Soul Sessions, The - Joss Stone > Reviews

Advantages: Pop music with a soul edge, which makes a nice change
Disadvantages: Too many ballads

...to her debut CD, "The Soul Sessions". The album opens with "The Chokin' Kind", a cover of a Joe Simon song. It opens much like any pop ballad and it's not until the instruments come in that you realise this is a blues/soul track. It's a nicely laid back song, perfect to have on in the background, although there's not a lot to differentiate Joss Stone from anyone else from someone like Kelly Clarkson on this track. The next track is the one that ... Read review

Advantages: The voice
Disadvantages: All cover songs of mixed quality

...by her mother’s love of soul music, and mum is now her co-manager. She had a lot of success in America, before her album was launched in her own country. How unusual is that? The Boston Globe wrote, “When Stone sings, it’s like listening to an old soul record plucked from a dusty stack of forgotten 45s.” The picture on the front of the album may lead you to believe this is the intention. It is dark purple and so impossible to tell the colour, ... Read review

Advantages: none
Disadvantages: none

Hello and welcome to the review that should have been here. It was here but its not here now as I have taken it and put it into my private stash somewhere else. It may well appear somewhere else online and if it does it will have my name on it. Thank you to everyone, to all the people in my COT over the years who have stuck by me and who have been great influences over the reviews I have written. It is indeed a sad case that reviewers have to come ... Read review

Advantages: Old Classics reworked for a new generation
Disadvantages: Slightly shy on tracks (10 songs)

...search took me to "The Soul Sessions" and boy did I reap my rewards!! Kicking off with the Chokin' Kind the girl sets out her intentions early! She has taken on old soul songs and has managed to breath life into them as well as visiting some more recent tunes and giving them new meaning. She followed up with Super Duper Love & Fell In Love With A Boy - the 2 singles & if they don't have you shaking your ass then nothing will! The musicians stay ... Read review

Advantages: Perfect mood music
Disadvantages: Only ten tracks, and can't get enough of that voice!

*RE-EDITED 12/02/04* I'd been chasing after this album for ages after hearing 'Fell in love with a Boy' on the radio, and loving it to bits. I was somewhat apprehensive that the album would fall flat after that, but I promise you, it will not dissapoint. Joss's voice is one of those that when you first hear it really does make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up - it is truly powerful and distinctive. The highlights for me on this album ... Read review

Advantages: Its just totally original and cool
Disadvantages: None- unless you don't like soul music then that would be a disadvantage

...created an album in the soul sessions that’s really rather good. This is an album with a completely different sound to the bubblegum pop that the music market perpetually produces and is instantly recognisable as hers simply because of the originality of her voice. The first single released "Fell in love with a boy" is quite simply just plain cool. So cool in fact that the White Stripes changed their original version of "Fell in love with a ... Read review

Advantages: A fantastic revival of soul greats with a fresh young twist
Disadvantages: The album doesn't reveal the variety in Joss's voice enough

...am a great fan of soul music and the idea of a new artist giving old soul classics and some new songs a twist and a youthful vitality fascinated me. Although not entirely sure what to expect, Soul Sessions certainly didn't disappoint. Upon hearing the first track 'Chokin Kind', you will undoubtedly feel a connection to the velvety tones of Joss's voice. One of the magnificent things about this album is that it sums up soul perfectly, whilst at ... Read review

Advantages: Lovely Collection of songs, a combination of relaxing and fun songs.
Disadvantages: The weakest song is probably 'All the Kings Horses'...However the CD has generally strong tracks.

...Betty Wright (Grammy Winning Soul Singer) described her voice as a 'gift from heaven'....I have to agree. She has extroadinary talent and she is a singer who really can sing. She has a fantastic soul voice. It is therefore no surprise that she sold over 2 million copies of 'The Soul Sessions'. This debut album has the following tracks: 1. The Chokin' Kind: In my opinion it would have been better to have started off with a faster track such as ... Read review

Advantages: Deeply soulful
Disadvantages: Perhaps she could've done fewer cover versions and written a few original records

This is a fantastic album. It sounds very much like something from Aretha Franklin's era, but that's not a bad thing in my opinion! I think this sort of music is timeless, however quality of this sort doesn't often come round. It's like medicine for the soul. It has everything, from very chilled out songs to more upbeat ones which are great to listen to when getting ready for a big night out! Her voice is absolutely stunning and all the more incredible ... Read review

Advantages: Totally Chilling Music
Disadvantages: Alittle The Samey

...had a show on called soul sessions presented by Jill Scott. Then all of a sudden I heard this voice, amazing, and so funky. I instantly fell in love with the voice. A few days later, on Radio1, in the live lounge, there was no other then Joss Stone. She sang a few songs, that were off the album. This was before the album was launched. I only have a few problems with this album. Alot of the tunes are similar. This is due to the fact that all the ... Read review

Advantages: A fresh sound. The tracks grow on you.
Disadvantages: Does not meet the high expectations of it's hype

This is basically a good first offering which shows Joss Stone's raw talent and offers a relatively fresh sound. Unfortunately though, it was over-hyped prior to it's release and is not the musical bomb-shell we were promised. A couple of the tracks really stand out, mainly as a result of their infectious choruses. There are also several songs on the album though which, despite Joss Stone's fantastic voice, are all too forgettable. If you can buy ... Read review

Advantages: So Soulful It Hurts!
Disadvantages: Read The review!

...it. this is the first soul album i've brought and i wasn't dissapointed. although in some songs it lacks expectations, her voice is so stunning that it doesn't really matter. i think that the best song is either 'The Chokin' Kind' or 'Super Duper Love', very powerful songs with great lyrics and great songs! GO BUY IT NOW!!! ... Read review