Wicked (Shemekia Copeland album)

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

Production

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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

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
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

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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

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  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.