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There are times when the hype is true. There are times when the forever chuntering media machine that raves about the latest personality vacuum as The Next Big Thing gets confused, a few circuits blow and it spits out some pure raw ability.
BUT Joss Stone is not The Next Big Thing though. She's better than that. She is HUGE! Her voice comes out through the speakers and you're hooked. It's that simple! You're thinking 'Smeg! This is a sixteen year old and she can sing like THAT!!*?!' After the jealousy and envy fades away, you're enjoying it as much as the next man, woman or indeterminate.
Yes, the album is very old school in it's trappings and style. Yes, 'You Had Me' would be a f*cking horrible nu-white soul karaoke cock-up in the grip of a lesser talent's vocal chords and yes, the album does sag round the middle a bit like those stupid baggy jeans 'young' people wear these days BUT that there young lass from Devon manages to hold it together the whole way through. The strength in her voice keeps you listening even through the duller songs, it keeps your finger away from that skip button and stops your examining the Return & Exchange bit on the back of the receipt.
This is not the same belting 'strength' as Anastacia here though. Miss Stone can soothe you with silken whispers and murmur sweet nothings with as much conviction as she can blast you through the stratosphere. Like all good music, she isn't a two-dimensional talent relying on props to hide her shortcomings behind an image. There are many aspects to her voice like a diamond. Each aspect gets its own moment when that moment is right and not before or after. Everything fits.
Even though this album is flawed, it is a flawed gem. The great choons give the good choons the support they need and it all leaves you with that desire to press repeat, lie back and catch a few more glimpses of heaven. More albums should be like this but they're not so buy several copies of this to make up for that fact. You know it makes sense.
BUT Joss Stone is not The Next Big Thing though. She's better than that. She is HUGE! Her voice comes out through the speakers and you're hooked. It's that simple! You're thinking 'Smeg! This is a sixteen year old and she can sing like THAT!!*?!' After the jealousy and envy fades away, you're enjoying it as much as the next man, woman or indeterminate.
Yes, the album is very old school in it's trappings and style. Yes, 'You Had Me' would be a f*cking horrible nu-white soul karaoke cock-up in the grip of a lesser talent's vocal chords and yes, the album does sag round the middle a bit like those stupid baggy jeans 'young' people wear these days BUT that there young lass from Devon manages to hold it together the whole way through. The strength in her voice keeps you listening even through the duller songs, it keeps your finger away from that skip button and stops your examining the Return & Exchange bit on the back of the receipt.
This is not the same belting 'strength' as Anastacia here though. Miss Stone can soothe you with silken whispers and murmur sweet nothings with as much conviction as she can blast you through the stratosphere. Like all good music, she isn't a two-dimensional talent relying on props to hide her shortcomings behind an image. There are many aspects to her voice like a diamond. Each aspect gets its own moment when that moment is right and not before or after. Everything fits.
Even though this album is flawed, it is a flawed gem. The great choons give the good choons the support they need and it all leaves you with that desire to press repeat, lie back and catch a few more glimpses of heaven. More albums should be like this but they're not so buy several copies of this to make up for that fact. You know it makes sense.
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