http://scrink.com/blog/music/2008/04/for-scarlett-johannson-groupies.html
Dunno if this is legit or if it's been posted yet or anything.
I'm a bit "meh" about it really, although I would be at anyone trying to do Tom Waits.. It sounds a bit like kate bush or something. S'alright.
"Scarlett Johansen leak"
wahey phwoar giggedy etc.
very well done.
I, however, misspelled her name. Sorry Miss Joehandsome.
don't quit your day job
Good Lord!
That was terrible.
I bet they'll have a pic of her ample cleavage just to sell it.
Whilst I like ScarJo as much as the next guy
that track really isn't very good. Sitek's production isn't bad, I guess, but seriously - what a way to remove every ounce of life from such a beautiful and ridiculous song.
Plus, she can't really sing. And she sounds way uncomfortable in that range. Why not the original key? She'd have been much happier there by the sounds of it.
But I wanted this to be good!
Ever since I heard of this project I thought 'you know that could work' and 'wow' and 'finally a justification for going on about Scarlett Johansen all the time'. But no.
Interestingly Tom Waits can act...
While I wanted the project to at least be 'surprisingly good'
I can't say I *hated* that version of 'Anywhere...'. It's just a touch lacklustre - a combination perhaps of Johannson's just-about-registerable voice (in the lower bowel, damn - who'd have figured her a contralto?!) and Sitek's somewhat muddy production giving the whole thing an air of early 4AD output - Cocteau Twins-ish but obviously without the sparkle or the mindblowing voice. I'd listen to it again, though.
It is very Dave Sitek
But i like his production. He does seem to layer it on and he often harks back to shoegazer sort of stuff. Sounds like Nico crossed with Kate Bush. I like her voice and its sounds nicely embedded in the mix.
...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhzyYA1xJmk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Owa_CFBAWpw
I see absolutely no reason why she's getting any more credibility or respect through this
than Paris Hilton did when she tried to launch a music career.
Because she's hotter
because she's covering tom waits songs
because david bowie's on the album
because it might actually be good
because it's not a desperate attempt to cling on to her waning celebrity
^ so much this.
nah
yeah
...
a) Possibly. I wouldn't myself but I don't fancy Paris Hilton either so I'll take your point. Someone being hot doesn't explain why they'd get respect or credibility though.
b) Anyone can cover anyone. Westlife wouldn't suddenly become a better band if they covered Nick Cave songs.
c) Hardly immune to making bad career decisions is he?
d) So might any album by anyone. There's absolutely nothing implied in anything Scarlett Johnansson's career so far that implies she'd be a good musician. If I've got a medical condition I'll go to a doctor. I won't think "I'll ask my lawyer. My lawyer gives good legal advice. Maybe she'll give good medical treatment too."
I've heard the song. She sounds like a karaoke singer doing a karaoke version of Tom Waits. Not a bad karaoke singer admittedly but she would never in a million years get a record deal on talent alone.
e) Perhaps not. But again I don't see why that's any indicator for musical credibility.
I suppose what fucks me off is lots of people (entirely justifiably) complain about sexism and lack of respect towards women in the music industry, and the tendency for people to assess female acts in terms of their looks rather than their ability.
But it doesn't seem to occur to anyone that a major factor in this is this absurd tendency to give women record deals on the basis of looks rather than talent. As has clearly happened here.
i don't think she's seriously trying to become a musician
she probably just thought "oh, i like tom waits. I shall use my celebrity to record a tom waits covers album with a good producer"
People are interested in it for that reason. same thing as when musicians try to act. They're given way more public interest than the thousands of other people out in LA that want to get into the movies. That's just how it is. I suggest you deal with it. Nobody's really expecting "scarlett johansson" to be their new favourite band. It's just a bit of light relief.
And as has been proved many times before
talent is about as necessary for a successful music career as it is for a successful acting career.
True.
It just seems inconsistent that people seem to be more sympathetic to her than all the other actresses who aspire to be musicians is all...
That's all fine.
Russell Crowe has a band as do variosu other actors and if they want to do it why the hell shouldn't they? I don't expect them not to do it - I'm just baffled why anyone cares wheen they do.
I just find it silly when people are usually quite discerning in their tastes in music suddenly get swayed by the lure of an attractive female celebrity.
I really like it
Tho it seems like I may be the only one? I sounds more like Dave Sitek covering Waits with Johannson on vocals. I'm looking forward to seein what the whole album will actually be like.
When I first about it i thought it would be awful. When i learned sitek was producing i realised it could be good. I'm dubious about celebrity records but she may pull it off.
Cridibility isn't an issue. You could argue she has more as she has got some talented people involved to help her and that has generated more interest among indie circles than anything really. At least she is doing something a bit unusual. In the end non of this matters as its the quality of the end product that matters!
I quite like it
very JAMC or MBV esque.
Awesome
Very Liz Fraser.
Lovely production as well.
But not Cocteau Twins
more like This Mortal Coil.
tom waits covers 4 or 5 magicians
http://www.last.fm/music/4+or+5+Magicians/_/Tom+Waits%27+Blues