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AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Typically, artists dispense with introductions after their debut -- after all, that is an album designed to introduce them to the world -- but neo-soul singer Joss Stone defiantly titled her third album Introducing Joss Stone , thereby dismissing her first two relatively acclaimed albums with one smooth stroke. She now claims that those records were made under record-label pressure -- neatly contradicting the party line that her debut, The Soul Sessions , turned into a retro-soul project after Joss implored her label to ditch the Christina Aguilera -styled urban-pop she was pursuing -- but now as a young adult of 19, she's free to pursue her muse in her own fashion. All this is back-story to Introducing , but Stone makes her modern metamorphosis plain on the album's very first track, where football-star-turned-Hollywood-muscle Vinnie Jones blathers on nonsensically about change ("I see change, I embody change, all we do is change, yeah, I know change, we're born to change" and so on and so forth), setting the stage for some surprise, which "Girl They Won't Believe It" kind of delivers, if only because it isn't all that different from what Stone has done before. It's a sprightly slice of Northern soul propelled by a bouncy Motown beat that doesn't suggest a change in direction as much as a slight shift in aesthetic. Gone are the seasoned studio pros, in are a bevy of big-name producers all united in a mission to make Stone seem a little less like a '60s blue-eyed soul diva and a little more her age, a little more like a modern girl in 2007. So, the professional in-the-pocket grooves have been replaced by drum loops, the warm burnished sound has been ditched in favor of crisp, bright sonics, Harlan Howard covers have been pushed aside for cameos by Common and Lauryn Hill . It's a cosmetic change that works, at least to a certain extent: Introducing does sound brighter, fresher than her other two albums, pitched partway between Amy Winehouse and Back to Basics Christina yet sounding very much like Texas at their prime, but it's all surface change -- beneath that shiny veneer, Stone suffers from the two things that have always plagued her: songs that don't quite stick and overly labored singing. Since Introducing is a production-heavy album, the lack of memorable tunes doesn't quite matter as much because this about sound, not songs, but the singing is a problem: it's at once too big and too small, as Stone pushes every phrase too hard but never winds up seeming like the larger-than-life figure she so clearly desires to be. That's the kind of persona that could sell music like this -- music that gets by on its stylized tweaking of classic conventions (as opposed to her previous album, which celebrated classic conventions without offering a structure to support them) -- but too often Stone comes across like a contestant on American Idol, a voice in search of the right sound and the right songs to truly make her into a star instead of being a star right out of the gate. Which means this introduction isn't all that different than her debut, since it still presents a promising vocalist instead of a vocalist who's fulfilled her promise. Introducing Joss Stone From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Introducing Joss Stone (stylised as Introducing... Joss Stone ) is the third studio album by English singer and songwriter Joss Stone . It was released on 9 March 2007 by Virgin Records . Stone began writing the album in April 2006 in Barbados , before meeting up with producer Raphael Saadiq in the Bahamas to record the songs. Introducing Joss Stone also features guest vocal appearances by rapper Common and singer Lauryn Hill . Upon its release, the album was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. Introducing Joss Stone was not as commercially successful as Stone's previous albums in her native United Kingdom, peaking at number 12 on the UK Albums Chart and selling 27,000 copies in its first week. In the United States, it debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 118,000 units, yielding the second highest debut for a British female solo artist on the chart. It also performed well across continental Europe, charting inside the top 10 in several countries. The album has sold 1.3 million copies worldwide. Background and recording Chris Anokute was hired by Virgin Records chairman Jason Flom to A&R Introducing Joss Stone with a budget of $1 million, which Anokute described to HitQuarters as his "first real A&R job". [3] In April 2006, Flom sent Stone to Barbados with Anokute for two months, where she began writing the lyrics and he helped her develop the songs. [4] [5] [6] Stone wrote an estimated 60 songs. [7] In collaboration with Stone's manager Marty Maidenberg and Merck Mercuriadis, Anokute developed the vision for the album, enlisting producers and musicians such as Raphael Saadiq , Novel , Dallas Austin and Common . Anokute also arranged a duet with Lauryn Hill , who had not guested on anyone else's record since her debut album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998). [3] After spending months in Barbados, Stone travelled to Nassau, Bahamas , to meet up with Saadiq, who produced the entire album. [4] "Raphael is the most incredible musician I've ever met in my whole life", Stone said. "Musically, I feel like he reads my mind. I'll give him a look and he'll know exactly what I want." [4] The two spent two months in Nassau recording at Compass Point Studios , followed by the album's mixing at Electric Lady Studios in New York City . [4] Release and promotion On 13 March 2007, VH1 launched a music series titled Album Autopsy: Introducing Joss Stone on its broadband video channel VSPOT . The series took an in-depth look at the entire album process, including Stone's songwriting process, recording sessions, creation of the album cover art and interviews with Stone and people involved in the album's production. [8] The deluxe edition of the album includes a bonus DVD containing behind-the-scenes footage, interviews with Stone and the music video for "Tell Me 'bout It". [9] From March to June 2007, Stone performed on several American television shows to promote the album, including Late Show with David Letterman , Tavis Smiley , Today , The Early Show , The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson , The Tonight Show with Jay Leno , Dancing with the Stars , The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Live! with Kelly and Michael . [9] [10] [11] [12] Stone claimed that her record label cancelled all her then-upcoming press appearances to promote the album in the United Kingdom, as a result of the backlash that her appearance at the 2007 Brit Awards received from the British media. [13] [14] Stone toured North America in support of the album from 27 April to 13 June 2007, visiting 16 cities in total, including Philadelphia, New Orleans, San Francisco, Vancouver, Seattle, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal, New York City and Boston. [15] Two months later, Stone embarked on a North American late-summer tour, which ran from 27 August to 29 September 2007 and covered 12 cities: Los Angeles; Park City, Utah ; Snowmass Village, Colorado ; Seattle; Jacksonville, Oregon ; Las Vegas; Mexico City; Austin, Texas ; Biloxi, Mississippi ; Chicago; San Francisco; and Kansas City, Missouri . [16] Singles " Tell Me 'bout It " was released on 5 March 2007 as the lead single from Introducing Joss Stone . The song peaked at number 28 on the UK Singles Chart , [17] and became Stone's first solo single to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100 , reaching number 83. [18] The album's second single, " Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now ", features rapper Common and was released on 23 July 2007, peaking at number 84 on the UK Singles Chart. [17] Despite not being released as a single, "Bruised but Not Broken" was sent to urban adult contemporary radio in the United States on 17 July 2007, [19] allowing the song to reach number 55 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number 13 on Hot Adult R&B Airplay. [20] [21] It was ultimately ranked number 38 on Radio & Records ' s urban AC year-end chart of 2007 with 9,049 plays. [22] " Baby Baby Baby " was released on 23 December 2007 as the album's third and final single. The song reached number eight on the UK R&B Singles Chart , [23] but failed to chart on any other major charts. [24] Critical reception Professional ratings Aggregate scores Source Rating Metacritic 64/100 [25] Review scores Source Rating AllMusic [26] Entertainment Weekly B− [27] The Guardian [28] The Independent [29] NME 2/10 [2] PopMatters 7/10 [1] Rolling Stone [30] Slant Magazine [31] The Times [32] Yahoo! Music UK [33] Introducing Joss Stone received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic , which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 64, based on 22 reviews. [25] Rolling Stone ' s Christian Hoard felt that "[t]here are a couple of moments on Stone's third album when she clobbers a melody with enough showy vocal oomph to make even Christina Aguilera fans squirm. But for the most part, Stone employs her remarkable instrument with focus and nuance on Introducing , and the result is an album full of solid pop -wise R&B." [30] Mike Joseph of PopMatters commented that "[i]t's certainly the first great R&B album I've heard this