I loved Scarlett Johansson in Match Point and Lost in Translation — so much, in fact, that I was willing to overlook her recent misfires, film adaptations of best-selling books The Nanny Diaries and The Other Boleyn Girl. I would patiently sit through six more train wrecks like The Island in anticipation for the next Ghost World. So, I guess you could say I love Scarlett Johansson, the actress. Unfortunately, I am not so taken with Scarlett Johansson, aspiring recording artist.
Disappointment doesn’t adequately describe the letdown I felt after sampling a few Tom Waits cover tracks on her debut album, Anywhere I Lay My Head. I hadn’t heard Scarlett Johansson sing since her 2006 stint as the host of SNL, and I vaguely recalled her rendition of ”Something To Talk About” as ”alright.” Not ”alright, someone get her a record deal.”
Actresses are dealt some of the most brutal critical backlash, deserving or no, for their seemingly flighty forays into the music biz. So I admire Johansson for singing, or sort of moaning off-key for several beats too long, in the face of adversity. And if it’s hard to successfully transition from actress to musician, it’s even harder to tackle a folk legend like Tom Waits. Waits croons with raw emotion and his voice has such distinct grit, but it’s a sound that’s either poorly imitated or missing entirely from Johansson’s covers. She’s shown such emotional depth on-screen that it’s almost disconcerting to hear her sing with a hollow, lifeless quality.
Should Scarlett stick to her film gigs or is this just the start of her music career? Check out a few performances over at AOL Music and let us know what you think!
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She sounds like she has a mouthful of gauze when she sings.
I am not sure which is worse – her singing or her acting.
I am just flabbergasted by all the work she gets. She is a terrible actress! I have seen many of her films and she is so wooden and flat. She cannot act. I get that she is beautiful and has lovely curves. But so do many other actresses. Every person I know thinks the exact same thing – how in the world does she get all these leading roles? I guess it is just men casting her with their…well…you know…
And now she puts out an album where she sounds like she is half asleep on Ambien. Ugh. It just bothers me when untalented people get all these opportunities handed to them over and over – and there are thousands and thousands of TALENTED actors and singers who would love to be given their big break….
In my opinion – she should stick to modeling for L’oreal. She should be seen – not heard.
It’s hard to make Scarlett look good, especially when she’s following posts about Aimee Mann and the Swell Season. Just listen to them.
Scar…Please refrain from singing anywhere outside of your morning shower.
I really dislike her, vocally or not. She broke up Justin & Cam and then Ryan & Alanis. She makes me sick.
The songs aren’t great but they aren’t nearly as terrible as the “Falling Down” video!
It’s looks like that wistful video a 14-year-old makes thinking it’s poignant and deep before deleting it 10 minutes later. But that being said, Scarlett actually does have a great voice. She did a rendidtion of “Summertime” as a charity single and she was phenom. Listen…
I really like the album. I think it’s so different than what you would expect of a young starlet. I’m impressed by how much it seems to be a musical effort, as opposed to a vanity project. She seems to be serious about trying to be an artist, rather than be a rock star. I understand why she doesn’t appeal to all musical tastes, but I really enjoy it.
This sort of thing really pisses me off. You know, the starlet who thinks that just because she’s famous in one area, she’s automatically entitled to a free ride in all other areas. The kinds of people she worked with on this album–Nick Zinner, Dave Sitek, David Bowie?!–any number of struggling artists would sell their souls to get that kind of backup on an album, and she gets is. Not because she’s necessarily deserving–which she and her thoroughly mediocre voice are not–but because she’s Scarlett Johansson. It’s hubris and selfishness of the worst kind. In my mind, all she’s doing is taking an opportunity from someone out there who is actually good, taking resources right out from under them for her little pet vanity project.
I am not happy with her.
Stick to the thing you do well: acting
I think it’s part of a bigger problem. Once upon a time only people like Chanel designed clothes and fragrances, singers sang and actors were just actors. That should be enough. But now everybody has to sing,model, design clothing, make their own perfume and become a brand. I call it the J-Loification of celebrities. Whatever happened to doing one thing really well and being okay with that? ScarJo needs to gain some humility by her CDs bad reviews and go back to doing GOOD movies. People respect Jennifer Jason Leigh and Meryl Streep and they’ve never had to design linens for Target or have their own cereal. Go figure.
No she doesn’t have the greatest voice but neither does Patti Smith, Bob Dylan, Nico (who Scarlett has been compared to), Joni Mitchell or heck – even Tom Waits himself. I think she has a fine, distinct voice that obviously doesn’t mesh well with what your magazine and website cater to – the young and juvenile r&b/pop crowd of today…
Forgot one thing – Johansson didn’t strive to copy Tom Waits’ emotion/vocal performance on this album. She and Sitek wanted to have a certain feel to the record and only used Waits’ lyrics as a backdrop.
