Scarlett Johansson's First Album Panned

Actress Scarlett Johansson's latest film work may be getting the red carpet treatment at Cannes, but her debut album, released on Tuesday, is drawing fire from music critics.

"Anywhere I Lay My Head," a collection of Tom Waits songs recorded by the star of such films as "Match Point," "Lost in Translation" and "Girl with a Pearl Earring," has been described by the actress as "an intimate experience."

But numerous reviews of the album complained that Johansson's vocals end up lost in the lush arrangements of producer David Andrew Sitek, the guitarist and keyboardist for the indie rock band TV on the Radio.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[starrianna]

I can't wait to hear the killer duet between:

ScarJo & K-Fed!

[LiberalBuzz]

It's a pleasant album, it's just not anything special. No spark, nothing that jumps out and grabs you.

BUT maybe she'll be better on the next one.

Or not.

[sufi66]

Children should be seen, not heard.

[TRCimino]

It"s funny how time repeats itself. I read some old reviews of a group called "Clannad" and the bashing statements about their lead singer. The reviews of "Anywhere I Lay My Head" are, almost word for word, recycled lines from those earlier reviews. That lead singer, by the way, turned out to be a no-talent, flop named "Enya" who has grossed a mere 7 billion dollars for the record industry. An aweful tragedy.

Are we really that conditioned to lay down and coddle to the idea that it"s only good if everyone likes it?

After reading some of these posts I guess I"m a bit confused. I didn"t realize that we had so many Hollywood "Insiders" on the rolls here at the "Post". I especially liked the blogger who referred to her as a "huge headed buffoon" as though they share a dorm room together.

Ms. Johansson has been an advocate for human rights and groups like "OXFAM," "Amnesty International" and "Save Darfur." She has campaigned for Al Gore, John Kerry and is now, very actively, supporting Barack Obama.

To the bloggers who treat the enquirer, star, and people magazines as though they were the AP wire, you might want to stick to taking pot shots at Brittney Spears and Paris Hilton, because Ms. Scarlett Johansson is way out of your league.

[SweetAngie]

Who cares!?!

I am so OVER-saturated with this actress, I am just glad she jumped to a different genre so we did not have to see her in every movie on the roster. Talk about dilluting yourself on the screen . . .

[EdwardEdwards]

There will come a point where this girl's looks will fail.. and then suddenly... men around the world will discover she isn't as talented as she used to be.

:eyesroll:

[theidaexpress]

I love how the article insulted Zooey Deschanel, compared to Scarlett, she is a fantastic singer. I knew this whole project would blow up in Scarlett's face--people should really stick to their day job, but I guess when you have a vast amount of money, you think anything is possible!
http://www.theidaexpress.com

[starrianna]

LEAVE "ScarJo" alone!

"ScarJo" = badass!

[napoleon68]

well, i feel for her. she is just another in a long line who attempted to expand her horizons. just look at the long list of other actors who have done this. shatner for one. nimoy has 6 albums to his name. kurt russel and goldie hawn have recored albums. costner has too. and many, many more!

[johnnygoodwud]

if she sounds anything like she did on the obama video by will.i.am. she must be terrible.

[speakyourmind]

In Los Angeles we got a tidbit of it on a local radio station KROQ. Oh my was it horrible!!! Poor thing, I was embarassed for her. And I like her. But it was painful!

[happycat]

Good! She deserves it for becoming such a huge headed buffoon.

[rzan]

Stick to what you know, Scarlet. I never understand why actors must sing or singer act. It is the rare instance where someone can do both well.

[nathananderson]

The music is good, and it's produced well. I like Scarlett, I think she is incredibly smart and a gifted actress - not to mention dead sexy - but this doesn't come a suprise. It's typical, over-produced fluff from a starlett.

[truthyguy]

So they paned her simply because she has no vocal talent. How unfair. Shouldn't we all go out and support her so she can indulge herself in her "intimate experience"?

[lowry99]

the vocals weren't "lost," they were put further back in the mix the way they used to be in "My Bloody Valentine" albums, David Bowie's "Low" and other albums they were emulating (a little too closely).

It has a few good tracks ("Falling Down" is quite good) but overall there are too many songs with insufficient inspiration (OK Karaoke). Her voice is less of a demerit than the too-easily-recognizable direct influences. I blame the producer Dave Sitek for both the good and the bad, he had some good ideas but didn't bring them into a coherent whole (one song is an 80's dance number, another uses the most primitive drum kit I've heard since I set my old casio to "rumba").

In any case, hold off on the schadenfreude, it's still better than Zooey Deschanel's rhymes (stay here/play here).