Joss Stone - The Soul Sessions (2003)

Not every 16-year-old white, English girl can hang with the likes of Betty Wright ("Clean Up Woman") and Angie Stone. Joss Stone (no relation), however, is blessed with a strong voice and a will to sing old-school soul. This debut CD is worthy of more than novelty status, though. Wisely avoiding iconic songs by the genres biggest names, Stone and a production team that includes Wright opt for lesser-known tunes more often by the likes of Laura Lee, Joe Simon, and the Soul Brothers Six--not to mention their digging out (with guest co-producer ?uestlove from the Roots) the great soul lyric in the White Stripes "Fell in Love with a (Boy)." Joss Stone occasionally misses a connection; her "Some Kind of Wonderful" is listless, and when she develops a bit more subtlety, itll be welcome. But The Soul Sessions has a spark beyond the albums obvious good taste. --Rickey Wright