Colour Me Free! review

Any song Joss Stone performs seems to be the classic of the genre

Today the name of Joss Stone is known not only to any Foggy Albion citizen but also to all the connoisseurs of quality soul. Her vocal skills cannot but impress and the confident performance of the most complicated and unusual tunes does her credit, especially when you know that this year the girl has only turned 22, and this October the singer releases already the fourth album. Perhaps she is not the only young performer with a powerful voice as a multitude of albums of talented girls prepared for success is released annually. Yet if you hear Joss Stone’s voice at least once you will agree she actually is incomparable. This pretty girl sings at such a high level that any song she performs seems to be the classic of the genre and her pleasant timbre leaves nobody indifferent. As for Joss’ new work this record proves to be completely different from all the previous ones. Colour Me Free! is the most spontaneous of all Stone’s creations, the singer has once again done a great job with her professionalism, and the album will definitely occupy the leading position among the year’s releases.

The strongest emotions and bright individuality on Colour Me Free!

Joss Stone expresses her strongest emotions if she sings about relationships, and croons with no less passion about what she thinks of politics and religion on her new album Colour Me Free! Besides her bright individuality is once again expressed here, for instance, on the pretty opening track Free Me, she insists not to be taught how to live, and the composition Lady is filled with admirable nobleness. There is a place for a breakup song on the record, too, which is Could Have Been You, while Parallel Lines featuring Jeff Beck and Sheila E. proves to be one of the most emotional tracks on the album. A stylish jazz ballad 4 And 20 is refined with splendid tubes and fiddles, whereas Raphael Saadiq joins the singer on a complicated and melodious track Big 'Ol Game which proves to be the most optimistic on the record. Yet if you still doubt Joss’ talent of the vocalist and songwriter listen to the composition Governmentalist featuring Nas – this is a real masterpiece for here the singer delivers her opinion about the British government in a very precise and expressive manner, and the amazing 1970s-like accompaniment will please all the soul fans. Bright shouting tubes combine perfectly with Joss’ voice on You Got The Love, a gospel-stylized song, whereas the most romantic on the album is the duet with Jamie Hartman Stalemate. The disc closes with a most beautiful piano ballad Girlfriend On Demand leaving no doubt of Ms Stone’s talent.

A true talent married to boldness, wisdom and sense of humor

It is hard to believe that the entire album Colour Me Free! was recorded in a little bit more than a week listening to it for each track is carried out practically faultlessly. If Joss allows herself some little improvisation it sounds quite harmonious and natural, confirming again and again her good feeling of melody and the capability to work with a band of musicians. Joss Stone’s all music is filled with the influence of the 1970s-1980s and it just cannot be any other way – the singer was growing up listening to the best recordings of Aretha Franklin and Dusty Springfield. One can only guess how far this performer is going to go as she has already conquered the hearts of millions of listeners, still there are people in the world who have never heard of her. For them Colour Me Free! is the most suitable album to get acquainted with the unique young singer, and for her fans it is a wonderful present making it clear that they are quite right in their idol choice. That is what all Joss Stone’s discs have been like so far and they will definitely be like this in future – incomparable masterpieces and examples of a true talent married to boldness, wisdom and sense of humor.