Joss Stone, Ryan Shaw preview

Joss Stone, Ryan Shaw
House Of Blues, Chicago
Wednesday, May 30, 2007

The story behind the title of British soul singer Joss Stone’s third album, Introducing Joss Stone, is easy enough to understand: “It’s the first album that is truly me,” she says in the album’s press materials.

Stone was barely old enough to have a driver’s license when The Soul Sessions, an EP consisting mostly of vintage American soul, became a surprise hit in 2003, catapulting the teenage girl with the big voice to stardom. With today’s music industry turnover, it was no surprise her record label, S-Curve, hustled to get her follow-up and debut full-length, Mind, Body & Soul, released just a year later. Stone earned songwriting credits on that effort, but the heavy lifting was left to the hired guns. With the exception of the Diane Warren-penned “Bruised But Not Broken,” Stone, wrote or co-wrote the lyrics of every track on *Introducing* (released in March by Virgin), which is why she believes this album is the most honest portrayal to date of the “true” Joss Stone. Stone’s selling point, though, is her voice. Big and blustery, the 19-year-old is blessed with pipes far beyond her age. But even the best voices need good backing material, something Introducing rarely delivers. The album entered the Billboard Chart at number two and has sold truck loads of copies, but the fact is she was more interesting covering The White Stripes than she is singing over the tepid neo-soul material producer Raphael Saadiq (ex-Tony! Toni! Tone!) and co. provide her. Stone has all the talent in the world, but somebody needs to figure out how to apply it.

Opener Ryan Shaw’s story might sound familiar: A young, new voice in soul music introduces himself to the world with a debut of covers. Shaw did co-write a few tunes on This Is Ryan Shaw (Sony), but the album is mostly an opportunity to show his chops on classics like Jackie Wilson’s “I’ll Be Satisfied,” Bobby Womack’s “Lookin’ For A Love,” and Wilson Pickett’s “I Found A Love.” Stone may be developing an early, mild case of over-singitis, but Shaw has a full blown infection. Maybe it’s his Pentecostal church choir upbringing, but Shaw hasn’t encountered a line unworthy of being milked of every last note and drop of tremolo.

– Trevor Fisher

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly