In defense of Scarlett Johansson (kind of)

So Scarlett Johansson's musical vanity project has been out for almost a month, and the critical response and sales have both been dismal. Critics have not been able to separate the music from the knowledge that it was made by a movie star with no real singing talent but high profile friends, and fans of her Hollywood movies looking for a typical pop album and finding distorted, slow shoegaze instead.
But the fact is, becoming famous enough to release a major-label album is a crapshoot based on knowing the right people and/or being in the right place at the right time. So her previous fame must be excluded from the discussion. Then there's the matter of her voice. It's deep and doesn't have much range; the comparison that comes to mind is Nico, who herself is proof that you don't need to have a great voice or write lyrics or music to make classic songs. And who is Johansson covering here? Tom Waits, the critical darling with a voice that makes Bob Dylan look like an American Idol contestant.
The production is courtesy of TV on the Radio's David Sitek, and the first single, "Falling Down" sounds like nothing more than his band as fronted by the actress. Obviously it's missing the two amazing vocalists of TVOTR, but crank it up and try to deny its apocalyptic, slow-building power as she sings, "I've come 500 miles just to see your halo..." The fact that David Fucking Bowie sings backup on it and he's the least remarkable part of the track has to say something.
Anywhere I Lay My Head is not a great album, but it's certainly not bad and has several amazing tracks, which would be a shame to miss out on regardless of your feelings on Johansson's acting or public persona.

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Playing the Ramones to Johansson's Nico fronting the Velvet Underground, this is Vivian Girls. I just heard three of their songs and don't know a whole lot about them except that they're from Brooklyn (where else?). They also have elements of shoegazey distortion in their guitar and production, but it's over super-poppy songs reminiscent of 60s girl groups. They have much sweeter voices than ScarJo and an overall punkier, less polished aesthetic. Possibly their catchiest song, "Where Do You Run To" is available over at Gorilla vs. Bear.

Rounding out today's trio of female-fronted pop is Sweden's Lykke Li, whose debut album Youth Novels just came out in Europe and is soon to follow in the States. You've probably already heard it, but I have to include my favorite version of "I'm Good I'm Gone" which was filmed in a bathroom and involves some creative water-based percussion. I really like the arrangement on her songs where it's kind of sparse in the verses and then all comes together for brilliant, hooky choruses.