Joss Stone- Introducing Joss Stone (2007) VBR

Joss Stone- Introducing Joss Stone

Year 2007

Tracks
1. Change (Vinnie Jones Intro) 0:35
2. Girl They Won't Believe It 3:16
3. Headturner 3:16
4. Tell Me 'Bout It 2:49
5. Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now 4:22
6. Put Your Hands On Me (Album Version) 2:58
7. Music 3:41
8. Arms Of My Baby 2:52
9. Bad Habit 3:41
10. Proper Nice 3:25
11. Bruised But Not Broken 4:15
12. Baby Baby Baby 4:35
13. What Were We Thinking 4:24
14. Music Outro 3:48

Joss Stone is back with a transatlantic accent, in both her spoken and singing voice.
It is clear from the outset that this artist is desperate for the world to know, this is the "new" her. .
Featuring a pretentious intro by Vinnie Jones, the Devon lass is implying that she is now a ballsy soul star with a new sound. The red hair and tattoo on the front cover hammers this home, in case you didn't know already.
Her voice still has all the right moves, although she has started to do the 'Mariah thing' - in that each note is stretched to breaking point, taking the energy and replacing it with a 'hear me now' wail.
Lauryn Hill from the Fugees makes special guest appearance on one of the 14 new tracks.
So much so that a line "Watch Me Walk" sounds like "Watch me wail." The single "Tell Me Bout It" out has a touch of the old skool about it, but for all the hype - it is begged and borrowed rather than 'new'.
There is the odd gem which stirs you, like "Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now" in which the soulstress is more restrained and these tracks benefit from this as they have heart.
But too often, the album tries to be all things to all people. So we end up with a little of Janis Joplin, Mariah, Whitney, Aretha and many other great female singers. Imitation is flattering for these women.
But it also means that the real Joss Stone needs to stand up.
This begs the question, if we are being introduced to this soul star for the first time, who is she?