Only for the sexiest woman alive would we slosh around the East Village in this winter mess for a listening party. Last night at Joe’s Pub, Stereogum got a preview of Scarlett Johansson’s forthcoming Tom Waits covers album, a project we’ve been tracking for well over a year. Anywhere I Lay My Head, out 5/20 on Atco/Rhino, collects ten covers and an original (“Song For Jo”) co-written by Scarlett and the album’s producer, Dave Sitek of TV On The Radio.
Scarlett and Dave spent five weeks recording the album at Dockside Studio in in Maurice, Louisiana last fall, collaborating with members of Sitek’s extended indie rock family, including Celebration, Jaleel Bunton (TVOTR), and Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ guitarist Nick Zinner. TVOTR fanboy David Bowie lends vocals on two tracks (“Falling Down” and “Fannin’ Street”). Well she certainly knows how to get our attention. Not that that’s ever been a problem.
Sitek’s unmistakable mark is all over the project, his thick production often vying with Scarlett’s multi-tracked baritone contralto (thanks Jack) for the listener’s attention. They recorded “tons of layers of insane stuff,” Dave offered in a Q&A session that followed the playback portion of the evening, mocking himself as an “overproducer.” He said he was going for a “cough medicine/Tinkerbell” vibe, an illustrative laugh line that’ll probably seep its way into the press release (and most subsequent pieces) on the record. Rumbling organs, screeching guitars, banjo, and a large hand-wound music box (featured on “I Wish I Was in New Orleans”) are supplemented with found sounds of the bayou: bird calls on “Song For Jo” and crickets and dogs on “I Don’t Want To Grow Up.” Sitek recalled the strange experience of “sitting with your friends trying to tune down crickets at 5:30 in the morning.”
The producer praised the red-blooded, visceral Americana painted by the Waits songbook, and its undercurrent of “heartbreak and hard work.” Johansson cited Waits’s beautiful melodies and distinct voice. The duo did seek the songwriter’s blessing before pursuing the project (he said OK, phew!) but have not spoken directly with him since the project’s completion. Johansson has heard that Tom is pleased with the result. We do know he was at least curious to hear it.
ScarJo claims she hasn’t thought about touring behind the record, but admits that the right “user-friendly” environment — “Scarletpalooza,” suggested Sitek — might coax her to perform live. “It would be a shame not to,” she admitted, but the prospect makes her nervous. “I think it will happen.” She also admitted to massive stage fright. Johansson, of course, performed with Jesus & Mary Chain at Coachella last year, and no one rioted.
Here’s the album’s tracklist:
Anywhere I Lay My Head
01 “Fawn” (Alice)
02 “Town With No Cheer” (Swordfish Trombones)
03 “Falling Down” (Big Time)
04 “Anywhere I Lay My Head” (Rain Dogs)
05 “Fannin’ Street” (Orphans)
06 “Song for Jo” (original)
07 “Green Grass” (Real Gone)
08 “I Wish I Was in New Orleans” (Small Change)
09 “I Don’t Want To Grow Up” (Bone Machine)
10 “No One Knows I’m Gone” (Alice)
11 “Who Are You?” (Bone Machine)
UPDATE: There was a video here of Scarlett and Dave talking about working with Bowie, but we took it down because you are not supposed to film anything at a listening party, don’t you know? We are mere Internet Bloggers and don’t know better, etc. The Other Boleyn Girl in theaters 2/28!
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I am totally in love with her, and once again I am jealous of David Bowie.
ew she’s annoying and not funny in this clip
Also she smelled like lavender and sunshine.
“Scarlett’s … baritone”?
Um… I believe the word you’re looking for is “contralto.”
Unless you know something about Scarlett Johanssen that the rest of us don’t.
worst review ever. ummm… DID YOU LIKE IT?
You can’t possibly expect me to get past that picture to actually read the post, right?
@ Jack Fear
Ha, true. Actually, Sitek or one of the other hosts referred to her baritone.
I think I’m more excited about Dave Sitek’s involvement than Scarlett’s. Should be good.
So, are you gonna actually write about the music? What’s the record sound like?
Scarlett with Bowie and members of TV On The Radio? I was already hooked after hearing her “Summertime” cover. Consider me excited. (And not just in the pants.)
Who fucking cares?
if it wasnt for that bastard sitek working on this, i would be wicked excited. with him, i’m at best cautiously optimistic
leak leak leak
Aren’t there enough amazing female musicians out there? Scarlett Johansson? Give me a break. They do covers on American Idol too. Let face it, the only reason you guys are interested is she hot. If the indie boys have a choice, they’ll pick the prom queen every time.
I completely agree with benton — how on earth can someone write about an album and mention everything except how the main vocalist sounds? Until I hear differently (or hear the album, which may confirm my impressions), this seems like a huge overreach — a vanity project by a very lovely but somewhat limited actress taking on the songs of a musical genius without the real feeling (or the genius) behind it. Nothing against Ms. Johansson, but great songwriting and great production, etc. aren’t enough to take on the work of someone so idiosyncratic and singular that covering him doesn’t make much sense for just about anyone.
?The heart that can no longer love passionately, must with fury hate?
-racine
i like her less and less. i dunno, there’s just… bad vibes. from her. to me. between us. EWW. not caring.
Here’s a thought………..maybe she’s just a fan who is lucky enough to have enough cash to do something must of us can only DREAM of doing. Waits is my favorite artist, hands down. If I had a buttload of cash I’d hire a bunch of heavyweights and sing my pathetic ass of. Lighten up, people.
if she’s singing pre-existing lyrics over music that someone else prepared for her, her voice better be exceptional for anyone to be impressed. her being already famous and familiar makes this whole situation even less interesting for me. still, i’m interested in the production itself, given that Sitek worked on it. i heard some people mention he’s been working with a lot female musicians lately. anyone know who?
I’m late to this discussion, but hey folks, if she was an obscure indie rocker and this came out, the cognizenti would be all over it with praise. I love the darkness and the thick texture; her voice fits it perfectly. (I have little use for American Idol-type caterwauling; give me “character” any day.) In fact, I like this better NOT looking at the video; it doesn’t show what I’m hearing. On the other hand, I do love looking at her! I give her lots of credit for turning in a credible piece of work that’s more than just “some actor singing”; I take her seriously because I think she deserves it.