Having been a fan of Joss' since she debuted with "Fell in Love with a Boy", I was a little apprehensive when it came to listening to her new album, "Introducing Joss Stone" because of all of the comments made about her change. By just taking one look at Joss now, you can tell she is no longer the same person she was several years ago. I have to say, when listening to this album I was very impressed with all of the songs on here.

The album starts off with actor Vinnie Jones speaking about change, "See although the players change/ The song remains the same/ and the truth is/ you gotta have the balls to change". From that line we then transition into the first song of the CD, "Girl They Won't Believe It". You'll find yourself tapping your foot the whole time to the beat of the song and completely enjoying Joss' vocals along with the back-up vocals. We then have songs like "Headturner" and "Arms of My Baby" has her voice sounding more soulful and powerful.

Up next is her single, "Tell Me 'Bout It". This song has a more poppy feel then the rest of the album and it was definitely the best choice for her first single. Getting nearer to the end of the album, we have songs such as "Bruised But Not Broken" and "What Were We Thinking" which are slower than the other songs, and probably the strongest out of the bunch. On "What Were We Thinking" her vocals really come out shining and sending chills down your spine. But with all strong songs, there is a weak one. In my opinion, "Proper Nice" is a weak song on the album. Though the lyrics are good, throughout most of the song when the music is playing you seem to be overtaken with that rather than her vocals.

Also on her album she has two collaborations, "Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now" features rapper Common. With her strong vocals, back up vocals and fantastic lyrics throughout, this song is definitely a favorite of mine. The next collaboration is "Music" featuring Lauryn Hill. Starting off, it's kind of hard to hear Joss and you are almost unsure about the song until you get to the chorus. Like most of the songs on this album, her vocals are strong and the chorus shows them off. During Lauryn's part, you listen to her rhyming and showing the passion they both have for their music.

Overall, for all Joss Stone fan's, this album is definitely one to pick up. Though it may not be like her old stuff, it is definitely something that is stronger and completely worth it. Whether you want a feel good song, an angsty song, or even a slow song- there is one for each andevery mood. At only 19 years old, Joss Stone knows what she is doing and will be around for a long time.

Rating: 4.5/5


Emily Harbaugh is a music reviewer and interviewer for Musiqtone. You can contact her at emilyharbaugh@musiqtone.com