Amy Winehouse certainly is as curious as she looks. With long, curly pitch black hair, an even longer face, tattoos of pin up girls, Cleopatra-like eyeliner, skinny legs and a pair of serous silicone implants she looks the part of an almost goth rock n roller. She certainly plays the part with a reputed drug habit, alcohol problem, bouts of anorexia and canceling of shows. But then there’s the polka dot dresses she wears on Letterman and the trumpet on her second album….

I don’t really care what she gets up to or when she will O.D., as long as she keeps on recording music. I know, it is not entirely P.C. to not care about the example she is setting, but her music is that enjoyable.

This 23-year old has a voice that can be compared to Etta James or PJ Harvey. As is the case with Tori Amos, it is hard to classify her music. It has too much depth for pop and too much of a 1950’s girl group flare to be rock or jazz. (Even though her debut album, Frank, was an award winning jazz record.) The lyrics are funny, explicit, slightly off the wall and above all fresh compared to the silly music that is recorded by the likes of Paris, Mandy, Lindsey, to name but a few.

I will say that it is not a groundbreaking album, simply because I expect so much of this singer. The album is certainly entertaining and full of potential. If Amy continues producing and survives herself I suspect her 4^th or maybe 5^th album will be jaw dropping stuff.

PS (05/06/2007): Shame, heard today she was admitted to hospital.