by Jagged Little Teenager "Alex" Leeds, U.K. Reviewed on December 12th, 2004
When I bought Joss Stone's debut album "The Soul Sessions" in June this year, I was impressed, but not blown away. The girl can sing, there's no doubt about that, but an album of covers only appealed to me partially. I wanted to hear her deliver the goods on her own material - songs written by her or for her, especially for that gritty voice that has wrapped itself around the world in a vice-like grip throughout 2004. Sure enough, Joss released her first album of original material and her second album to date in September 2004. "Mind, Body & Soul" is its title and it really is one of the year's greatest albums.
I bought this album in October and listened to it a few times, but it never really connected with me. I was kind of disappointed because I had such high expectations for it, when in the past week everything just fell into place! I realised that I hadn't been paying enough attention to Joss and the style of music on this album to truly appreciate it. She's only 17 years old and has one of the most accomplished albums of the year, and it's all because of those killer hooks and of course the iconic voice! She's become a superstar in the UK with two massive-selling albums and I'm sure her success will continue over the next few years.
The album opens with "Right To Be Wrong." I loved this song right from the start because it's so powerful and independent. It's similar to the opener of her debut album but has a more classy feel to it. "Jet Lag" is a gorgeous song where Stone sings about feeling physically airborne due to her elated feelings for the guy she loves. This song shows that she can pull off mid-tempo songs with sweet melodies and not just sticky ballads. "You Had Me" is the album's lead single and is a fast-paced hybrid of pop, rock, funk and soul. The bass races with Joss' relentless vocals, her voice filled with hatred and anger over her ex. "Spoiled" is Joss' personal favourite song from the album, and she's not wrong - it's absolutely beautiful. She sings with a passion that is unheard from most female artists about the love she has lost. "Don'tcha Wanna Ride" is another fantastic song with saucy lyrics and an irresistible chorus. I didn't like it much at first, but I adore it now.
"Less Is More" is another brilliant song with a hint of Reggae. The plodding beat gives this effect and Joss' vocals are very convincing as she sings of her latest boyfriend who won't leave her alone! She likes him, but he needs to give her breathing space. "Security" will be most fondly remembered for its choir-laden choruses and the point where Joss' vocals peak towards the third minute. It's a great ballad and definitely an album highlight. "Young At Heart" tells the story of how Joss' friends and family have deserted her because of her latest love interest. She doesn't care though, because he's perfect. The "Ooo"-ing in the song is very catchy and the chorus is very memorable. "Snakes And Ladders" is another one of my favourites on the album because of the heavenly "La-la"-ing that Joss does at the start of the song, after the first chorus and as the song is fading out. It's so beautiful hearing her voice in this tone and the topic of the song is also very original. She sings of how every time she thinks her boyfriend and herself are going places, he rolls the dices and slides down back to the start from No.99!
"Understand" is not one of my favourites on the album and the line where she mentions her iPod doesn't help either! She sings, "I keep our song on repeat on my iPod even when I sleep." Why?! How cheesy is that?! Still, it's probably the first song to even make reference to Apple's genius creation. "Don't Know How" is a great song that has a fast-paced beat and a catchy chorus, especially on the part where she sings, "Wanna make you mine!" Another one of my favourites is "Torn And Tattered," because Joss sings of being physically and mentally exhausted. The song itself is very upbeat and joyful, however, and the best part is where the backing singers repeat, "Riding the rodeo, up and down we go!" "Killing Time" is a mid-tempo song with a steady pace. It's a real grower, but not one of my favourites. The album closes with an exceptional song, however, and it's called "Sleep Like A Child." It has a slamming bass that is very mid-tempo. It's almost scary, representative of the night and incredibly atmospheric as the piano starts playing in.
OVERALL GRADE: 10/10
My opinion on this album has turned around 180 degrees in the past week. I really had no desire for it, but then once I listened to it I realised how amazing it is. Joss is very famous all over the world now, and she's British! Yay! It makes me proud to say some truly fantastic talent from the UK has cracked the States with such force. The Soul Sessions was good, especially with the superb "Are You Diggin' On Me?" but this album of original material runs circles around it. This became a massive No.1 in the UK and almost made the Top 10 in the US, proving how popular Joss really is. I'd recommend this album to anyone, I have no doubts about its appeal and popularity.
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