Reviews (page 11 of 14)
An interesting collection of (mostly) cover versions. I enjoyed her delivery on these.
love her but not for me. Bit slow, can admire the voice though!
I liked the songs and the music but I don’t like Nina Simone’s voice
Nice early morning album to enjoy with coffee.
An incredible voice - it grabs you straight away and keeps your attention for the entire album. A high 3 for me.
Her voice is so deep! Whoa! Cool! That's enlightening. Didn't recognize any of these songs.
Fav: Four Women Least Fav: If I Should Lose You
Good
Muito legal
Most of this album was a bit too sombre to me, not to mention the fact that I don't really like the sound of Nina Simone's voice. Of course, her talent I duly recognise which is why I am giving the album three stars.
Iconic powerhouse no notes
Some bangers on there.
Was a little unsure at first but I thought a lot of the songs were very pretty. Didn't finish though.
Great voice. Some songs are great. Some average.
i mean, it's nina simone!! it's mellow and beautiful.
Pretty good. Nina has a very distinguishable voice. But no song really caught my ear
Good album. I know why I know her name. Not one I'll listen to regularly, but good for a go.
3.5
2.5
-wow this is beautiful uggh I should tap into Nina Simone more… I’ve only heard one other album by her but I was really impressed by the greater variety here, plus her vocal strength -it was kinda a rare case of an album that got increasingly better as I listened even if it struggled to maintain my interest at some points. very solid -Favorites are Four Women, Break Down And Let It All Out, and Black Is The Color Of My True Love’s Hair
One Nina Simone track is usually five stars. A whole album is a bit like a big bar of Toblerone.
3.6
Legendary voice. Minimalist, wonderfully done. Very chill and classy.
Very pleasant listen
Very minimalist jazz and blues album that feels very timeless. The vocals and piano are both fantastic, but it's a bit too stripped back for me.
Hørte ikke hele
I listened to this while walking Darlo before work, which was a lovely way to start the day. But probably won’t return to this. 3.5 rounded down.
Good
Quite enjoyable as well (perfect after some Sinatra)
I honestly don’t like her voice most of the time. Sorry for the apparent sacrilege. This is the first I’ve listened to her and found myself often wondering if this material wasn’t written for her and therefore not doing her any favors. I dunno. I don’t like Billie Holliday much either. Maybe I’m just not into warbly jazz crooners. Otherwise, the music is ok, if fairly standard for this era and about 75% of the album kept me engaged, so I definitely can understand its inclusion here, at least.
a bit haunting
Angenehmes Album mit intensiven Blues und Beatelement.
classic
Not for everyday, but in the right circumstances .. great
I have adored Nina Simone for a long time, but this particular album is not my favourite. However, I enjoyed listening to it during breakfast preparation with a sunny morning behind the window.
Solid, not spectacular. I love Nina and the title track is great, but is probably the only memorable song.
I know I’m supposed to be cultured and love this, but a lot of the songs sounded the same and I just didn’t get all that into it. No doubt the talent is there, but won’t be listening to this one again.
Classic soul sound. Can't remember any songs once it's over, but I enjoyed the time, and wouldn't be disappointed at another
Bop bop. Not really my style but there's a few nice melodies.
Great voice, but not my style.
Not my kind of music
Very deep voice, which sounded like an old film. Nice but not inspiring 5/10
Not familiar with really any of these tracks but love Nina’s voice always
Nice but not for me
Good, if you're in the mood for oldies
My dumbass yelled out "JEFF BUCKLEY!!!!" when Lilac Wine came on. All jokes aside, Nina has a nice voice.
Really enjoyed this
Ok, but a bit too jazzy
Always good to hear a Nina Simone album. Nothing really stood out for me, but an enjoyable listen.
New singer to me dug the vibe a lot
This is some quality music. Not really my cup of tea, but I can respect the artist here along with the production. It's hard to describe but you can really feel the emotional weight in these songs. Jay-Z sampled Four Women on one of his newer albums (Story of O.J.). Knew that sounded familiar. I would put this as a solid 3. Borders near a 4.
Pretty solid, but honestly I didn't even realize it ended.
She's kind of a freaky singer but still sounded really good on some of the songs. Wasn't my favorite thing to listen to but still good. The beginning Dum dum dums on the last song were funny
That was a pretty chill quick listen. Loving the 35-40 minute albums we've had recently. Her voice is great just never found myself goin buckwild for it. Very solid 3 here though.
