Scarlett Johansson releases record, public questions credibility

Maybe you heard or maybe you haven’t, but Sofia Coppola’s favorite sprite ScarJo released a record totally comprised of Tom Waits cover songs. It’s called “Anywhere I Lay My Head” after the song of the same name. I was fairly skeptical at first (and some other famous people seem to have already written it off), but decided I had some free time at work to listen to it (well, not exactly “free time”; I was busy working while listening to it) and see how it was.

At first, I thought her voice was exactly like you’d expect it: mannish. But it started to grow on me, and as the songs progressed, the initial drag queen sounding vocals wore off and ended up coming into her own.

After the initial first run through I wasn’t incredibly impressed, but it’s fair to say anyone that comes into listening to an album from a really young, A-list movie star is going to be skeptical. However, the more and more I listen to it, the more and more I actually like it. It’s incredibly ambient—if you’re looking for any semblance of pop music here, you’re not going to find it. I kind of think of it like Sigur Ros mixed with, well, Tom Waits. Lots of reverb on the drums; lots of repetitive (not in a bad way) beats; low, brooding vocals; minimalist instrumentation with heavy, echoed overlays.

I’m going to go head and assume that the sound is due (probably more than a lot) in part to the producer, Dave Sitek, a member of the band TV on the Radio who are known for their use of noise and sounds and push-the-envelope mantra in making their music.

If you’re a member of imeem, you can listen to the whole thing. If not, see the Soundtrack to this Post section below for a sample of one of the songs.

Soundtrack to this Post:

Scarlett Johansson—Falling Down