Again, the constant American Idol coverage has driven this country insane with perfection in regards to what a singer should sound like. You all have it backwards. I’ll take Scarlett’s distinctness over a nauseating Jennifer Hudson-belt anyday of the week.
Back in the 30’s and 40’s it was natural for an entertainer to be all three – actor, singer, and dancer (Fred Astair). But somehow that just doesn’t seem to be the case. Scarlett is just another young pretty face who has had the fortune of having it all. Too bad cause there are so many other talented people out there who deserve a break….
I am still waiting for her to prove herself as an actor and now as a singer…
Sorry, Scarlett–no dice. I wanted to like this because I love me some Tom Waits. But this isn’t so good. As far as actresses-turned-singers go, Zooey Deschanel’s got you beat by a mile (she’s also far more attractive…why isn’t Zooey more famous?).
I’m sure Johansson is crushed by your disapproval.
Like someone has already mentioned, lots of stars try singing. Some are pretty decent ie; Streep, Paltrow, even Russell Crowe. No, they’re not great, but they look like they’re having a blast. They’re not looking out to win a grammy.
Lighten up!
If she had started out singing before acting you all would probably have different opinions. She’s not a great singer, but she’s also not a bad one. Suitable for bars and such. Pretty respectable in my books.
peaches Wed, May 21, 2008 at 02:45 AM EST
I think it’s part of a bigger problem. Once upon a time only people like Chanel designed clothes and fragrances, singers sang and actors were just actors. That should be enough. But now everybody has to sing,model, design clothing, make their own perfume and become a brand. I call it the J-Loification of celebrities. Whatever happened to doing one thing really well and being okay with that? ScarJo needs to gain some humility by her CDs bad reviews and go back to doing GOOD movies. People respect Jennifer Jason Leigh and Meryl Streep and they’ve never had to design linens for Target or have their own cereal. Go figure.
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I agree with this comment, why must they try EVERYTHING?!! So many of them are doing this now (like the perfume, clothes, ect.) to me it smacks of just trying to make more money to pay for their expensive LA lifestyle!!
Most of these people aren’t in it for $$. They sing cause they LOVE to sing. Heck, I love to sing and I’d be doing this too given the opportunity!
After all, the USA is a free country folks. Anybody can sing if they wish to.
THAT WAS SINGING – YIKES!
I also believe she is one of the most overrated actresses in Hollywood.
I can not believe how awful it is.
overrated as an actress & mediocre as a singer
peaches does raise a good point. However, it’s really the media and mass public’s fault. A big chunk of the nonsense in the world would greatly disappear if you just simply ignore it. And this really does cry out to be ignored.
Eek! Wow, horrible. And I totally agree – over-rated as an actress as well. But to MC – what do you mean Joni Mitchell can’t sing?? Yes, Bob Dylan, I’ll give you that. But Joni Mitchell has an incredible range and often uses complicated arrangements. See: the opposite of Scarlett Johansson.
Sorry, but I kinda dug her lower register. That’s tough to do. And those of you saying she’s ‘overrated’ as an actress have obviously not seen her in anything worthwhile like The Girl With the Pearl Earring, In Good Company and Lost in Translation to name a few. Scarlett-haters are to be ignored and pitied.
kate,
I meant those singers/songewriters I listed aren’t what many in the public (espeically the r&b/pop crowd this magazine caters to) would not call what those listed “singing”. They believe if you can’t hold a long note you stink as a singer. Scarlett just like Joni has the vocal breaks and over/under emphasis that makes a voice “distinct”. Maybe I should have used that word instead.
And, after rereading the original article on this page – I cannot believe I even took the time to comment. The reviewer hasn’t even listened to the entire CD. You know what they say about opinions…
***I meant those singers/songewriters I listed aren’t what many in the public (espeically the r&b/pop crowd this magazine caters to) would call “good” singers…
Well if you’re going to ask Scarlett to stick to just acting, then you’d better tell this bunch of singers to stop acting and stick to singing;
Madonna, Janet Jackson, Jewel, Cher, Streisand, Diana Ross, etc. etc.
My point is, I’m not going to knock actors for singing. Most of them aren’t half bad. Except for maybe Shatner and Hasselhoff. No, actually I love Shatner’s stuff. It’s a hoot. Eddie Murphy, Bruce Willis, Don Johnson, Tony Danza? No harm in experimentation. I’m sure somebody out there bought their stuff.
MC,
All of these artists you mention who dont have a perfect singing voice (Waits being one of them) write their own stuff. This is an album consisting entirely of covers. Naturally, her singing voice is going to be more heavily scrutinzed if she is only performing covers.
I was surprised how awful it is – so gutteral. On the other hand, another actress, Zooey Deschanel, really can sing – her album with M. Ward (She and Him) is terrific! So it’s not all actresses who shouldn’t cross over, but certainly this one.