A Review of Scarlett Johansson’s ‘Anywhere I Lay My Head’ CD
Yup, music on RopeofSilicon... DIGG IT!
When news first broke that Scarlett Johansson was gearing up to produce an album, her first, it was a guarantee that you wouldn’t hear the actress belting out tracks of bubblicious lyrics covered with heavy panting like so many of her counterparts before her that have attempted to cross the line from acting to singing. Assuming from her demeanor that Johansson would however produce something that carried substance and weight was easy to guess, but Tom Waits? Talk about unexpected! Surprising everyone the actress had something else in mind when it came to her much longed for musical journey.
Her album, titled “Anywhere I Lay My Head”, is a collection of Tom Waits covers with one original track written by Johansson along with David Andrew Sitek. Rocker David Bowie also makes an appearance on two tracks, “Fannin Street” and “Falling Down”.
The CD opens with its first track titled “Fawn”. The funeral like melody neatly wraps a range of emotions and somber tones that quickly morphs into an unexpected upbeat composition foreshadowing what’s to come in the 10 tracks that follow. It’s an album filled with stories of regret, love, self fulfillment and the refusal of growing old. Just like Waits’ original tracks the heavy instrumentals play out in the forefront alongside Johansson’s vocals at times suffocating her lyrics.
“Song For Jo” brings you to the midpoint of the CD where Johansson seems to swap weighty tones for a lighter music box medley. “I Wish I was in New Orleans” is filled with vocals that resemble “Tinkerbell on cough syrup” and from there Johansson takes you on a journey through the hard realities of growing up then stopping to lay in the “Green Grass”. A great song with poetic lyrics that talks about love after death. Johansson captures the trademark storytelling that is Tom Waits in what I can only describe as a mixed bag of emotions.
Scarlett’s musical debut is sentimental, wise and unique. It’s real life translated through a hybrid of jazz, blues and Indie rock delivered with a backdrop of nature. It’s not flat or superficial. With each new listen there’s something new to hear. You would have to be a true connoisseur of the genre too truly appreciate this CD. So if you’re waiting on the next Paris Hilton CD this isn’t for you.
Not a die hard fan of anything in particular I listen to a wide range of music, anything from Metallica to Jack Johnson. I’m not a huge Tom Waits fan. I do, however, respect his individualism and guts. Listening to Johansson I expected to hear her own version of Tom Waits tracks and that’s what I got. Expecting her to spin “A Town With No Cheer” into the new dance mix just wasn’t going to happen.
You can watch the music video for “Anywhere I Lay My Head,” listen to song samples and buy the album now at Amazon.com.
RSS Feed
news feeds