Lioness: Hidden Treasures Island***
It's easy to dismiss posthumous releases of artists as mere money-spinning ventures, but Amy Winehouse fans concerned that she may become the next Tupac Shakur needn't fret. These previously unheard cuts, demos and alternative versions are mostly hugely impressive, from her astonishing cover of
Girl from Ipanema(recorded when she was just 18) to slower, slinkier versions of
Valerieand
Tears Dry on Their Own, and a collaboration with rapper Nas (
Like Smoke). Winehouse's natural ability was breathtaking, but her wobbly version of
Song for You, recorded at the peak of her drug problem, seems even more poignant in the company of the effortless single-take recording of
Wake Up Alone. Neither a definitive tribute nor an adequate third album proper,
Lionessultimately emphasises a talent sadly squandered.
Download tracks: Girl from Ipanema, Valerie
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