Wicked is the second album by the American musician Shemekia Copeland, released in 2000.[1][2] It peaked at No. 8 on Billboard's Blues Albums chart.[3] Wicked was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Contemporary Blues Album".[4] It won a W. C. Handy Award for "Blues Album of the Year".[5] Copeland supported the album by touring with B. B. King.[6]
| Wicked | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 2000 | |||
| Genre | Blues | |||
| Label | Alligator | |||
| Producer | Bruce Iglauer, John Hahn, Jimmy Vivino | |||
| Shemekia Copeland chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editCopeland spent three weeks recording Wicked.[7] Nine of the songs were cowritten by John Hahn, who also coproduced the album with Bruce Iglauer and Jimmy Vivino.[8][9] She duetted with Ruth Brown on "If He Moves His Lips".[10] "Beat Up Guitar" is a tribute to Copeland's father, Johnny Copeland.[11] "It's My Own Tears" was written by Johnny.[1] The Uptown Horns contributed to "Up on 1-2-5".[9] Sugar Blue played a harmonica solo on "It's 2 A.M.".[12]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [13] |
| Robert Christgau |  [14] |
| The Gazette | [15] |
| Los Angeles Times | [16] |
| The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings | [17] |
| Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | [18] |
The Globe and Mail wrote that Copeland "has the kind of burly blues voice that used to make the juke joints shake when Bessie Smith was still singing about a pig's foot and a bottle of beer."[19] The Austin Chronicle concluded: "Her band is solid, the production smart, the song selection suitably diverse, but the story here is Copeland's undeniable presence, reflecting a confidence that belies her young age."[20] Robert Christgau praised "Steamy Windows" and "If He Moves His Lips".[14]
The Chicago Tribune noted that "the conventional band, and blues-cliche songwriters such as John Hahn, can't find the right connection."[21] The Gazette called Copeland "an extremely powerful singer... She can shake the rafters."[15] The Los Angeles Times opined that "Wicked is the kind of standard-issue showcase that labels such as Alligator have been churning out for decades, but that's not necessarily a bad thing."[16]
AllMusic wrote that "Copeland continues to prove herself as one of the strongest young talents in the blues."[13]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "It's 2 A.M." | |
| 2. | "Not Tonight" | |
| 3. | "Love Scene" | |
| 4. | "The Other Woman" | |
| 5. | "Whole Lotta Water" | |
| 6. | "Beat Up Guitar" | |
| 7. | "Miss Hy Ciditty" | |
| 8. | "Up on 1-2-5" | |
| 9. | "Wild, Wild Woman" | |
| 10. | "The Fool You're Looking For" | |
| 11. | "If He Moves His Lips" | |
| 12. | "Steamy Windows" | |
| 13. | "It's My Own Tears" |
References
edit- ^ a b Simon, Scott (Oct 7, 2000). "Interview: Shemekia Copeland Discusses Her Career and the Influence Her Father Had on Her Music". Weekend Edition. NPR.
- ^ "The Copeland connection". Get Out. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 12 Oct 2000. p. 19.
- ^ "Shemekia Copeland". Billboard. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
- ^ "Shemekia Copeland". Grammy Awards. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
- ^ Ellis, Bill (25 May 2001). "Handys Showcase Locals, N.Y. Diva Copeland Wins 2 Awards". The Commercial Appeal. p. B1.
- ^ Sanchez, Jorge (28 Sep 2000). "Blues Disciples". St. Petersburg Times. p. 16W.
- ^ North, Peter (27 Aug 2000). "The Powerhouse". Edmonton Journal. p. C1.
- ^ Himes, Geoffrey (29 Sep 2000). "Shemekia Copeland 'Wicked'". The Washington Post. p. N16.
- ^ a b Paoletta, Michael (Oct 7, 2000). "Wicked". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 41. p. 23.
- ^ McGuinness, Jim (15 Sep 2000). "'Wicked' Good Blues Voice". Lifestyle/Previews. The Record. Bergen County. p. 12.
- ^ Ingram, Michael-Louis (6 Oct 2000). "Born to the blues, Copeland belts it out". Poughkeepsie Journal.
- ^ Wallace, Bob (14 Oct 2000). "Shemekia Copeland: Wicked". The Morning Call. p. A55.
- ^ a b "Wicked Review by Tim Sheridan". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
- ^ a b "Shemekia Copeland". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
- ^ a b Regenstreif, Mike (19 Oct 2000). "Blues". The Gazette. p. C13.
- ^ a b Weingarten, Marc (22 Oct 2000). "Record Rack". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 1.
- ^ The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin Books. 2006. p. 135.
- ^ White, Jim (22 Oct 2000). "Young Copeland and Veteran Taylor on Equal Footing". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. G7.
- ^ Everett-Green, Robert (28 Sep 2000). "Wicked: Shemekia Copeland". The Globe and Mail. p. R4.
- ^ Hardwig, Jay (October 13, 2000). "Shemekia Copeland Wicked". Music. The Austin Chronicle.
- ^ Knopper, Steve (15 Oct 2000). "Recordings". Arts & Entertainment. Chicago Tribune. p. 3.