Wicked (Shemekia Copeland album)

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Wicked
Studio album by
Shemekia Copeland
Released2000
GenreBlues
LabelAlligator
ProducerBruce Iglauer, John Hahn, Jimmy Vivino
Shemekia Copeland chronology
Turn the Heat Up
(1998) 		Wicked
(2000) 		Talking to Strangers
(2002)

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]

Production[edit]

Copeland 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]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[13]
Robert Christgau(1-star Honorable Mention)[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.TitleLength
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]

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ "The Copeland connection". Get Out. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 12 Oct 2000. p. 19.
  3. ^ "Shemekia Copeland". Billboard. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Shemekia Copeland". Grammy Awards. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  5. ^ Ellis, Bill (25 May 2001). "Handys Showcase Locals, N.Y. Diva Copeland Wins 2 Awards". The Commercial Appeal. p. B1.
  6. ^ Sanchez, Jorge (28 Sep 2000). "Blues Disciples". St. Petersburg Times. p. 16W.
  7. ^ North, Peter (27 Aug 2000). "The Powerhouse". Edmonton Journal. p. C1.
  8. ^ Himes, Geoffrey (29 Sep 2000). "Shemekia Copeland 'Wicked'". The Washington Post. p. N16.
  9. ^ a b Paoletta, Michael (Oct 7, 2000). "Wicked". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 41. p. 23.
  10. ^ McGuinness, Jim (15 Sep 2000). "'Wicked' Good Blues Voice". Lifestyle/Previews. The Record. Bergen County. p. 12.
  11. ^ Ingram, Michael-Louis (6 Oct 2000). "Born to the blues, Copeland belts it out". Poughkeepsie Journal.
  12. ^ Wallace, Bob (14 Oct 2000). "Shemekia Copeland: Wicked". The Morning Call. p. A55.
  13. ^ a b "Wicked Review by Tim Sheridan". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Shemekia Copeland". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  15. ^ a b Regenstreif, Mike (19 Oct 2000). "Blues". The Gazette. p. C13.
  16. ^ a b Weingarten, Marc (22 Oct 2000). "Record Rack". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 1.
  17. ^ The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin Books. 2006. p. 135.
  18. ^ White, Jim (22 Oct 2000). "Young Copeland and Veteran Taylor on Equal Footing". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. G7.
  19. ^ Everett-Green, Robert (28 Sep 2000). "Wicked: Shemekia Copeland". The Globe and Mail. p. R4.
  20. ^ Hardwig, Jay (October 13, 2000). "Shemekia Copeland Wicked". Music. The Austin Chronicle.
  21. ^ Knopper, Steve (15 Oct 2000). "Recordings". Arts & Entertainment. Chicago Tribune. p. 3.
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