Amy Winehouse's new album is due out in December.

The troubled singer's father Mitch Winehouse says the new LP - the follow-up to 2006's hugely successful 'Back to Black' - is a "work in progress" and will "hopefully" be out before Christmas.

He said: "I've heard some tracks. She takes a long time to grind out an album. She writes from her own experiences and most of the time they're bittersweet experiences, and that's the problem."

Although the iconic 'Back to Black' LP made his daughter an international superstar, Mitch can't listen to it because it reminds him of the pain his daughter went through when she recorded it.

The taxi driver, who releases his own album 'Rush of Love' next month, said: "Every album is like cutting her leg or her arm off, they are so angst ridden. I wouldn't want her to produce an album every year because of the pain.

"I can't listen to 'Back to Black'. I haven't for years. She writes music about things that are affecting her and some are pretty dark. Who wants a daughter like that?"

Since the release of 'Back to Black' Amy has faced numerous personal problems, including her battles with drug abuse and alcoholism, health issues and a turbulent relationship with her ex-husband Blake Fielder-Civil.