Musical Monday a day late
I was feeling put-out and crabby and decided the thing to reverse this attitude was some new music. Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen were the perfect prescription.
Amy is a smokier-voiced, world-wearied denizen of motown soul. These aren’t the lyrics of a love-sick teenager but of a woman too prone to alcohol and cigarettes bemoaning her dark moods and love lost. But the inherent sadness of some of her words is offset by the Phil Spector-ish horns and tinkly bell accents. Her voice is an agile instrument that is not an affected imitation or an over-produced pop singer's sound.
Lily is also in her early 20s, also a Brit and they share a certain ballsy bravado but instead of heading to detroit, Lily is more London club brat. Her voice has a pixie-sweet quality to it but the words belie her worldliness. She mixes in reggae and toasting elements for an originally fun sound. I envy her eye-to-eye confidence, it's definitely daring you to bring it.
I've listened to both of these on repeat and they're just what the doctor ordered for a maudlin morning of malaise!
