Amy Winehouse - Lioness: Hidden Treasures

Artist: Amy Winehouse

Album: Lioness: Hidden treasures

Label:  Island

Release date: 5th December 2011

Rating: 4 / 5

    A waltzing rock-steady romp starts out this first of (presumably many) posthumous releases from the young songstress.  Heavy saxes and organ set the tone for what is a great compilation album of miscellaneous recordings.  The following track brings me back to a Motown-esque, sultry, seductress speaking of her trials and tribulations of love.  Her cover of Carole King's Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow is amazingly well done and maybe a prophetic question asked of her legions of fans.  The next cut features a duet with lingual rap master NAS and may have some fans shy away, but give it a chance!  The words that flow forth from his fast delivery are intelligent, playful and will grasp your attention fully.  Later it gets jazzified and soulful when Tony Bennett joins in for a sweet collaboration.  This record is great, though not as solid as her previous releases, seemingly pieced together quickly with a somewhat scattered feeling.  What a terrible loss, though, that we have witnessed- at least she left behind some amazing music.  The lioness!