After listening to this album I felt a strong urge to post about it, especially after reading some remarkably unfair reviews that completely miss the point and simply attack Johansson for producing what some view as a 'vanity project'. I'm sure you're all familiar with the situation; A-list starlet Johansson has assembled a stellar ensemble of talent (Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio, Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, David Bowie and more) to cover a selection of Tom Waits songs, mostly from the latter half of his career, and provide one original track, written by Johansson and Sitek. The result is a gorgeous slice of shoegaze that will no doubt leave a lot of people scratching their heads, or merely shrugging their shoulders indifferently. While Johansson definately gives a new spin to these songs, this is hardly aimed at Tom Waits fans. It seems less like a decision to pay homage to one of her favourite songwriters, and more like a result of not having enough confidence to write her own material. Johansson has been heavily criticised for her subdued, subtle vocal performance; is she holding back? Or is it intentional? If this issue is likely to infuriate you, then you will not enjoy this album. There are moments that come across as uncomfortable, when she sings "I will drink you under the table" there is a strong sense of 'phonyness'; it does indeed sound forced. Yet there is something intriguing about listening to the young Hollywood actress take on this role, attempting to inhabit Wait's world of seedy characters and lonely old towns; she clearly does not belong there, you can tell by the way she sings, even if you didn't know who she was. It is a fantasy, another role for her to play, but one that remains beyond her reach. Creating the backdrop for this fantasy is skilled producer Dave Sitek, who lends the album its lush soundscapes. Sitek layers ambient elements over subtle drums and droning guitars to create a sprawling sea of noise that flows around Johansson's often deadpan vocal, submerging the listener, though he maintains a sense of space that keeps us from drowning; the vast, open America is not forgotten. With the only original track on the album, Song for Jo, Johansson provides the one completely honest moment here, as she sings "do you rememember how we'd fallen asleep on the bathroom floor... cold as the sound of your daddy's house... you are alive today". The melody and lyrics provide a strong feminine counterpoint to the Waits tracks (even if it is unclear as to whether she sings from a male or female point of view), and the result is possibly one of the most enjoyable songs on the album. With this in mind I would like to make a plea to Ms. Johansson and Mr. Sitek to make an entire album of original tracks as soon as possible.
Scarlett Johansson - Song for Jo
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