Nice album
Album cover is beautiful— super distinct hot pink with sketchy black brushstrokes? Charcoal? 1. Blues generally isn’t my thing, just too formulaic. Love the backup vocals juxtaposed with the primary, and Simone’s vocals are mixed in a cool way— super flat and forward in the mix. 2. “4:44” by Jay-z sample? Goddamn what a piano line. Way more minimal instrumental than the first track, gives her more time to really grab hold of your attention, of the soul. More small details in inflection and such for the listener. Lyrics are incredibly poetic and distinct, color and texture used prominently as sensory details. Lil bit of flute, but very low notes, so timbre plays with lower piano keys and the dusk Simone’s voice. BLACK MUSIC. “Peaches” sung without concern for meter, powerful. 3. A little forgettable, but only because the following track is perfect. 4. Gorgeous. 5. Weirdly short, feels incomplete. Voice is gorgeous though, little bit more bass in the mix than previous songs. 6. Just don’t think this one is for me, the mixing of her voice is a disservice here where it’s a credit on other tracks in that it’s so forward, and the reverb really washes out the rest of the instrumental. Ends too early too, I hate these fade-outs. 7. Like the strings on this, wish they were used more. The guitar kinda has an accordion vibe, and it in tandem with the percussion gives this a very French romantic kinda vibe, but a bit more summery and jaunty. The fade-out comes more naturally too, and feels less like an abbreviated song and more just a short one. 8. Piano’s allowed a lot more freedom, and the twinkly improvisations play really well with her voice. Last couple of tracks have lacked such distinctive lyrics as earlier in the record, though. “Like a leaf clings to a tree / oh my darling cling to me” is great, but it was what made me realize such moments of appreciation hadn’t happened recently. Do love that line though. Much longer— I assume the live versions don’t use the fade outs the way the studio tracks do? I much prefer it, the band fills the space and it gives Simone herself more room to roam. Song builds energy to a conclusion, feels natural, feels much shorter than ~6 min. 9. Beautifully minimal. Titular line is super powerful. 10. Sequencing of the project kinda confuses me, like this is just a less distinct version of the previous track imo 11. Masc baritone vocals kinda feel out of place. Saxophones great, surprised there’s not more elsewhere— compliments her voice well. Incredibly annoying to me that this album ends on a super early fade-out in the middle of a sax solo, so weird— just let the track play! I imagine it has something to do with fitting on a single LP, but then just trim a couple songs from the tracklist man. Really frustrating.
Her voice was deeper than I was expecting. When I was listening to Four Women I realized one of her songs was sampled on Blood on the Leaves. Album was fine, a little boring.
I enjoyed the beginning of the album more than the end, but this was fine. 3.0
Jazz queen
There is evidently some classic stuff here but this feels a little too culturally deep for me to appreciate. Jay Z sampled four women on his 'Story of OJ' and it's awesome. The album is a lot to chew on but it's a little intense for me and I wasn't the biggest fan.
Incredible range in the voice, classic songs, but I kinda got bored. She's undoubtedly very talented but it's not really my style. Easy to listen to, hard to think of a reason I'd listen to it again though.
I do like the occasional Nina Simone song, but I find her voice starts to grate on me after a while. Lilac Wine is classic.
I rarely stumble across Nina Simone in my normal listening, but I am sure the Spotify algorithm will change that soon. Until now, I was most familiar her song Sinnerman, perfectly used at the end of Pierce Brosnan's Thomas Crown Affair and I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl, which I probably stumbled into from a promo jazz compilation during my time at Best Buy. Her voice is unique and at times she strains when really projecting ("MY name is Peaches!!!!"), but overall this is an enjoyable album.
Pretty classy. Still sounding good.
Not some of my favorite stuff from Nina, but decent enough.
Some old moody stuff idk
Yeah look mad props to her but not much was gripping me here aside from a bit of her piano playing and lyrics but they were few and far between
76% Best: I Love Your Lovin' Ways; That's All I Ask; Break Down And Let It All Out Must-Hear? Not quite. Also, I'm certain she has better albums than this.
Alright. I'm noticing this app recommends artists from the same genre, and I kind of get bored when that happens. Still, I think Nina Simone is a good singer.
Blind album and artist. I thought the album was very very nice in a sweet way, and I loved Lilac Wine. Aside from that, I don't think I would revisit this often but it was a nice change and a pleasant listen.
Love this lady's voice. I got bored of some of the longer songs before they finished. Very pretty piano melodies throughout. It bothers me that they picked her least popular album, as usual.
Didn't feel it.
Love Nina Simone but I've never listened to a full album of hers as I always imagined that, as a Jazz singer, there wasn't much value in her albums vs just listening to selected songs. However, this was a lovely album with some nice songs and (obviously) fantastic vocals. There were still a few too many "boring" songs for my liking though. I wish the entire thing was more like "I Love Your Lovin' Ways" or "That's All I Ask".
Well, interesting. Subtle. Noir-alike. Deep.
It's just jazz... Not bad.
interesting, but won't listen again I think
Sehr gute Stimme, tolle Songs. Aber nicht ganz so meins.
Pretty groovy
Respect it! Not my favorite though.
Fine
I like Nina but I found this a bit boring.
Chill
Some beautiful Piano and interesting songs but just not in the mood for the down tempo and generally just not my favorite style of music.
Kind of listened as background noise. Didn’t really delve into it.
He’s got an interesting voice, which kept my attention. The style isn’t really for me, but it’s different and bearable at least.
Nina Simone is Nina Simone. LOVE YOUR LOVING WAYS typiscal bluesy soul. FOUR WOMEN is real Nina. Dark and raw. The rest is slower and not necessarily memorable.
3.5/5
Alright
Not really my thing but powerful stuff and her voice and songwriting are fantastic. I tailed off a bit after a stronger start. I prefer the upbeat songs to the sadder slow songs.