year. While there's still the occasional affectation that I wish she would get rid of, Stone has grown into her music quite a bit." [1] Tim Perlich of Canadian newspaper Now noted, "With the fast-maturing Stone gaining greater control of her powerful pipes and a recent breakup adding to the underlying sexual tension while stoking the creative fire, the craftily reconstituted 70s R&B concept works exceptionally well." [34] Blender critic David Browne wrote, "Nearly every song is a souped-up retro- funk tornado, pushed along by blaxploitation -soundtrack guitars, scenery-chewing backup singers and, of course, Stone's husky pipes." [35] Both Billboard and Entertainment Weekly praised Saadiq's production; the former called it "brimming with horns and seriously in-the-pocket rhythm sections, but there are also enough hip-hop touches and contemporary arrangements to keep the tracks in the now", [36] while the latter opined that "[h]e brings a strong focus to Introducing Joss Stone , blending the digital crispness of modern R&B with Stone's preferred flavors of retro: swooping Motown-style strings, girl-group background vocals, gutbucket soul guitar." [27] In a review for AllMusic , Stephen Thomas Erlewine found that " Introducing does sound brighter, fresher than her other two albums, pitched partway between Amy Winehouse and Back to Basics Christina yet sounding very much like Texas at their prime, but it's all surface change." [26] Commercial performance Introducing Joss Stone debuted at number 12 on the UK Albums Chart with 27,000 copies sold in its first week, failing to match the success of Stone's previous albums, The Soul Sessions (2003) and Mind Body & Soul (2004). [37] [38] The album was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) on 22 July 2013, denoting shipments in excess of 60,000 copies. [39] The album debuted on the US Billboard 200 at number two with first-week sales of over 118,000 copies, [40] becoming Stone's highest-peaking album in the United States to date and the highest-charting debut for a British female solo artist on the Billboard 200 in the Nielsen SoundScan era, [41] beating the record previously held by Amy Winehouse , whose album Back to Black had debuted at number seven the week before. [42] This record was eventually broken by Leona Lewis 's Spirit , which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 in April 2008. [43] The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the album gold on 1 May 2007, within two months of release. [44] As of July 2011, it had sold 652,000 copies in the US. [45] The album debuted at number six on the Canadian Albums Chart and at number one on the R&B albums chart. [46] [47] It was certified gold by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) on 11 April 2007 for sales in excess of 50,000 copies. [48] In mainland Europe, Introducing Joss Stone peaked at number one in the Netherlands, and charted within the top five in Belgium and Switzerland, and the top 10 in Austria, Germany, Italy and Portugal. [49] It was less successful in Nordic countries, peaking at number 27 in Norway, number 31 in Sweden and number 38 in Denmark, while failing to chart at all in Finland. [49] Across Oceania, the album charted at number 15 in Australia and at number 17 in New Zealand. [49] In March 2007, EMI reported that Introducing Joss Stone had sold 1.3 million copies worldwide. [50] Track listing No. Title Writer(s) Length 1. "Change ( Vinnie Jones Intro)" · Glenn Standridge · Tarsha Proctor-Standridge 0:35 2. "Girl They Won't Believe It" · Joss Stone · Raphael Saadiq 3:15 3. "Headturner" · Stone · Billy Mann · Otis Redding 3:16 4. " Tell Me 'bout It " · Stone · Saadiq · Robert C. Ozuna 2:48 5. " Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now " (featuring Common ) · Stone · Alonzo "Novel" Stevenson · Tony Reyes · Lonnie Lynn 4:22 6. "Put Your Hands on Me" · Stone · Saadiq 2:58 7. "Music" (featuring Lauryn Hill ) · Stone · Stevenson · Reyes · Hill · Wyclef Jean · Samuel Michel 3:41 8. "Arms of My Baby" · Stone · Danny P · Jonathan Shorten 2:52 9. "Bad Habit" · Stone · P · Shorten 3:41 10. "Proper Nice" · Stone · Saadiq · Ozuna · Chalmers "Spanky" Alford · Vincent Corea · Jeanne Roberts 3:24 11. "Bruised but Not Broken" Diane Warren 4:15 12. " Baby Baby Baby " · Stone · P · Shorten 4:34 13. "What Were We Thinking" · Stone · Saadiq 4:24 14. "Music (Outro)" · Stone · Saadiq 3:48 Notes · "Music (Outro)" ends at 1:40, followed by silence until 3:10, when a hidden track consisting of a short song performed by Stone and Vinnie Jones begins. Sample credits · "Headturner" contains an interpolation of " Respect " by Otis Redding . · "Music" contains an interpolation of "The Mask" by the Fugees . · "Proper Nice" contains an interpolation