Scarlett Johansson's much-maligned album drops today. Quick take: with Tom Waits covers produced by Dave Sitek, it's not as bad as you've heard, nor is it great. The song that one most hopes will be a hit, "I Don't Wanna Grow Up," is emblematic: getting some sort of '80s shimmer treatment, like a down-tempo Pet Shop Boys ditty, is interesting for a couple minutes, but sadly forgettable seconds thereafter. Though not a bad first album, one wonders what this second act could look like. I vote for Leonard Cohen songs produced by Steve Albini.
B- (Actual reviews:
Pitchfork |
Radar |
NY Mag |
Onion A/V |
Rolling Stone.)
Listening to a couple of the tracks on AOL, I can't help but think that this is not much worse than some of the Chan Marshall covers I've heard. if you close your eyes and listen to Yesterday is here, you could mistake it.