Wind is the wild by Simon Ninone isch locker flockig, classy und bizli sexy. Aber leider au nöd es banger album, ich wär na fast meh gspannt uf ihri neuere Albe. That's all i ask, zupaa track. Es brücht na biz meh songs i dem style und denn wärs es easy 4* album, abe rmuss glaubs bi 3 bliebe. 3 wildi Wirbelstürm für das solide Album. xoxo lil'cruzy
I think she uas better albums but it was still pretty good
It's alright, great voice, but was only into a few of the songs.
I didn't really care about this album as it started but Nina Simone has a really great control of her voice and makes every song something you have to stop and listen too. I ended up really liking it and glad I had this opportunity to find a new (to me) great singer and music
An album that’s familiar to me through the countless hip hop records that sample it. Some real beautiful moments here.
“Four Women” and “Wild is the Wind” are fantastic. The rest range from forgettable to intentionally forgotten.
This is a very eclectic combo of songs. Some are true ballads/love songs while others deal with some deep topics. She had a very soulful and emotive voice. Good stuff.
This was an ok album, like nothing blew me away, I think that Nina Simone is a great singer but this album I was just like ok it is about love lol I guess I lost interest halfway through lol
Smooth listening. Loved the vocals.
Blues, Gospel, 1966 -> 3
woeful, mournful, voice of sadness?
Such a powerful voice. I wanted the songs to have a bit more energy so we could really hear her belt it out, but it only happens a couple times on this album. Most of the songs are low and slow, not my speed.
Fine
Nina is fierce. I’ve known her mainly from her fiery rebuke of those opposed to the civil rights era in the song “Mississippi Goddam”. That, and her ongoing support of black empowerment in the sixties and seventies always spoke to me on how much righteous anger was always percolating in much of her music. But it’s not all she was; her classical music training and love for folk music stands out here. This album still has her fiery side, as “Four Women” is a prime example, but she also shows her heart here with tunes of heartache and yearning. It’s apparently an album of leftover tracks from her most recent album, but they’re still pretty solid.
Familiar with three of these recordings to begin with - Wild is the Wind, Lilac Wine, and Black is the Colour - all of which are remarkable performances by Dr. Simone, both as a vocalist and pianist. She meets that standard again several times on the album - Four Women, Break Down and Let It Out - although is less well-served by the standard RnB shuffle of I Love Your Lovin' Way and the less focused If I Should Lose You. Either Way I Lose suffers from an easy listen arrangement that doesn't showcase either of the good doctor's strength. That is the risk of compiling out-takes and off-cuts. Simone is about the performance in moment, however, and an album is about something other than performance - we might work out what that is across the years of this project. Just over a week ago, I think I credited Marianne Faithfull's cracked vocal for communicating her experiences of degradation as an individual. Dr. Simone's is much more than that: the pain more painful, the experience more than just her own. 3.5 Despite powerful, committed vocal performances all the way there is no unity to this album. The heart of the album, its best tracks, is Four Women, Lilac Wine, Wild is the Wind and Black is the Colour… It is almost absurd to encounter these brooding, intimate songs side by side with polite, preening lounge ballads like What More Can I Say? or Why Keep on Breaking My Heart? Simone’s voice commands your attention even on fluff like the opening and closing track but when an artist is at the peak of her powers like this - not just as a performer but as a writer - why are those throwaway songs present at all? 3/5
Being that this is an album that was made using leftover tracks from recording sessions from the past few years, the material here is understandably a bit all over the place. The opener 'I Love Your Lovin' Ways' is a blues rock tune which surprised me. The next one 'Four Women' is a dark jazz track with a cool little piano 'riff' and is the only original track written for the album. You can tell because it's definitely one of the strongest tracks here. Simone's nasally, unique voice isn't for everyone, but you can't deny she sounds full of emotion. There are ballads, folk songs, jazz tracks. The quality drops in the second half of the album. You can tell that the material wasn't strong enough before and was left on the cutting room floor for a reason. It's a shame that this happens to be Nina Simone's only album on this list because I would have liked to have heard more from her with an album with a little more direction and focus.
Pretty enjoyable album, powerful vocals. Would have guessed this album came out much later than the 60s! Fav song: I Love Your Lovin Ways
Не поняла где альбом послушать, да и в целом не оч
I found this quite a difficult listren whilst trying to focus on some work I was meant to be doing. Songs covered by David Bowie and Jeff Buckley were familiaryet different and not altoghether enjoyable because of it. But there is soul as well as jazz. In places its also quite dreary.
Ein ganz nettes Jazz-Album, bei dem natürlich vor allem die unverkennbare Stimme von Nina Simone im Vordergrund steht. Viele berührende Stück, aber gefühlt ging es in vielen Lieder um irgendwelche Liebesgeschichten, auch wenn sich immer wieder gesellschaftliche Themen dazwischenschleichen, aber alles meist sehr melancholisch. Mein Favorit: Either Way I Lose, der letzte Track des Albums mit schönen Bläsern.
Nina!
sounded ok.
Some beautiful moments in this album.
The arrangements and sings were food but I really don't like Nina's voice. Very distinct sounding but kind of grating
***An ok album
A couple of really strong tracks, but also a lot of filler. Even the strongest tracks, with their swelling crescendos never actually does enough to justify the drama of the backing track.
