Recorded 2003–09 Release date 23 September 2011 | Length 51:09 Genre Pop | |
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Released 23 September 2011 (2011-09-23) Nominations Latin Grammy Award for Best Cumbia/Vallenato Album Similar Joss Stone albums, Other albums | ||
The Best of Joss Stone 2003–2009 is the first greatest hits album by English singer and songwriter Joss Stone, released on 23 September 2011 by Virgin Records. Initially announced under the title Super Duper Hits: The Best of Joss Stone, the compilation contains songs from all of Stone's studio albums released under EMI: The Soul Sessions (2003), Mind Body & Soul (2004), Introducing Joss Stone (2007) and Colour Me Free! (2009).
Contents
In an August 2011 interview with The San Francisco Examiner, Stone expressed her reluctance towards the album's release, stating, "They [EMI] are not allowed to do that—I do have a say, and I have to approve all the songs that they use, all the artwork, and especially the title. And oh my God, I've never heard such a cheesy title in all my life! And I don't know what kind of hits they're gonna put on there, because I've never had any hits!"
Critical reception
Jordan Richardson of Blogcritics wrote that "Stone's extraordinary vocal range, one that effortlessly glides from a smouldering contralto to a crystalline mezza-soprano [sic], is the vital spark of these hits. As expressive and hip as the numbers are, they'd be nothing without her dexterity. She plays things smartly, too, and resists the urge to overdo it. Instead, Stone frequently settles into a groove and rides it out through the song's duration." He also added, "At just 24, there's an awful lot to come from this incredible talent and The Best of Joss Stone: 2003–2009 is just the beginning."
AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine stated, "If this doesn't dig deep, it nevertheless hits all the highlights [...] drawing a picture of the decade when Stone was always on the cusp of stardom yet never quite truly there. As introductions go, it's a solid one, capturing her potential and promise, alternating between singles frustrating and fun."
In a mixed review, Victor Valdivia of PopMatters noted that the album has "all of the songs she's most known for assembled in a package that's meant to cement her status as a major artist. What the collection actually does, however, is underline the contradictions that have always made Stone's work so difficult to embrace. Stone has a fine voice but she doesn't seem to actually live or feel her songs. She just sings them with uncanny technical precision."
Songs
1Fell in Love With a Boy3:39
2Super Duper Love4:21
3You Had Me4:00