of " Catch Me (I'm Falling) " by Pretty Poison . Personnel Credits adapted from the liner notes of Introducing Joss Stone . [56] Musicians · Joss Stone – lead vocals · Vinnie Jones – voiceover (track 1) · Joi Gilliam – background vocals (tracks 2–4, 9, 11) · Keisha Jackson – background vocals (tracks 2–4, 9, 11) · Jermaine Paul – background vocals (tracks 2–4, 9, 11) · Raphael Saadiq – bass (tracks 2–14); guitar (tracks 2–4, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13); background vocals (tracks 2, 10, 12, 13); horn arrangements (tracks 3, 4, 8, 12); keyboards (track 6); piano (tracks 7, 14) · Khari Parker – drums (tracks 2, 5–8, 11–14); percussion (track 2); additional drums (tracks 3, 4, 9, 10) · Robert Ozuna – additional drums (tracks 2, 5, 6, 11); percussion (tracks 2, 3, 5, 7, 9–12, 14); sitar (track 2); drums (tracks 3, 4, 9, 10, 13); turntablism (tracks 4–7) · Chalmers "Spanky" Alford – guitar (tracks 2–4, 5, 7–13) · Lionel Holoman – organ (tracks 2, 3, 5, 7, 13, 14); Rhodes (tracks 8, 11); keyboards (tracks 9, 10); Wurlitzer (track 12) · Benjamin Wright – string arrangements (tracks 2–5, 7–14); horn arrangements (track 14) · Anthony Coleman – trumpet (track 3) · Kenneth "Scooter" Whalum III – tenor saxophone (track 3); baritone saxophone (track 6) · James Zeller – trombone (track 3) · Neil Symonette – percussion (tracks 4, 8) · Common – vocals (track 5) · Charlie Happiness – clav (track 5) · Mix Master Mike – turntablism (tracks 6, 12) · Lauryn Hill – vocals (track 7) · Priscilla Jones Campbell – background vocals (tracks 8, 12) · Tino Richardson – saxophone (tracks 8, 12) · Jawara Adams – trumpet (tracks 8, 12) · Lois Colin – harp (track 10) Technical · Raphael Saadiq – production · Joss Stone – executive production · Chuck Brungardt – recording, mixing (all tracks); Pro Tools (track 3) · Glenn Standridge – recording, mixing, production coordinator · Marlon Marcel – engineering assistance (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 14) · Steve Greenwell – additional recording (tracks 2, 3, 5, 8–11, 13); vocal recording (tracks 7, 12) · Oswald Bowe – engineering assistance (tracks 2–5, 7–14) · Reggie Dozier – strings recording (tracks 2–5, 7–14); horn recording (tracks 4, 5, 7, 14) · John Tanksley – engineering assistance (tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 14) · James Tanksley – engineering assistance (tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 14) · Jeremy Mackenzie – Pro Tools (tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 14) · Ian Shea – engineering assistance (tracks 2, 8, 9, 11–13) · Dror Mohar – engineering assistance (tracks 3, 6, 14) · Isaiah Abolin – engineering assistance (track 3) · Seamus Tyson – engineering assistance (track 3) · Scott Somerville – engineering assistance (tracks 3, 6, 12) · Charlie Stavish – engineering assistance (tracks 4, 5, 7, 10, 12) · Mike Boden – engineering assistance (tracks 6, 12) · Dave Larring – additional recording (track 7) · Luke Smith – engineering assistance (tracks 9–13) · Justin Kessler – Pro Tools (tracks 9–13) · Tom Coyne – mastering The Benjamin Wright Orchestra · Benjamin Wright – conducting · Stephen Baxter – horn · Duane Benjamin – horn · Ron Brown – horn · Jeffrey Clayton – horn · Anthony Coleman – horn · Salvator Cracciolo – horn · James Ford III – horn · Matthew Frank – horn · Lionel Holoman – horn · Kenneth "Scooter" Whalum III – horn · James Zeller – horn · Mark Cargill – concertmaster, violin · Sanford Allen – violin · Richard Adkins – violin · Sandra Billingslea – violin · Charlie Bisharat – violin · Susan Chatman – violin · Robert Chausow – violin · Cenovia Cummins – violin · Yvette Devereaux – violin · Gayle Dixon – violin · Barry Finclair – violin · Pamela Gates – violin · Stanley Hunte – violin · Marisa McLeod – violin · Lori Miller – violin · Cameron Patrick – violin · Kathleen Robertson – violin · Lesa Terry – violin · Alexander Vselensky – violin · Belinda Whitney – violin · Miguel Atwood-Ferguson – viola · Richard Brice – viola · Christopher Jenkins – viola · Jorge Moraga – viola · Patrick Morgan – viola · Robin Ross – viola · Orlando Wells – viola · Lisa Whitfield – viola · Peggy Baldwin – cello · Giovanna Clayton – cello · Ernest Ehrhardt Jr. – cello · Eileen Folson – cello · Erik Friedlander – cello · Ronald Lipscomb – cello · Miguel Martinez – cello · Frederick Zlotkin – cello · Ida Bodin – bass · Joseph Bongiorno – bass · Kevin Brandon – bass · Leon Maleson – bass Artwork · Joss Stone – art direction · Sean Mosher-Smith – art direction · David Gorman – design · Kate McGregor – art coordination · Brian Bowen Smith – photography · Bob Scott – sidebar and peace sign photography · Jonathan "Meres" Cohen – body painting, graffiti · Joshua Lutz – mural