I loved her voice. I have obviously heard a lot of Nina songs in the past, but I have never listened to this full album. Great songs, great voice.
Not for me
Favorites: What more can i say Lilac wine wild is the wind 3/5 goede aparte nummers maar als geheel album net niet genoeg. niet zo een variërende opstelling.
3.5 to be exact. Definitely a fantastic album with a fantastic voice, but I can tell it's not for me and that's perfectly okay. Every track here is good enough to be in my personal playlist, but not a zero skips album, if that makes sense? I'll throw on something on here every now and again but would never give it a full listen again.
I some other record by Nina Simone. I like that one much better.
It's jazz, it's alright, easy listening, one to listen to with a cigar and a nice scotch, pretend like i'm not a white man
Good old record.
A collection of songs by an incomparable legend. Four Women deserves a couple of listens. Lilac Wine... If you're like me then Jeff Buckley may have been your gateway to Nina Simone. Great track. With a few other good songs, but some not so memorable, perhaps a little dated. Solid three stars for me.
Doesn’t strike me as a seminal album, mixed opinions on the songs , but inevitably a foundation for the great covers that would eventually stem from it
Good vocalist but being annoying
12/1001 Wild Is The Wind starts of very strong with a great bluesy track in I Love Your Lovin’ Way. Sadly I would say it fails to deliver on its early promises, when it turns into a jazz record. Still it’s not without its moments with songs like Wild Is The Wind and Four Women being the obvious standouts alongside the album opener. 3/5
I really enjoyed her voice and performance on most of these songs, with the exception of a couple weird ones.
I appreciate the piano playing and she sung with lots of emotions. I liked it more than expected, even if the end of the album blended together.
The good is good
ok album, some nice poetic songs, also a new rendition of "lilac wine" for me. personally, i didn't add anything to "liked songs". i'd say 5 out of 10
Ah Nina, wat een stem. Heerlijk album om op te zetten tijdens een treinrit. En Lilac Wine, wat een schijf... 3.4
Not familiar with Nina Simone before this. I'll give it a 3...I guess, but just barely. A couple of tracks were good - Break Down and Let It All Out being the best. Some of the other stuff though, boring and over-orchestrated. Four Women was cringe, sorry. Oh, and she sounds like a man.
6/10
3.2 Captivating voice. First Nina album I've ever heard I think. Slow in parts, so slow it holds it back a bit. But some good moments on here. Not sure how much I'd revisit, but it was a pleasant listen.
Okay.
I enjoyed this but nothing really stood out to me. I would *love* to hear Lake Street Dive cover "What More Can I Say?". Oooof.
Die ersten Songs erinnern an die James Bond Intros der Kinofilme. Teilweise schön arrangierte Songs, aber kein Album was sich bei mir einbrennen wird
Mid
such an expressive voice. deep and soulful. when she sings the words, you can feel the pain in her voice.
Favorite Track: I Love Your Lovin Ways
Love
First of all, let me clearly state my case that Nina Simone's voice is an otherworldly gem and one of the best musical instruments humanity has ever produced, and if she's not on the Voyager record we have failed as a species. That all said, this sure does sound like a collection of offcuts rather than an album (mostly because it is), and a lot of these songs aren't the kind that really show off her power and emotion. When they are, like the title track and Break Down And Let It All Out, this is great (also Lilac Wine, but my brain rebels at the thought of treating it as anything other than a Jeff Buckley cover), but otherwise...eh. Also I legitimately heard the first "Aunt Sarah" in Four Women as "My name is Ed Sheeran", and even Nina is gonna have trouble coming back from that.
Der var nogle fine elementer. Og der var kedelige passager
Nina Simone albums that are better than this one: - Little Girl Blue (1959) - Pastel Blues (1965) - I Put a Spell on You (1965) - Nina Simone Sings the Blues (1967) - High Priestess of Soul (1967) - Black Gold (1970) - Emergency Ward (1972)
not my favorite, sorry :')
Loved a lot of this and definitely made me want to listen to more Nina Simone.
I love her uptempo stuff, but the slow ballad stuff is not my bag. She's amazingly talented, and I'm always happy to listen to more of her catalog. However, after the first three tracks here this album veered into an area where I have difficulty enjoying.
I was eager to listening to this album because David Bowie's rendition of "Wild Is The Wind" is one of my all-time favorite songs. It is a great album, and Nina's voice sounds flawless, but unfortunately many songs don´t quite live up to the expectations.
Really enjoyed this. Borderline 3/4 for me. Could've gone either way.
Mediocre songwriting and limited arrangements hamper an otherwise talented vocalist. There’s a lot better music in this timeframe.
A beautiful voice. An interesting album
It is very good and I would happily listen anytime, but it isn't enough to my personal taste to put it on that next level
All over the place style-wise, but some good stuff.
Nina can sing but just not really my cup of tea. A bit too slow for my liking.
Fine but a bit dull
Niet mijn stijl maar wel mooi
Yes - everyone should listen to some Nina at some point. She certainly belongs on the list.
3 stars
Beautiful stuff really, if a little one paced and at times dull. You can quite easily lose yourself in her voice though, and when she really draws on it, such as during the brilliant Four Women, it's fantastic.
