Amy Winehouse – Frank (UK Original) Vinyl rip in 24 Bit/96 Khz + CD

If a series of unfortunate comparisons (like the ones to follow) cause listeners to equate British vocalist Amy Winehouse with Macy Gray, it's only natural. Both come on like a hybrid of Billie Holiday and Lauryn Hill who's had a tipple and then attempted one more late-night set at a supper club than they should have. Despite her boozy persona and loose-limbed delivery, though, Winehouse is an excellent vocalist possessing both power and subtlety, the latter an increasingly rare commodity among contemporary female vocalists (whether jazz or R&B). What lifts her above Macy Gray is the fact that her music and her career haven't been marketed within an inch of their life. Instead of Gray's stale studio accompaniments, Winehouse has talented musicians playing loose charts behind her with room for a few solos. Instead of a series of vocal mellifluities programmed to digital perfection, Winehouse's record has the feeling of being allowed to grow on its own – without being meddled with and fussed over (and losing its soul in the process). Simply hearing Winehouse vamp for a few minutes over some Brazilian guitar lines on "You Sent Me Flying" is a rare and immense pleasure. Also, like Nellie McKay (but unlike nearly all of her contemporaries), Winehouse songs like "Fuck Me Pumps," "Take the Box," and "I Heard Love Is Blind" cast a cool, critical gaze over the music scene, over the dating scene, and even over the singer herself. With "In My Bed," she even proves she can do a commercial R&B production, and a club version of "Moody's Mood for Love" not only solidifies her jazz credentials but proves she can survive in the age of Massive Attack. –Allmusic

Track List:


01 - Stronger Than Me 03:54
02 - You Sent Me Flying / Cherry 06:51
03 - Know You Now 03:03
04 - Fuck Me Pumps 03:21
05 - I Heard Love Is Blind 02:10
06 - Moody's Mood For Love / Teo Licks 03:29
07 - (There Is) No Greater Love 02:09
08 - In My Bed 05:17
09 - Take The Box 03:20
10 - October Song 03:25
11 - What Is It About Men 03:30
12 - Help Yourself 05:01
13 - Amy Amy Amy / Outro 13:17

Personnel:

Vocals: Amy Winehouse
Guitar: Amy Winehouse, Binky Griptite, Thomas Brenneck, Earl "Chinna" Smith
Harp: Helen Tunstall
Violin: Perry Montague-Mason, Chris Tombling, Tom Pigott-Smith, Warren Zielinski, Boguslaw Kostecki, Liz Edwards, Mark Berrow, Peter Hanson, Everton Nelson, Jonathan Rees
Viola: Jon Thorne, Katie Wilkinson, Rachel Bolt, Bruce White
Cello: John Heley, Joely Koos, Anthony Pleeth
Alto Saxophone: Andy Mackintosh, Chris Davies
Tenor Saxophone: Jamie Talbot, Mike Smith, Neal Sugarman
Baritone Saxophone: Ian Hendrickson-Smith, Vincent Henry, Dave Bishop
Trumpet: Steve Sidwell, Dave Guy
Bass Trumpet: Bruce Purse
Tenor Trombone: Richard Edwards
Tenor Sax: Teo Avery
Bass Guitar: Salaam Remi, Nick Movshon, Gregory "Mr Bassie" Jackson
Rhodes Piano: John Adams, Teo Avery, Amy Winehouse
Drums: Troy Auxilly-Wilson, Homer Steinweiss, Errol "Crusty" Campbell
Percussion: Frank Ricotti
Hand-Claps: Vaughan Merrick, Mark Ronson, Victor Axelrod
Rhythm and sound effects: The RZA