year claimed that people like her "shouldn't be rewarded for bad behaviour." But going in with this mindset isn't fair to Winehouse. The treatment she got wasn't fair, either, and it's absolutely worth condeming, but that's not how I should be thinking about her. I should focus just on her art and what she gave the world. And what she gave the world was... Truly immaculate. A tight 35-some minutes of throwbacks to the early Motown sound and early rock n' roll. I love this kinda shit. Take it from someone who spun AN EVENING ON SILK SONIC back when it dropped, I love throwbacks so much. But not **just** throwbacks. Ones that, like the Silk Sonic mention implies, brings it into the current days. Give it up for Ronson and Salaam. They nailed the sound, but I'd never think this came out any earlier than the 2000s. Even when all I knew about this album was "Rehab" thanks to ROCK BAND 3, it still sounded so fresh to my ears. It's a groovy-ass track, but when this album needs to get soulful and back to black, such as it is, you bet your ass it will. And Winehouse's voice. Amy herself, so I've read, didn't regard her abilities as anything more than a party trick. But what a trick this is. If it didn't evoke "Motown diva" as well as it does while still being recognizably her own thing, it'd all fall apart. And, yeah, me being me, a lot of the lyrics didn't register in my mind. But just the tone of her voice was enough to get enough of the meaning across to me. That sounds like something most people can achieve, but to do it truly well—that takes a little something extra. Y'know, normally I reserve 5's for albums that've already wedged their way into my soul, or albums that manage to edge their way in there. I'm not sure if BACK TO BLACK is truly there yet, but regardless, it deserves a 5. Not as an "Oh, so tragic she died so young" deal. Not as a clapback against the people who treated her so poorly. But just because she made a damn good album. It was a damn good album back then, it's a damn good album now, and I wouldn't be happy if it wasn't a damn good album on the future. Gawd, I needa find the time to put on FRANK!

A singer gone too soon due to her vices left some wonderful soul-filled tracks behind.

It is, thankfully, a 5. This album has received so much critical acclaim, and yet I only really knew it for Rehab and Back to Black, both of which are fabulous tracks. I think there are a few tracks on here that touched me really deeply, namely Love is a Losing Game & Wake Up Alone. Absolutely fabulous songs, and Amy Winehouse’s voice is spectacular on them, and the entire album. The production is off the charts too; Mark Ronson does a great job evoking the 50s and 60s with modern production for someone who feels ripped straight out of the era of R&B and soul music of that time. To put it bluntly, I’m glad it’s a 5 because I feel like I would have been underwhelmed if it were anything else. The legend of Amy Winehouse has grown in the years since her death, and the fact that a movie is coming out about her soon is the craziest part. Great timing to get this album, and I’m glad I finally had the excuse to sit down and listen to it in full. I’m so glad that it’s this good, and I’m also so dumb for not listening to the whole thing before today. Fantastic 5. Easily one of the best albums we’ve gotten so far.

Listened on 4/26/24

It was good

Man. Alcohol can be brutal. What a talent and what a tragic waste.

Just great

Intressant lyssning, trodde faktiskt att det bara skulle vara rnb eller lite blues inspirerad poprock men det var faktiskt en jävla blandning med rnb, soul, pop, ska/reggae, blues och säkert massa annat. Jag behövde dock lyssna någon låt för att förstå att det var så. Den första låten ”Rehab” var nog den jag gillar minst, men den drar inte ner hela skivan. Det finns såklart mycket bättre saker men eftersom att denna inte hade någon dålig låt och jag sparade massa låtar så får den 5.

Pure quality, one of the best albums ever made. A voice that rips into your soul and stays there.

One of the best female vocalists of all time And this album is just uuuunbelievable