Good album with some good tracks, nothing too special tho. 6/10
Very haunting melancholic album- I thought the piano was very beautiful but the pacing was a little slow. Definitely brings you down -particularly thinking about how sad Nina Simone's life was, but undoubtedly stirring.
There's something about Nina Simone's voice that fills me with dread. It's etherial and otherworldy. Listening: In cold wet autumn Favourite Track: Wild is Wind
All a bit samey. Come on girl, liven it up a little. Light and shade; light and shade.
Really good, Story of OJ sample
Give this a listen before you make your judgement, That’s All I Ask.
chiquérrimo esse aqui. muito calmo pra mim, mas é bom pra quem quer ficar quietinho.
Realize it’s a supposed classic and appreciate her passionate voice, but fiund it a bit boring
My dad likes it
Whole lot more gooey daddy/baby singing than one would expect or hope for from Simone. Some good songs here but it’s also a somewhat disparate collection.
3.5
Yeah this was pretty good. Four Women is powerful. 3.18
I listened to this with Jess on the drive back from Northampton and we enjoyed this. Good songs and a great voice. Did get a bit tedious towards the end of the album, but still solid.
really liked What More Can I Say. Seems like an album to cry to.
Probably better live
The live songs at the end saved it a bit. Up until that point it was repetitive and largely boring.
Generally not a fan of the groove-type songs and the trill-y type singing which Nina does A LOT of. And even though I found many of the songs to be quite sad, I enjoyed the jazzier ones regardless.
It's a quality album and Simone's performances are great, but this is a style and vibe I know I'd rarely find myself in the mood for. I was caught off guard but delighted by the "My name is... PEACHES!" ending to "Four Women" though. Giving this 3 stars as a matter of personal taste but it deserves its spot among the 1,001 Albums.
I enjoyed this far more than I expected. If all you know of her is "Feeling Good", I think you'll be pleasantly surprised to find that that's nowhere near her best work.
Not bad, not great
Album 516 of 1001 Nina Simone - Wild Is The Wind (1966) Rating : 3 / 5 One of the early ones on the list. Hard to compare to modern album oriented music. It is a listening experience. One to check out if you haven't.
It is an album of all time
Not a bad album buy didn't prefer it over another of hers recommended here.
Another album which I have to rate not to reflect my own musical tastes but to reflect the fact that the artist is very significant and deserving to be on this list. That said there is a lot of music on this album which appeals to me more than it would have when released. My tastes have matured to appreciate all types of music and there is no doubt this is a very good album. 3/5 21/8/24
Very heartfelt and lyrical. I like the groove and message on Four Women and the jazzy feel of a few songs. To me though, sonically, it is definitely a product of its time, and i don't particularly feel it tries to do much new, especially considering other albums that were coming out at this time. 3.5/5
A solid listen.
Just not my sound
too gloomy for August, a bit boring, but pleasantly atmospheric, feels a bit like Venetian Snares in autumn (yet less energetic)
Jeff Buckleyn Lilac Wine on näköjään cover tältä levyltä. Sielukasta jazzia ja aika rauhallista. Parhaat: Lilac Wine, I Love Youe Loving Ways, Either Way I Lose
I know it's heretical, but I don't love Nina's singing that much. There are times when she sounds amazing, but taken as a whole, it's just not for me. Not a knock on her talent, which is obvious. Just another talented person that doesn't appeal to me in particular that much. End of disclaimer.
I always found Nina Simone to be greatly overrated. Not as bombastic as a soul singer as Aretha Franklin, and not as sophisitcated a jazz singer as Ella Fitzgerald or Billie Holiday. Also, something about her persona is off-putting to me, not quite sure what it is. Still, there is great and undeniable talent at play in her music. Key tracks: Four Women Lilac Wine Wild Is the Wind
Nice to hearSongs that got sampled in different ways these days. And Nina Simones Voice is really unique and special. liked her energy but to me not her best work yet! 3.5/5.0
wahnsinnige stimme! und wenn man weiss, dass sie dazu piano selber spielte! mir gefallen einige songs, bar&lounge-tauglich.
Nice album to hear at home in a cold day.
Love her voice! Gorgeous. Didn’t listen the whole album but will come back! Will give it a 3 for now since I can’t really say.
Honestly Simone should’ve been given more chances to actually write songs as four women is really the best track on here, lilac wine is great too, I prefer Jeff Buckleys version but this is honestly brilliant. Wild is the wind is also cool, maybe a tad too long in my opinion but it’s cool. The rest is alright not my kinda thing but I appreciate it.3/5
Four Women was haunting. What More Can I Say? was beautiful, as was Lilac Wine. I think i want to go back and relisten to this a few more times. Nina Simone's voice is so powerful, it infuses her music with deep sentimentality and emotion. She's truly incredible. I don't think I'll go back to casually listen to many of these songs but I'm so glad I heard them!
3.4 1x very good, just not quite my style. catchup 11/15/2024
Good but I’m not gonna pretend I loved it
Noteworthy songs - 808080808 Magical Dream - Kinda catchy synth, but the rest is bland. Ancodia - Good background noise. Cobra Bora - Actually kind of cool, reminds me of Bomberman Hero. Pacific 202 - N64 vibes, but melody isn't great. Donkey Doctor - Nothing too special, weird ending. 808080808 - Really cool beginning. A little slow in the middle but stays interesting enough. Sunrise - Nothing remarkable. The Fat Shadow - Eerie. Very short.
