Oh, Amy.

When I was in Europe a few months ago there were three singers that everyone was talking about: Lily Allen, MIKA and Amy Winehouse.  I had picked up the CD's of the first two on my own and seen the face of Winehouse slouched over on her CD cover whenever I went to the racks.  It wasn't until my friend Matthew informed me that her CD was the must have of the bunch that I finally picked it up.  Standing outside nursing our drinks he said to me "She's a notorious drunk but she has an incredible voice and this hilarious song where she says she won't go to rehab."  In true fashion, the minute he put it in my brain I heard it everywhere. 

On the flight home I saw reviews for her album popping up in American magazines and after a few listens of her CD figured it wouldn’t' be long before she blew up here.  She had her American TV debut the about a month ago on Letterman, singing said "Rehab" song and looking the most coherent I have seen her in any live performance; she even manages to smile at one point.  All of the clips I had previously seen contain her grudgingly going through the motions with a strange disconnect in her eyes and a slightly drunken swagger to her stance.  The first clip below goes completely past drunken swagger into hilarious (and sad) drunkenness on the formerly pristine Charlotte Church's British talk show.   Next to Church's rehearsed "step, touch, step, touch" routine, Winehouse screams out the lyrics and stands somewhat like a zombie until her moments come up when she suddenly pushes the lyrics out.    The second clip is much more together and I really like how she changes up the bridge.  Over the past few nights I have been unable to sleep and this song keep running through my head at three in the morning, so I warn you to proceed with caution because it is one of the catchier songs you've heard in a while. 

Wasted Amy (This gets especially painful around the 1:55 mark.  Her hair is toppling over, I wonder if she has a tequila bottle stored in there.)

Slightly Less Wasted Amy

Comments

[Rob]

I got a real retro vibe from the second clip, but I was more entertained by the two backup singers everytime she wasn't singing the chorus. That stuff cracked me up.

[M]

her whole album is very retro, it's great. and the backup singers are amazingly hilarious in that clip with their hand shimmy. I will have to incorporate that into my rep as soon as I start dancing again.

[tonya]

Interesting; she's kind of like an updated Janis Joplin. In a way.

[The Skeptical Arab Co.]

Her voice reminds me a lot of the lead singer from Morcheeba

[Chi girl in Chi town....]

Holy cow! At first I didn't know or believe that was the "Charlotte Church". Who knew she had put on so much weight, and she's only like 20 or 21. Last time I saw her she had just entered adolescence. Amy Winehouse, huh. Interesting woman. I enjoyed both ladies' singing if one can call them ladies.