New Scarlett Johansson - "Anywhere I Lay My Head" (& Album Art)
You've heard what Scarlett has to say about covering Tom Waits, you've read what Bowie has to say about her covering Tom Waits, shit you've even seen what Tom Waits has to say about ScarJo covering Tom Waits. NOW IT'S TIME TO HEAR HER COVER TOM WAITS. The record's called Anywhere I Lay My Head, and the first cover to convert its way into internet friendly streamability is the title track. As Sitek told us on a snowy night a few months back, he was going for a "cough syrup/Tinkerbell" vibe throughout. That night we complained that Sitek's dense production tended to bury her vocal -- drowning Tinker Bell in the cough syrup, to fuck with the metaphor. We walked out thinking it was a swell sounding Sitek album, and Scarlett was guesting. This is just the first helping, but see how the syrup suits you.
UPDATE: It's been removed! Listen to Scarlett cover Gershwin while we await new streams...
Now, the art:
See, she's laying her head! (Hey photographer, you're fired.) Anywhere I Lay My Head is out on Rhino, soon. Since the Zooey vs. Scarjo debate is inevitable, let it roll. As far as we're concerned, M. Ward built the record up and around Zooey's voice; in total, Anywhere leaves you thinking it's Sitek's show. We'll revisit when we can hear more at our leisure.
Tracklist:
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)
Posted at 2:54 PM
Tags: Dave Sitek | Scarlett Johansson | TV On The Radio
As an obsessed Waits fan I have a vast collection of covers of his tunes. The tribute albums (John Hammond exempted) all blow.
This is actually pretty damn good. Can't wait to hear more.
Score = 2
This is.....not so good.
ScarJo, you have a great, dusky, smokey voice.
So why the flat Midwestern talent show vocals?
Score = 1
well, this is exactly as bad as expected.
Score = -1
hooray for crappy photoshopped album art!
Score = -1
I am pretending this isn't Scar Jo. Ughh.
Score = -2
The voice is not as bad as I would have thought, but the production. Man, that just isn't good. From the techno beats, to the faux crowd. That is what ruins it for me.
Score = -2
terrible. just terrible.
Score = -1
Did the links get mixed up or something? Or was this meant to sound like Sinead O'Connor in Nothing Compares 2 U
Score = -1
As for the Zooey vs. ScarJo debate, here's the difference: She & Him made me like Zooey more. This makes me like Scarlett less.
Score = -1
How horrible!
Score = -2
HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH Also, a reptile is looking at ScarJo laying her ass down on a bed of parsley. A succulent piggy, snoozing unawares.
Score = -5
eh
Score = 0
her vocals are so low in the mix, undoubtedly because even with autotune she really can't carry a song. bad/dated production. overall verdict: embarassingly bad
Score = 1
I like the sound of it. It doesn't particularly make me like Scarlet any more or any less, really. Will I rush to buy it? Probably not, but if it lands in my hands, sure, I'll play it.
Score = 3
In short, yick.
Score = -1
I love Stereogum. You guys have no qualms with posting the sexiest photo you can find of her, that has no relation whatsoever to the topic at hand. I am starting to like the shameless, vapid tendencies this site has continually shown. Where's the side module with the bikini photo galleries, a la Egotastic?
Score = -5
Yeah what does a photo of SCARLETT JOHANSSON have to do with a post about a new SCARLETT JOHANSSON song. You should use an ugly photo duh. this song is LAME btw
Score = 0
Those tracks come via us. There's 3 more you can check out over here.
http://theplaylist.blogspot.com/2008/04/sneak-peek-scarlett-johanssons-anywhere.html
Score = 0
the best thing about this whole thing is that you can imagine that scarjo is dead on the album cover.
Score = -1
I'm not sure which is best: the moan, the casiotonic instrumental, or the click-track drums. It could only be improved by absolutely anything.
Score = 0
Look at those Ta-Ta's. They could feed an entire African village. mmmmmmm.
Score = -1
Geez...u guys dont hold back............I'm intrigued by how bad the reviews are but still cant muster the interest to listen to it. Really though, Geez.
