Back To Black＜Picture Vinyl/限定盤＞

エイミー・ワインハウスの大ヒット2ndアルバム『Back to Black』のリリース15周年記念を記念する限定盤ピクチャー・ディスク!

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BPI(英国レコード産業協会)/ERA(英国エンターテイメント小売業協会)が2018年から始動させた「National Album Day(音楽アルバムを祝福する日)」にあたる10月16日に合わせてのリリース。

The story of Back to Black is one in which celebrity and the potential of commercial success threaten to ruin Amy Winehouse, since the same insouciance and playfulness that made her sound so special when she debuted could easily have been whitewashed right out of existence for this breakout record. (That fact may help to explain why fans were so scared by press allegations that Winehouse had deliberately lost weight in order to present a slimmer appearance.) Although Back to Black does see her deserting jazz and wholly embracing contemporary R&B, all the best parts of her musical character emerge intact, and actually, are all the better for the transformation from jazz vocalist to soul siren. With producer Salaam Remi returning from Frank, plus the welcome addition of Mark Ronson (fresh off successes producing for Christina Aguilera and Robbie Williams), Back to Black has a similar sound to Frank but much more flair and spark to it. Winehouse was inspired by girl group soul of the '60s, and fortunately Ronson and Remi are two of the most facile and organic R&B producers active. (They certainly know how to evoke the era too; Remi's "Tears Dry on Their Own" is a sparkling homage to the Motown chestnut "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," and Ronson summons a host of Brill Building touchstones on his tracks.) As before, Winehouse writes all of the songs from her experiences, most of which involve the occasionally riotous and often bittersweet vagaries of love. Also in similar fashion to Frank, her eye for details and her way of relating them are delightful. She states her case against "Rehab" on the knockout first single with some great lines: "They tried to make me go to rehab I won't go go go, I'd rather be at home with Ray" (Charles, that is). As often as not, though, the songs on Back to Black are universal, songs that anyone, even Joss Stone, could take to the top of the charts, such as "Love Is a Losing Game" or the title song ("We only said good bye with words, I died a hundred times/You go back to her, and I go back to black"). ~ John Bush

いにしえのジャズ・シンガーを彷彿とさせる貫禄のノドの持ち主である、英国の若き才能が放つ2作目。サラーム・レミとマーク・ロンソンが手掛けた楽曲には、モータウン～サザン・ソウル～ニューオーリンズなど往年のリズム&ブルース文脈を汲んだレトロな空気感が充満。アレサ・フランクリンをルーズに崩したような歌唱など、楽曲のムードにハマる表現は奥深くもヴァーサタイルで、過去の音楽への尊敬と含蓄を感じさせる。アルバム・タイトルもそうした自信の表れか。少しの毒と陰のある歌詞も含め、まだ22歳にしてこの深みと腰の据わりようはまさしく大器。今作は幅広く聴かれるべき傑作であり、すでに全英チャート1位を記録したこともその証明と言えるはずだ。ゴーストフェイス・キラーが今作収録の“You Know I'm No Good”にラップを乗せ、最新作『Mo' Fish』に収録したのも、彼女の並々ならぬソウルネスを感じ取ったからだろう。
bounce (C)池谷 昌之