Review
After her unexpected passing last summer, Amy Winehouse left behind a half finished assortment of tracks. In her honor, a posthumous collection of covers and original material was put together and produced as “Lioness: Hidden Treasures” in a seamless show of throwback sounds that range from doo-wop to soul.
If anything, “Lioness” feels like odds and ends pieced together to deliver something to fans after Winehouse’s untimely death. While there could have been hope for a spectacular rundown of tracks, there is too little in this collection to feel like a complete album. The covers, unfinished material and rough cuts sound more like a demo than an actual album from an artist that established herself with “Back to Black.”
The album begins with reggae-influenced “Our Day Will Come” that is reminiscent of Winehouse’s traditional style. “Like Smoke” is a pop/hip-hop mash with Nas, “The Girl from Ipanema” is a polished cover that was recorded when Winehouse was 18 and “Half Time” is a slow, sweet and smooth song that is engaging from start to finish. The real highlights are “Wake Up Alone” and “A Song For You,” carrying a heavy dose of somber emotion that makes the album worth a listen.
At best, the album is a re-mastering of recordings from the last nine years that never made the original cut, assembled as a Hail Mary to preserve her memory and talent. Her personality and bravado are noticeably absent, displaying only her penchant and specialty for retro vocals permeated by modern rhythms – which is nothing new from what has already been proved with her previous two albums. It’s a bold assumption, but it can be imagined that if Winehouse were still with us, her third album would sound very different than “Lioness.”