Amy Winehouse: Frank Review

By John Frank Alvarado
Music Journalist

13 years ago we were given a beautiful moment in Grammy history. On February 10, 2008, Amy Winehouse made history by being the first British female artist to win five Grammys in a single night, as well as winning the most awarded artist that year.

Winehouse is a legend in the world of music. Frank is Winehouse’s debut studio album, released on October 20th, 2003 by Island Records. Inspiration for the album’s name ties into the tone of Winehouse’s lyrics, and one of her biggest influences, Frank Sinatra. The overall success of Frank has been certified triple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry, and allowed Winehouse to cement her name in the world of music.

Winehouse takes a beautiful approach of blending Jazz, R&B, Soul, and Hip Hop to create the beauty that is Frank. The different genres that Frank dips into creates an authentic and personable feeling to the album. I personally enjoyed seeing how Winehouse made it be known that she had her hands involved in all the songs off this album.

Looking at the tracklist some of the singles off the album were “Stronger Than Me,” “Take The Box,” “In My Bed,” “You Sent Me Flying,” and “F*ck Me Pumps.” The praise that Winehouse received from Frank allowed her to receive positive reviews from a wide range of music critics; such as Metacritics, Entertainment Weekly, and other well-known companies.

Frank allowed Winehouse to reach a worldwide audience and allowed for her follow-up album, Back To Black, the opportunity to be adored by many. Frank allowed for individuals who see themselves as broken and to see themselves as not alone.

Winehouse is a jazz vocalist and a musician who expanded her influence by incorporating different genres and changing traditional approaches to form her own style. Winehouse as a lyricist shows deep emotion and feeling to paint the narrative of how she is feeling.

Her style when singing was so unique and memorable, that fans still find it deeply rooted within themselves. Her very emotional performances of her showing frustration, pain, and anger all illustrated how much effort she put into her artistry.

Winehouse showed her love for music by taking risks and being authentic in each song from this project. Listening to this project for the first time when I was 10, to now listening to it in full as a 21-year-old, brings a new appreciation to it. This album is a perfect blueprint that many artists should follow.

This album reflects what an artist should bring to the table; authentic and unique talent to make the listener feel warm. A project should allow you to be transported to the world that the musician has created. Amy Jade Winehouse is a legend in the world of music, and she showed that individuality can get you all the success you desire.