Introducing Joss Stone
Joss Stone
(2007) Virgin Records
Review by J Bryan
At the ripe old age of 19 Joss Stone is already a veteran in the music business. Her latest musical venture, Introducing Joss Stone, is definitely her most mature effort, but of course one should sound more mature at 19 then at 16. There is more style to these songs and she seems to have come into more control of her voice, where in her previous CDs she always sounded to me like a little girl playing dress-up with a big person’s voice. There was never any denying the talent in her Janis Joplin-esque voice, but at 16 you still have some living to do before I’ll ever believe you’ve felt what you’re singing about. In fact, the Janis Joplin references don’t quite seem to fit any more because Stone is coming more into her own. Though soul always comes first in her voice, here she plays with disco and rock overtones to add some dimension to her sound. “Girl They Won’t Believe It” even has some 60s sounding vocals, a la the Supremes. “Tell Me ‘Bout It” has a good hip hop beat, and “Music” is strong in its R & B vibe. At 19 Stone is already maturing into a funky, creative vocalist with substance. If you already like Stone’s voice, you will like it even more after listening to Introducing Joss Stone as you hear the different styles she sings with subtle nuances. If you’ve never been a fan, listen to this CD. She will make a believer of you yet.
J Bryan is a writer, teacher, and music lover. He lives in Seattle, Washington.