Frank

Three years before BACK TO BLACK Amy Winehouse had her debut cd FRANK. This album is even more traditional jazz/pop than the later release but the two combined are a major showcase of how truly gifted Amy Winehouse was. She indeed left a musical legacy. With BACK TO BLACK she truly personified her individual identity. With FRANK she mixed the sounds of traditional jazz with soul and pop to even techno with magnificent results. The second disc here is bonus material with the first being the actual cd. And believe me it in no way plays like a debut cd. Amy has been compared to the likes of Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holiday and we see why here. Her interpretations of the classics MOODY'S MOOD FOR LOVE and THERE IS NO GREATER LOVE are truly superb. And her self penned YOU SENT ME FLYING and I HEARD LOVE IS BLIND equal these classics in song and performance. She wrote most of the music here. STRONGER THAN ME, TAKE THE BOX, AMY AMY AMY and WHAT IS IT ABOUT MEN show multi-faceted sides of Amy. All are excellent. And then there is the witty FU** ME PUMPS which is in the vein of the BACK TO BLACK tracks. This entire cd is a true showcase of a musically gifted vocalist, songwriter and song interpreter. Her voice soars with full emotion and a unique combination of power and sublety to make musical magic. This set with the bonus disc is a must. Many of the songs on disc 2 are the same songs from the first disc done in different styles or mixes and they are standouts. There are also some live performances here. The true standout of course is her amazing interpretation of SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME. It is breathtaking. One listen and the unique talents of this woman are evident. It is very sad that the untimely death of Amy Winehouse is what it took many to be introduced to this album but owning it is a must. It is a true classic and highly recommended to Amy Winehouse fans and also true jazz and soul purists.

The first time I saw Amy Winehouse was in the "You Know I'm No Good" video from her "Back to Black" CD on VH1. I was stopped in my tracks by the sheer cleverness of the music and the soul deep passion in her voice. So when I found out that Back to Black wasn't her first CD I was ecstatic. I was excited to see the beginnings of this fascinating woman. I wasn't disappointed. I was blown away. I thought the use of an updated fifties girl group sound in Back to Black was brilliant. But Frank was something altogether different. There were sounds and rhythms I hadn't ever heard before, some sounds, fast and slow, that I had heard, but done up in new and surprising ways. She wrote most of the material for the album about a failed relationship and you find clear examples of what this guy was like. "Stronger Than Me," is one of the smartest songs I've ever heard. It's a straight forward slap across his face because he just wasn't man enough for her. She takes the theme of her dissatisfaction even further in "I Heard Love Is Blind," her attempt to explain away an affair, but then she chastises her shortcomings later on when she asks herself, "What is it About Men." Winehouse has all sorts of personal problems and it distresses me to no end that she, as an artist, seems to require her own self-destruction in order to be brilliant. I pray she finds her way back to the studio and to her muse, because she is a uniquely stunning singer and astonishing writer, who unfortunately is on the fast track to being a tragedy.

Quite frankly I was hesitant to hear a prequel to the outstanding Back to Black, the latter filtered as it were through a more conservative prism. But as it turns out I'm more than happy listening to this cd which sounds even more soulful than the newer issue. I don't think there's a musical instrument out there with the fluent sonorities that come out of Amy's vocal apparatus. She's clearly having fun with the cadential melismas in F** me Pumps, the obsessive regularity of the tune having a dismissive air about it that informs the content. Anyone that can off-handedly rhyme "players" with "say-a" and then "millionaire" proceeding with this syncopted metric scheme throughout the rest of the lyric is clearly having fun, however mordant her wit may be. This is Amy at her most amiable. But the standout song for my taste is "Stronger than Me" showing as she does in general, an incredible vocal range and emotional versatility. The melody here is as strong as its delivery. There's conviction here and all the other songs follow suit. If you loved Back to Black get Frank in more ways than one! Amy is incomparable. Her songs here are different but she delivers them with the same vocal fervor and with even more vocal nuance than her songs on Back to Black.

