Falling Down

I’ve listened a few times now, and I have to say it: the Scarlett Johansson album, Anywhere I Lay My Head, is pretty poor.

I can’t discount her taste: ten Tom Waits covers (plus one original song) shows that she likes good music. I can’t deny her star-power either: Waits himself, plus none other than David Bowie, sing backup on a few songs.

On first listen her breathy, deep, sexy voice intrigued me. But it soon became clear that it was nearly monotone. It’s uninflected and uninteresting and emotionless, and there can be no greater sin against a Tom Waits song. The music only adds to this: it’s far too programmed and processed and distant.

I wanted to like this album, and not just because Johansson is sexy as hell. Her choice of material intrigued me. Wow, I thought, she’s not just going to cash in on some teen pop songs. Unfortunately she couldn’t quite deliver. Her voice is good and unusual, but she doesn’t use it well enough to make her performances interesting. She doesn’t murder the songs, she just didn’t have the goods to make her versions of them…good.

Hopefully from here on out she’ll stick to what she does best: making out with Penelope Cruz.