Albums
< Scarlett Johansson
Anywhere I Lay My Head
words by Stuart Stubbs
On paper, it’s a risky move: being a young, beautiful movie star, launching not only a ‘serious’ music career but doing so with a covers album, consisting of the almost sacred works of Tom Waits. Fortunately, Scarlett Johansson proves here to be neither just a pretty face or solely an acclaimed actor, nor purely the proprietor of a rich, haunting singing voice. She also had the sense to rope David Sitek in on production duties, having handpicked some of Wait’s more obscure and beautiful songs to rework. Heading Sitek’s sometimes lullaby wizardry (‘I Wish I Was In New Orleans’), Johansson sings like a less debauched Nico, providing the swashing strings and seasick percussion of the title track with a sensual allure only emitted by a true femme fatale. David Bowie appears but it’s merely a footnote. ‘Anywhere I Lay My Head’ really is that good! 9/10 in stores now
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