Not really a Nina fan. Just too moody. Obviously she’s talented, so it’s clearly more about my lack of appreciation. I’m ok with that.
I loved her voice, and four women was powerful. Glad to have heard this one.
Smooth, Mellow, and a voice that set a standard.
For me the voice Sounds horrorble
Ok if in the right mood
Very nice album, enjoyable jazzy at times, it was great having this in the background. Things go a bit slowly but overall a pretty good album, especially for 1966.
Pretty good, interesting time capsule. Not quite a 3 but I'll mark it as such.
It was good. Not really what I listen to, but it was good.
Interesting but ultimately not for me.
I Love Your Lovin' Ways 3.4 Four Women 3.3 What More Can I Say 3.3 Lilac Wine 3.7 That's All I Ask 3.4 Break Down and Let It All Out 3.3 Why Keep On Breaking My Heart 3 Wild Is the Wind 3.1 Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair 3 If I Should Lose You 3 Either Way I Lose 3.4 Score: 3.263636364
Excellent voice. Not really my style of accompanying music though
I liked a lot of this. 3.5/5
It’s good, not really my jam, but definitely some talented musicians. The tracks definitely fit together and make a cohesive album.
Nina is an excellent passionate singer. Not a huge jazz vocal fan so I doubt it made the same impression that it would on others.
Lady got soul! Not all songs to my liking but that's just personal taste. I don't know any about Nina Simone's life but I feel like she's seen and been through sh*t.
Emotional and powerful. One hell of a musician and a stunning vocalist. Absolutely wild to think that something so powerful was a collection of unused recordings.
A brooding, melancholic vocal jazz record carried mostly by Nina Simone's powerful vocals and beautiful piano. Except for the track Four Women, all songs are about love and heartbreak. Very easy on ears and sleep inducing (in a good way). Favorites: I love your loving ways, Four Women, Lilac Wine, Wild is the wind (absolutely gorgeous), Either way I lose.
Love and appreciate this artist's work but prefer her more upbeat songs with more instrumentation. Nina and her piano are pretty but it's kinda slow.
I’m torn on this one. I love her voice and the drama and beauty she brings to her music. She makes even the slowest songs feel very alive. But a lot of this was so slow that it’s not something I’d choose to listen to very often. She is super cool though.
Beautiful voice and great for sampling (3.5/5)
Started off strong and enjoyable, then her voice turned on me and I dropped to more of a it’s ok.
This is given due to her voice so a 3.5. I understand if you don’t like her voice but I did
Eh. Her voice really didn’t do it for me it was too fluttery. The songs were just kinda the same vibe from song to song so this album was just kinda meh. I really didn’t think this was all that special of an album personally. Musically and instrumentally I thought it sounded good but that was about it.
felt very conflicted on this album. from musical composition aspect, I really enjoyed the pieces. vocally though, it just didn't do it for me. vocals felt flat & cumbersome. 2.5 stars
Stunning but outside of a few tracks I can’t imagine listening to it again.
Probably OK but not my taste
I dig jazz but never quite got into jazz singers. Nina Simone is very talented though. She pours emotion and soul into these songs, you can feel the mood in each word. Her delivery is impressive and varied, she can hold a long still note or go into an intense pulsing vibrato. Her tone conveys the message of the song deeper than the lyrics. Still, I don’t see myself revising this much but I’m glad I heard it. A handful of strong songs and a couple of ok ones.
Ok little bit slow and somber but some interesting moments
Four Women was a powerful song (lyrics). I like Lilac Wine. She has a nice, velvety, voice.
Less than what I had expected from Ms. Simone. Please tell me there is another album on this list that is more representative of her true talent.
Love her but this is not her best work.
6/10
Man, now I have an aching in parts of my soul I didn't even know were there.
The album was quite good, the first two tracks specifically, became a bit of a chore at the end. Sample of 4 Women --> story of OJ the highlight, incredible song. Not to big of a jazz fan, I prefer that sound to be mixed into more modern elements like rap, even in some elements of rock, im thinking Floyd, but pretty solid nonetheless, can't wait for the next 1000 :) Overal 6.5/10
Good album, really enjoyed it
Nina Simone has character and a great voice. There’s definitely some quirkiness to the music and that keeps things interesting for sure. The second half slows things down a bit and that’s where it lost my full attention. Still appreciate this for what is still an interesting jazz album. 3 stars
I had never heard a Nina Simone album and it starts off really strong with I Love Your Lovin' Ways and Four Women. Both songs have different tones and shows how versatile Nina Simone was. I really enjoyed this album, though I am not sure I would revisit the album at any point. In the long run, it is not my type of music, but very much deserves to be heard. One thing I have learned about this project is there are albums that I am really glad that I heard, even if I was not going to listen to those albums very frequently. This music is timeless and I can hear these songs on the radio now. Nina Simone would also manage to make the songs less boring than Norah Jones, which is a low bar to clear of course.
