Back To Black
Amy Winehouse

4.1 + A huge talent we lost far too soon. Given the bangers on this, it saddens me that Amy Winehouse's star has faded over the years. "Back To Black" channels such darkness, conveying intense emotion both in the lyric and vocals, over deathly swirls of strings. "Rehab" is a modern play on 12-bar blues, addressing drug addiction with bald-faced directness. Deeper cuts harken back to some of the best Motown joints. Also of note is "Wake Up Alone", an intricately arranged ballad with a complex chord structure that builds, unfolds and collapses into nothing (reflecting the mood of the lyrics).

4