Posts Tagged ‘Tom Waits’

Scarlett Johansson “Waits” for Album Release

February 13th, 2008 / Author: cwillett

Hopefully nothing will get Lost in Translation!

Scarlett Johansson’s debut album of Tom Waits covers is slated for a May 20 release, and the folksy rocker has already given ScarJo the seal of approval for the effort.

"I sent him some of the early, early recordings, and he said, ‘Go ahead,"’ she says. "I’ve heard he’s very pleased."

Titled Anywhere I Lay My Head — one of Tom’s tunes — the disc features 10 covers of Waits classics and one original song from the 23-year-old star, called "Song for Jo."

The blonde bombshell admitted she originally planned on recording an album of standards, but it soon transformed into a Waits homage.

"His melodies are so beautiful and his voice is so distinct," she revealed at a news conference Tuesday.

Guesting on the album are rock god David Bowie, Yeah Yeah Yeahs guitarist Nick Zinner and members of the band Celebration. The LP was produced by Dave Sitek of rock band TV On The Radio.

Don’t expect ticket sales to go on any time soon to see Scarlett bust out a note. The actress, who can next be seen in The Other Boleyn Girl, says she has no plans to tour in support of the album. Though, she won’t rule out a special festival performance with all of her collaborators.

"It would be a missed opportunity not to."

Don’t Quit Your Day Job? Scarlett Johansson

August 30th, 2007

When Hollywood sexpot and Woody Allen muse Scarlett Johansson announced she was getting into the music industry, the prospect was met with a lot of doubtful guffaws, especially when she further announced it would be a Tom Waits cover album.

Indie music bloggers like Pitchfork and Stereogum seemed unsure of what to expect. And as film critic Phil Villarreal, of philmguy.com, puts it to OK!: “You won’t find a more beautiful or talented actress, but she sounds just like Vin Diesel. It’s like those identity-theft commercials where the grandma speaks in the voice of a trucker. Unless her album is full of B.B. King covers, this could get uglier than Monopoly night at the Lohans.”

But, despite a brief onstage appearance at the Coachella music festival this past April, most music fans have yet to hear what the curvy actress has to sing. She’s reportedly been in the studio with members of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and got David Sitek of indie darlings TV on the Radio to produce her album. When Pitchfork asked Tom Waits what he thought of the prospect, he had this to say: “I don’t know if I’m excited to hear it, but I’m curious.” Seems like that may be the general consensus when the album hits the streets sometime in the undisclosed near future.

By Jocelyn Vena

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