:: Scarlett Johansson - Anywhere I Lay My Head

Scarlett Johansson

I was quite interested and surprised when I learned early last year that Scarlett Johansson was going to give singing a shot. Even more so when she said her affection for the music of Tom Waits meant that her album would contain Waits covers. It's quite a task for any singer to take on his disconnected musical assaults. However, critics were quick to dismiss Scarlett as just another movie star wanting to indulge in music ala Lindsay Lohan, Jennifer Love-Hewitt and Bijou Phillips, without even hearing her. Her “tribute” to Waits shows a good deal of familiarity with Waits more recent work (post 1990) and she respectfully reworks the songs. She enlisted the services of producer David Sitek and backing vocalists/musicians. Therefore, Sitek was able to present Scarlett's voice alongside a mix of bells, saxophone and whirling beats. It's a rare thing to hear this guarded female voice interpret the trademark Waits gruff sound. I suspect that even some of the tracks don't even showcase Scarlett's voice - the title track being one of the more despairing numbers - so it's then hard to gauge Scarlett's capabilities. She is expressive in her limitations but quite smooth and melnacholy in parts. “Falling Down” and the original song on the album (she co-wrote with Sitek) “Song For Jo”, are tracks that suits her and the production very well. Generally it is difficult for her to engage in the depth of the Waits musical traits, but who can anyway? Scarlett seems happy enough to proceed with this indulgence as a back-seat player and not pronounce herself as someone she isn't. We know she admires Tom Waits and this album could be considered slightly more than a curiosity factor.