3.5 What a voice.
Cool and jazzy, with a distinct sound. Nobody sounds like Nina Simone but Nina Simone. Definitely had an aged sound to it, but still very listenable and well recorded. The timbre of Nina's voice takes some getting used to, and can become grating (to me, at least) after a while, but she's great in smaller doses. Three stars.
I'm gonna be honest, Nina Simone is a wonderful voice, but I just couldn't enjoy this, even after two listens. I think it's an important album, but it just isn't for me.
Very nice
wanted to like this more than I actually did. still good tho
Great singer, a little slow for me
Not her best songs/performances
Nina has a wonderful deep voice. However, none of the songs really caught my attention on the first listen. Maybe Jazz isnt my thing. Ive never been the biggest jazz fan. The whole album kind of passed me by. A couple of tracks reminded me of amy winehouse. Quite a similar tone vocally in some aspects. Am i being harsh? Maybe. I recognised lilac wine from a jeff buckley cover straight away. The JB version of lilac wine is awesome, so i knew i had to give it another shot.I'll come back to it tomorrow. I came back for a second listen. Its definitely a grower for me. Nina, what a beautiful voice. Able to carry the entire album on its own practically. Lyrics are rather beautiful in several songs with lilac wine still being my favourite. I would give this album a 3.5 if i could with the view to giving it a 4 as it grows on me. I can see myself coming back to this in the near future and branching out into a few more of her albums. After all thats what the list is for! exploration and opening new doors! Admittedly, this is my first nina album. I had a quick check on her profile and immediately recognised more of her stuff. Wow, i cant wait to branch out into other tracks! Maybe this will break down the wall to the world of Jazz for me... Initial rating 3 2nd listen Rating 3.5
In a way it sounds kind of fresh for being a 60s album, like something that might have inspired Duffy or something. But on the other hand it wasn't really my cup of tea entirely. I think a 3 is suitable, but definitely plus points for sounding different than a typical 60s album!
Beautiful music. Some of it drags on a little too slowly.
This is not really my thing, but it's perfectly fine and by far the best jazz-type (although I would say its a bit of a stretch to call it jazz) album I've had so far. Having said that, this version of Lilac Wine is absolutely amazing. I knewbthe Jeff Buckley and Elkie Brooks versions, but this one is just spectacular - plaintive, and broken and lost, you really feel the pain of loss and ending. Outstanding.
-i thought lilac wine was a jeff buckley original... -having to google if she was a guy or girl... yikes
Strong vocals, but nothing else stands out too much 3.0
Nice voice!
The title track is a revelation
1. your loving uuayz - 1 2. four uuomen - 2 3. uuhat more can i zay - 1 4. lilac uuine - 1 5. all i azk - 1 6. let it all out - 0 7 breaking my heart - 1 8. uuild iz the uuind - 2 9. black - 1.5 10. looze you - 2 11. i loze - 1
Not my favorite Simone album but still good.
Gutes Album aber einfach nicht mein Geschmack. Four women ist natürlich ein sehr starkes Lied
Beautiful for sure but not real stand outs.
A bit dry, but not unpleasant. Didnt really stand out in my mind.
She has a great voice without a shadow of a doubt, but this just isn't for me. Was nice to hear the song Jay-Z sampled for The Story of OJ tho.
Okay, bit too slow and lounge for me
I liked this album and would like to re-listen to it sometime soon. Still, whenever I listen to Nina Simone, I always enjoy it but it never fully clicks with me, and it’s kind of frustrating.
Jazz not my thing
Nice music, but not the sort of thing I'd listen to on my own time.
Ice!
Strong voice but not totally my bag
Some great recordings here, showcasing Nina's distinctive warbly voice and delivery alongside trademark yearning and pain. Nice mix of musical styles, too. The self-penned "Four Women" is a stand-out, as is "Black is the Colour..". Also the source of notable cover versions down the track (including one of my personal favourite David Bowie numbers). Would add half a * if I could.
I enjoy Nina Simone and when this came up I felt good about the day. However 2 runs through and I didn't end up as wildly excited as I expected. The slower stuff didn't seem to suit here voice and I found the album dragged a touch. I really enjoyed some of the jazzier piano stuff and some tracks were of her usual high standard.
this is real soul music. i find it meanders a little, the album starts out great but by the end I'd had my fill. Nina's voice just grates a little after prolonged exposure, BUT the messages within are powerful.
Powerful, emotional performance. First half of the album was very enjoyable. Second half dragged as the songs all got very samey. Also the reveal of the final name in Four Women made me burst out laughing which was probably not her goal when writing that song
Powerful vocals and intensely emotional. Probably too much so for every day listening, but a super intriguing listen for me nonetheless.
i love your lovin' ways four women break down and let it all out either way i lose
A high quality record, very classy & elegant and listenable. It has many qualities of a 4/5 but personally it doesn't strike me with the feels, so I'm settling with a 3.
While I appreciated the artistry and would love to see her live. I didn’t love the album. I am very happy that I listened to it. I’ve heard numerous people find Nina Simone as an inspiration and I totally get that.
Nina's incredible but I don't think this is one of her better records, despite Lilac Wine.
I can’t think of another voice as pure and devastating as Nina Simone’s. I didn’t quite get it when I was younger, but it has resonated with me as I’ve gotten older. Beautiful.
