Jasmine’s Review of Amy Winehouse’s New Album ‘Lioness: Hidden Treasures’

Fans of Amy Winehouse have been patiently awaiting what will be the very last album from the late singer since her passing this summer, after her management declared this wouldn't be a quote "Tupac situation" my heart sunk knowing the last recordings would be limited. But in true Amy fashion they are beautifully composed and worth a listen.

Winehouse's  New Album Lioness: Hidden Treasures is already topping the UK chart and is sure to hit big in the U.S .Lioness opens with her new  single 'Our day will come', a slowed down cover originally done by Ruby and the Romantics. Their original songs include soul/rap collaboration on Like Smoke which features rumored ex boyfriend Nas a.k.a The real Mr. Jones (Amy's 2008 hit Me and Mr Jones was rumored to have been penned about the rapper), Nas keeps it fairly clean and lets Winehouse ad-lib for about half the song but with a voice like that who needs lyrics. Other new tracks on the album include the more contemporary R and B half time and what I'm calling the "frenemy anthem", Best friends right? which not-s-subtly is about trying to distance herself from toxic people and substances. The album also features her duet with Tony Bennet Body and soul, a soulful cover of will you still love me tomorrow and  'The Girl From Impanema' (it's way better than Mike Tyson's version)

About a 3rd of the new album is actually original recordings from Amy and her sophomore, and most commercially successful, album "Back to Black". If you liked that album you you wont be disappointed - every re-work is a polar opposite of the the version you've heard before, for example the slowed down version of Winehouse's 2008 hit "Tears dry on Their Own" the original tracks fast beat and sassy delivery played out like a girl-power anthem but this new recording is heartbreaking and it's as if Amy was saying "My tears dry on their own.... I hope" that basically sets the tone for the whole album  in a beautiful voice full of pain belting out great music. She's sometimes sassy, sometimes somber but always soulful.

The album ends with the new track aptly titled 'A Song for You'.  Amy slurs through a few verses until she ends the track candidly talking about her favorite soul legend Donnie Hathaway. The singer in her cockney accent says "There was something in him something that couldn't be contained" The same could be said about Winehouse and it's clear on Lioness.

If you love Amy you will love this album but have your tissues ready.

Watch the "Our Day Will Come" Winehouse Tribute below:

Listen Now on Itunes.