The FRANK DELUXE EDITION two-cd set from Amy Winehouse is a treasure. Jazzier than Back to Black , FRANK is a call back to another place and time. Winehouse is pure talent and it's a shame that her personal life is so out of control that it might bring the end to such a force of nature. The first cd in FRANK must be the original cd and begins with an intro of Winehouse scatting. It goes on with songs that have a funky jazz & soul beat and Winehouse sounds like a cross between Billie Holliday and Shirley Bassey, with a little Barbra Streisand thrown in for good measure. I love her remake of "Moody's Mood For Love." There are also a couple of hidden tracks that start after the "Outro." But the real treat is the second cd. This bonus disc has Winehouse covering classics like "Someone To Watch Over Me," "Teach Me Tonight," and "'Round Midnight" and she makes them all her own. Also included on cd 2 are live versions of the songs "Stronger Than Me," "I Heard Love Is Blind," "Take The Box," and "In My Bed" and other mixes of songs from cd 1. Also included is a small booklet with liner notes by Paul Flynn and the lyrics to the songs on cd 1. Hopefully Ms. Winehouse will get her self together. But even if she doesn't, FRANK DELUXE ED. is an enjoyable cd set.

Like most US fans, my love affair with Amy Winehouse began with Back to Black. Only one other time before had I experienced what I experienced with Back to Black; I liked every single song the first time I heard it (I didn't need time for any of the tracks to grow on my). For those who are curious, it was Al B. Sure's "In Effect Mode" that was the only other album to have this effect. But Frank should not be overlooked. It took a few more listens to germinate, but the end result was an album full of vibrant music, thoughtful lyrics, and a package that was held together by the undeniable vocal excellence of Amy Winehouse, one of the most relevant singers of her generation. The highlight for me is Ms. Winehouse's cover of the standard "No Greater Love"; it is not only my favorite track on the album, but my favorite of all her songs.

Amy Winehouse may not be for everyone. Some of her stuff I don’t even like, but this is a good album; half speed mastered at Abbey Road Studios and the sound quality is most excellent. My gear: Technics SL-1210M5G, Dynavector 10x5 HOMC, Herbie’s Way Excellent Turntable Mat. KABUSA Poly Mat, Wayne’s Audio Ring Clamp and THE CLAMP; designed by my late, great friend Joe A from PolkAudio. All sources tube buffered by Dared2000A and Yaqin CD3 w/Black Bottle Treasure Tubes - CV121. Power amp source, Yamaha RX-797 2ch Stereo Receiver. The Yamahammer.

I had the first release of Frank but someone else has it. So bought this one since it was a little more than $3 more but had 2 disc instead of one. So you will know on the track Amy Amy Amy there are 2 additional songs. They are Brother and Mr. Magic. To me disc one is good except for Moody's Mood For Love. Your milage may vary as we all have differing taste. The reason this is a 4 star and not a 5 is because of the 2nd disc. Just for the most part differant versions of the same songs on the 1st disc. However the demo versions Amy has a better voice. Not sure what is going on with that. The song Round Midnight does sound real good so not a total waste. If you can get a copy of the Regular Frank cd do so instead of this one.

Although I like and own both CD's, I definitely like this one the best. I was raised on the same kind of music that Amy was, and when listening to this one, I can close my eyes and literally FEEL the music of the Big Band/Jazz era. Amy is absolutely awesome, with a voice like pure honey edged with just enough of a dash of cayenne pepper to make her music spellbinding (and powerful). If my Dad were still alive, I would've bought this for him as a gift and he would've absolutely loved it - he was an absolute conoisseur on great BB/R&B/Jazz. Amy was such an incredible talent. I have a bad feeling that it's going to be a loooong time before anyone else will be able to even look at her shoes, let alone step into them. Rest in peace, Amy - you will be sorely missed.

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Dalle recensioni non mi aspettavo molto dalla qualità audio del vinile invece per fortuna non sempre le recensioni rispettano quello che ci si aspetta, magari se si ha un impianto non adeguato(vedi giradischi valigetta) la resa non sarà il massimo, con il mio impianto molto basico(lp60x e testina ATN3600LE) invece devo dire che il vinile suona molto bene, l'unica pecca è il volume un po' basso ma per fortuna alzandolo il problema viene risolto

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