Thursday, August 16, 2012

Final Grade: C+

I wish I wasn't giving this album such a low grade, because I love Joss Stone, and Introducing... is one of my favorite albums, but Soul Sessions, Vol. 2 just wasn't doing it for me.  Not for a lack of talent, not only by Miss Stone, but her bandmates as well, but I just felt like the majority of the arrangements had a corny, dated feel to them that I didn't feel showcased Stone's voice the way they could and should have.  None of the songs really grabbed me, which is unfortunate because the opener, "I Got The..." gave me a lot of hope.  I would have loved to have heard these soul covers have more of a current sound, while still staying true to the soul style - I think that would have added a lot of much needed substance to the album.  This isn't going to steer me away from Joss though, I'll be back when she's out with some original music.

First Taste of Hurt


One Love in My Lifetime

no link for this guy.

Nothing Takes the Place of You


(1-2-3-4-5-6-7) Count the Days


Songs of the Day

I was hoping that I would find a banger in this last set of songs, but unfortunately I can't say I have.  Joss has a great voice, and sings all of these covers well, but none of these arrangements showcase her talent like her original material does.  "First Taste of Hurt" was a good way to start off the final group, it's got a nice up beat feel to it, but it's nothing that really grabs me.  "(1-2-3-4-5-6-7) Count the Days" is an appropriate song to end today's group/the album, but again, nothing about it screams anything special to me, and that's how I feel about "One Love in My Lifetime" and "Nothing Takes the Place of You" as well, unfortunately.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Teardrops


Stoned Out of My Mind


The Love We Had


The High Road


Pillow Talk

no video/audio online :(

Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye


Songs of the Day

It's sucks to say this, but today is just another day of okay covers.  Maybe it's just me, or maybe it's the arrangements, but the feel of the songs have just been kind of on the corny side; not enough funk.  "Stoned Out of My Mind" is the only provider of funk for today's songs, which is upsetting because I know Miss Stone does that well.  "The High Road" is also pretty good, but I'm not a fan of the whole groove - it has it's moments.  "Pillow Talk" didn't come off with the sexiness that the lyrical content implies, so I was left kind of bored.  Joss has a beautiful voice and sings all of these covers well, but I'm just left feeling as though I'm missing something from her and the arrangements of the tunes.