Nice listen. Good album 3.5
This chick can sing wow
Powerful voice
This was fine. No complaints, but nothing Earth shattering.
Easy Jazz introduction- 4 women has strong lyrics. Can see influence.
Beautiful voice
Chill. Calming. Sometimes the recording quality/stereo panning is a bit ehhhh. But got more used to it as it went on.
Very good
I love Nina Simone's voice and her bluesier arrangements. There is some of this on here, but a lot of jazz-influence and other elements that I don't gravitate towards as much with her music. This is very good, but not as consistent as I would like.
lijepo al nis mi nije bilo wow
Nina zna kaj radi al nije tolko moj đir.
Great album. This listen showed me that I should really try to learn or at least follow along with lyrics. But even not knowing the lyrics wasnt a hindrance because Nina is so good at conveying emotion with the tone of her voice.
Her voice is amazing, but outside of a couple highlights I found most of the arrangements to be a little plodding.
5.5/10 Amazing performance, but the songs just aren't that interesting to me. Highlights: Four Women Either Way I lose
A fantastic voice raising a fantastically uneven batch of songs. Starts well with I Love your Lovin Ways: Surprisingly bluesy and straightforward, but works really well with the rasp in her voice. Four Women seems a bit of an oddity out of context, but after reading it’s inspired by her play about black female archetypes, it makes more sense. Feels like a song from a musical trying to introduce the characters in a ham-fisted way, (‘I’m awfully bitter these days, because my parents were slaves’ is a bit on the nose) but the performance is great. To be honest, she could read the phone book with that voice and it would still be great. What More Can I Say is fine, a bit Nina by numbers, but Lilac Wine in fubulous. I always loved the Jeff Buckley version, and it appears he’s lifted his reading almost wholesale from this. It’s such a great song and needs a great voice like hers to do it justice. Perfect tipsy yearning. That’s All I ask: her voice is almost like the trumpet among that brass, the words are pretty incidental. Break Down And Let it All Out: Fairly forgettable song, alchemised by her singing. Shows the huge range of her voice when the next track - Why Keep on Breaking My Heart - comes on, venomous one minute, then smooth the next. It almost sounds like a different person. The latter is not a wonderful song, sounds like Dean Martin should be performing it in a cheesy 50s romcom. Wild Is The Wind: This is more like it. That tinkling piano wrapping itself round her voice. Not many people do the mournful thing better. It seems the more stripped back the arrangement, the better it showcases her. The same thing is true of Black is the Colour. A great singer, but not a great album
Wild What is the Wind Not listened to many of her albums, never know where to start. Obviously for a lot of US singers and bands of the 50s and 60s their albums were a chance for record companies to release whatever they could and make a quick buck, rather than a chance to make an artistic statement. I gather Nina falls into this boat too. Pretty sure anything I could say about her has been said a thousand times before a thousand times more eloquently. Her voice and piano playing are so expressive that they elevate some of the more pedestrian jazz blues songs on here, but the good songs she can take it to a completely different place. Four Women, which I’ve never heard before, is absolutely superb. I love that descending piano and bass motif. Veers into easy listening in places, not necessarily a bad thing, but she’s so incredible it feels a bit of a waste. More of the upbeat RnB of I Love Your Lovin’ Ways and jazzy folk of Black is the Colour of my True Love’s Hair would make for a great album. I get her background is more in the Jazz tradition but I think she’s at her best when she goes a bit beyond that. What More Can I say is good too, didn’t like it much on first listen but it stood out more the second and third time. Lilac Wine (or Lilaaac Wine) is nice too. Tricky one to rate. I’m not a fan of some of the songs, not that they are bad they just don’t speak to me, but it’s Nina Simone so even if the songs are horrendous it has a pretty high base level. And Four Women is just incredible. Ultimately it doesn’t feel like an album, more a collection of songs, so for that reason I’ll stick with a high end 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I'll give Wild is the Wind a 6.5/10. The beginning was a bit slow and experimental which tbh I think experimental only sounds good if it's new cause old "experimental" has already been used over and over by other artists. But gotta be honest the last two songs kinda hot pretty well, not good enough to make it on my liked playlist bit good nonetheless. 6.5 being most of the album is pretty middle of the road but the last half bumps it up a bit.
Four women 👌🏻 What more can I say 👍🏻 Lilac wine 😫 Break down and let it all out 👍🏻 Either way I lose 👍🏻 Simplistic but strong vocals that touch my soul and bring joy. Why keep on breaking my heart felt like it removed me from the moment and the album. Not in a good way.
Really had it in my head for some reason that this album was going to be better
Nina’s voice has such a unique timbre that even the romantic songs sound haunting. Also, she’s been sampled on so many big rap songs that she could practically be on a greatest producers of all time list
Nina snapped here. Lilac wine was good and so was four women.
First half carried. Definitely a solid album. Didn’t realize the Story of OJ by Jay Z is a sample of Four Woman until I heard this today.
I appreciate a beautiful voice when I hear one. Not my go to genre but thoroughly enjoyed the album, especially “four women” and “break down and let it all out” 3/5
Top voice, too slow for me
3.5 This came out in the same year England won the World Cup and still sounds this good
Schöne arrangierte JazzStücke. Leider oft zu ruhig und wehleidig klagend.
It was alright