Score = 0
holy shit. that photo is fucking hot.
Score = 0
This is actually worse than I expected.
Score = -1
That seriously has to be the most phoned-in production I've heard in ages. Did he record this on that organ in my grandma's basement while on NyQuil? Talk about overkill on the reverb, too.
No wonder I don't like TVOTR.
Score = -2
Easy guys. One song. The other tracks I've heard sound a lot better than this one. She's a fine singer.
Score = 1
http://www.avclub.com/content/blog/but_what_i_really_want_to_do_is_1
God bless the Onion for summing this up before I and everyone else who realizes this is a big piece of celebrity shit, had to...
Score = -1
C'mon, it's not that bad. It's not great, but we all know you guys are just foaming at the mouth(s) to bash it. And besides, any dude here (myself included) would drag their balls through a mile of broken glass just to hear her fart through a walkie talkie.
Score = 0
whoa whoa whoa. is there an mp3 of this?!?!
Score = 0
this really looks like it should be on on the "worst album covers of all time" list
Score = -1
flat..boring..sorry but this is nothing special.
Score = -1
/Does that Jon Stewart schtik where he adjusts his tie and makes nasal jewy sounds and clears his throat.
At least she has that acting thing to fall back on.
Score = -1
Sounds like a Cher album produced with Garage Band.
Score = -1
i like the album cover, it reminds me of sleeping-fetish porno
im going to pleasure myself to this,,,
btw scarjo has to be the grossest sounding nicname ever
Score = -1
sorry, i didn't get past the picture at the top. what is everyone yelling about?
Score = 0
I seriously cannot stop listening to her version of Anywhere I Lay My Head. You people have to remember that she wasn't going for a straight copy of Waits. She took his lyrics and put them with her own sound. I am a huge Waits fan but I am not going to let my fandimonium get in the way of an opinion about Scarlett's music.
Score = 2
Great work guys, direct me to listen to a song and then take it down. cheers
Score = 0
Loved it
Score = 2
Loved it
Score = 2
I'm a huge fan of Waits and Scarlett. But I have to say, Johansson's singing is good to make me laugh. I still love her, anyway.
Score = -2
Have now heard the whole album and i can say without hesitation it's the best album by an actor ever made and amazingly one of the best albums of the year.
Totally unexpected
Score = 2
This record makes me laugh about the actresses trying to make music. Oh my God!!!!
Where is the talent when the compositions, the production, the instrumentation, etc are not from her, she only puts her voice and... the vocals are under the mix of the music... Why? She hasn't a worthy voice for pay attention about. Overvalued if there's any music lover who thinks this is music!!!
Score = -2
Even though many of the tracks only left me with a resounding "meh", some aren't all that bad, in all the album really stays faithful to the originals whilst Scarlett makes the songs her own. It's strange but it somehow works out in the end.
I really missed a few tracks though, I think she's make a great "Grapefruit moon" and "I'm still here". Suppose we'll all have to wait (no pun intended) for the inescapable sequel.
Score = -1
i like it! not the art though.
Score = 1
I love Scarlett's voice. The double vocals on every song is way too much. She chose to cover Tom Waits, whose arrangements are EPIC, and let Dave Sitek carve the songs out into empty shells. Scarlett is amazing and talented, as you can see from the live videos of her actually recording the vocals. But Sitek's stupid dinky keyboard and snyth interpretation of things blows. It does not live up to any close to a tribute album. The article above is being nice. He totally drowns out Scarlett's voice in the lame instrumentation AND too much double-vocaling. Sorry, Scarlett. You need a new producer. You should keep making albums!!! But don't let Dace Sitek near them!!
Score = -1
Scarlett Johansson - Anywhere I Lay My Head cd covers with better quality if u want to see album artwork (click on my name)
Score = 0
Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge Scarlett Johansson fan, but this album is absolute crap...!!! It sounds like she ended up in a cheap Karaoke joint after a long, long night of heavy liquor and cigarettes.
I sincerely hope someone close to Scarlett manages to persuade her to let go of any musical aspirations and dedicate her talents to what she's good at: acting.
Score = 0