Album Review: Frank by Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse’s debut album ‘Frank’ was released in October 2003 in the United Kingdom. Although initially this album wasn’t as successful as her follow album ‘Back to black’, this album requires serious consideration for any jazz/soul music lover.

The album consists of thirteen songs (the UK early vision that is). Amy is among few artists that have a very unique vocal expression and sound but at the same time are able to bring in enough versatility into their songs thus enabling a wider audience appreciation. The sound of this album is very much that of jazz/soul-funk, which is such a great complement to her somewhat smoky yet at times nasal vocal expression. Indeed listening to this album one feel as if one has been transported back in time to a 50s/60s Jazz nightclub. Of course this vision is only true ‘melodically’, lyrically with references to footballer’s wives, drugs such as E (as in the third song ‘F*** me pumps) and so on will bring even the dreamiest of listeners back to modern day reality!

However it is this very odd mixture of the old-and-the-new, in terns of the paradoxical nature of the 50s/60s style melody/expression versus lyrics that are seeded in the issues of modern day reality, which gives this album a certain flair/charm. Thus making the album not only pleasant to listen to but also relevant. Although it may seem that such daring and explicit lyrics and/or song titles would restrict the general appeal of the album to perhaps mostly the young, this is not the case. ‘Frank’ manages to overcome this restriction by largely focusing, lyrically speaking, on the all-time-favourite subject of love.

Personal songs about love in all its complexities aren’t new. However what is ‘new/fresh’ about Amy’s take on ‘love’ is the combination of her unique deliverance and simplicity of her lyrics. Take the first single from the album, which coincidentally is also the first track off the album, ‘Stronger than me’ as an example. This song is about the disappointment that comes from been in love with the ‘wrong’ person and the frustration that can ensue. However instead of the usual melancholic, depressing and self-obsessed lyrics that often accompany such love songs to the point of the artist’s self-parody, Amy simply addresses the issue of her disappointment that is her wanting the chap in her relationship to be ‘stronger’ than she is. In ‘You sent me flying’ Amy expresses her hurt (again in a balance manner without drama) of been dumped. This theme continues throughout this album with each song adhering to this basic and somewhat unique equation.

In fact it is this very nature of expressing feelings/experiences through honest, simple lyrics with a complementary melody that embraces the vocals as well as the lyrics that makes this album so worthwhile for the listener. The avoidance of using tried-and-tested words when dealing with the subject of ‘love’ lyrically coupled with the focus of saying what is necessary rather than saying things just for the sake of it thus keeping the lyrics short and simple make the songs easier to remember and gives the whole package a unique freshness.

The general tempo throughout the album is kept very much in the old-fashion Jazz/soul with a dab of funk sound. Although the sound is melodically ‘big’, in that the mirage of various instruments (trumpets, drums, guitars and so on) dancing in and out with Amy’s perfectly matched vocal range and depth, the equilibrium is never disturbed. Amy manages to bring versatility into the songs despite her limited vocal range by a clever but yet subtle method of using instruments to improvise where and only when necessary. In places whereby she isn’t able to sing at very high notes in order to convey the emotional aspect of the song for example, she improvises by altering not only her voice to a nasal tone but also changes the very pronunciation of certain words almost ‘pinching’ at the words giving a sort of a caricature tone. Take songs like ‘Know you now’ (third song), I heard love is blind’ (fifth song), ‘In my bed’ (eighth song) and the popular ‘Stronger than me’ as perfect example of this fact. These improvisations are so subtle and cleverly balanced within the composition that instead of standing out as oddities/off they add to the charm and uniqueness/freshness of the album.

Thus allowing the listener to take in the joy of the dance and appreciate it without much fuss. The listener is afforded the freedom to choose whether to join in this beautifully balanced symphonic dance, figuratively speaking, by say singing along or to simply be a joyous spectator of the dance by the simple act of letting the record play! Despite the personal nature of the songs, the deliverance is in such a balanced composition that almost no assumptions are made about the listener. The listener isn’t expected to sympathize, agree or even take on Amy’s personal dilemmas/experiences and so on from the songs. The listener is able to enjoy (whether he/she can relate with the subject matter of the song or not) the album without feeling ‘uncomfortable’. The deliverance of the songs and its melodies does not get too personal/overbearing for listener’s comfort. The balance is just right!

If you enjoy the old-school Jazz/funk/soul songs with an edgy then you will enjoy this album. This album is engaging, laid back, easy going and frankly… it’s worth listening to over and over again.