Wild Is The Wind

This was a really nice album to listen to in the morning. Slow but with movement and didn't interrupt work.

Eh… not my favorite… didn’t hate it

Not really my thing, but good nonetheless

Breakdown & Let It All Out - This song is so good

Awesome vibe, enjoyed it thoroughly!

not really feeling anything strong and its a little boring but theres some good parts

some of the lyrics and tropes from this album were jaw-dropping, Lee, intense, but so descriptive, setting an incredible imagery. I really enjoyed the overall sound.

Her voice is incredibly powerful. I definitely prefer the songs that just include her and her piano. I think some of the orchestral instrumentation was a bit much and took away from her voice.

I understand the historical and cultural significance of this album but I personally didn’t enjoy it.

Well, a week has already gone by, and oh boy, do we have an interesting album to end the week with. This also marks a few firsts for me, similarly to the last one, the most notable of which to me being my first album by a female artist and my first non-rock or rock-inspired album. Funnily enough, that's not the only connection to the last album I listened to, as David Bowie actually covered the title track from this album. It might seem surprising, but I don't think I had heard of Nina Simone before today. I gotta say, this was a great introduction. I can't really say that this album had a bad song on it. The tone was very consistent and wonderful, despite this being a compilation album. Her voice is very pleasant to hear. The piano work was quite good. Some of the songs are about meaningful topics that weren't sung about as much in the 60s, with Four Women being the pinnacle of that. After doing some research, I can absolutely see the impact of this album and artist, and seeing as this is apparently the only one of Nina Simone's albums to be on this list, I feel like giving this album a 5/5 is the right call.

Really love her vocal style and heart. It comes through really well in this album.

It's Nina Simone, what else can I say?

What an amazing album, I think I listened to it four times! Such a powerful voice. Wild Is The Wind is my favourite. Five stars from me, because I loved it.

Solid album, lovely voice and well written. Most of them aren't very upbeat, but still good.

This album begins incredibly. The first 3 tracks are exactly what I wanted. Incredible enthusiasm, hard hitting lyrics and wistful soul. However the start of this album doesn't carry through the whole record. I enjoyed the track lilac wine but the whole middle and back of the album was not varied enough. A good soul album but not my favourite.

Wow. Tje song Four Woman hits hard. You can hear the pain in it. I love that you can hear the sound of silence in the room where it's recorded. It's so good! Pure talent!✨️

Classics on this album. Plus this era is everything with the backup girl singers!

FOUR WOMEN

Vintage romance. Bit of a shock coming down from I Love Your Lovin' Ways but it narratively sets the melancholy on the horizon. Pared back the bittersweet to just longing and fear, internally and externally. "Unsteady and heady" Lilac Wine Break Down And Let It All Out Either Way I Lose

love love love

First song was great. The rest were a little too much.

Nina Simone is great! While I did particularly enjoy a few tracks on this album, it didn't blow me away. Still a good listen though.

Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Not really my thing, started well which is disappointing Favourite song: Track 1 - I Love Your Lovin’ Ways

Aw heck no

Did I hear some crooning vibrato vocal runs? Damn Post Malone kinda stole her flow. Very heartfelt very personal very nice

Aw heck yeah

Sounds good, but you have to be in the right mood to enjoy.

Pretty good

Classic by a Black legend. Blue period, melancholic and poetic.

Love it!

Love the subtle guitar flourishes on That’s All I Ask Beautiful guitar on Why Keep On Breaking My Heart

The voice is amazing, but not the presence and nerve that Nina have on some other albums. The whole album felt a bit flat.

Like the way the vocals are recorded. The first few tracks were good, don't like break down much though. Black is the colour... is pretty good

A mighty singer, a mighty woman. At turns raw and beautiful, I was spellbound

The Queen.

Good album now

Legend.

Nice beautiful soulful music but too sombre for my taste

I feel like this album would make me fall in love with whomever I simply look at while it's playing. Favorite track: What More Can I Say?

Always amazing, though I think later work rose to greater heights.

Sort of 60s poppy, but some jazzy numbers too. 3.9

4.1

проницательно прям

пиздец мощная музыка до мурашек проник вокал, я прям преисполнился. хочу винил (хз за что снизить)

Amazing deep lyrics, a bit too blues-y for my taste.

so freaking grand

Good, but not one of Nina's best for me

Short and sweet

jazzy, samey

Chillig. Gute Stimme jazzig.

Very cool album, there are definitely some tracks on here I’d go back to. Hearing Alabama Shakes before Nina definitely skewed my opinion because i can’t not hear Brittany when I listen to Ms. Simone.

This album made me feel things. Not many albums make me stand still in the livingroom and “feel” upon the first time listening to it.

Rating - 6.3/10 Album Ranking: 1. I Love Your Lovin’ Ways - 8 2. Break Down And Let It All Out - 7 3. Either Way I Lose - 7 4. What More Can I Say? - 7 5. Four Women - 7 6. Wild Is The Wind - 6 7. Why Keep On Breaking My Heart - 6 8. Black Is The Color Of My True Love’s Hair - 6 Skips: 9. Lilac Wine - 5 10. That’s All I Ask - 5 11. If I Should Lose You - 5

Have to be in the right mood to listen to it. She's a talent no question about that. Although I find her warbling to be a bit much. Four Women is devastatingly great.

The slow piano songs bored the hell out of me, but the rest of it was fine. Mostly just a product of its time

Nina Simone is always great. Not my favorite record of here but I feel her best recordings are love recordings

Liked it way more than I thought I would but ultimately not my cup of tea

Not my Cup of tea

She can do it

bello

Nice touch tbf

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Real nice way to start the week this album tbf“ - Woolham, N (Sept, 2023)

Beautiful voice, songs feel very 'samey'.

Nina Simone is fantastic! Great listen!

Raw und emotional. Sehr dramatisch auf ne gute Weise.

Extrem dramatisch, große Songaufbau Galore. Klavier sehr sophisticated, starke klassische Einflüsse

Sublime and smokey. 5 stars.

Beautiful

Heel mooi, in sommige nummers is de vibrato in dr stem iets te om relaxed te luisteren. Meeste nummers heel mooi voor bij romantisch dinertje

Koskettava ja läheinen soitto joka nostattaa korkealle

It's a journey

Un 4 porque es la Simone, pero demasiadas canciones lentas.

Que sí, que cantas muy bien.

She’s very direct. Just about every emotion is expressed on this album from adoration to indignation. Not a fan of the blues but she even makes those tracks sound good.

Some songs were good. Other ones not so much

Nina Simone is legendary and I do really love a couple of her other albums. I hadn’t listened to this particular album in its entirety before, and it felt a little underwhelming for me. She’s an incredible vocalist, but I was feeling bored through chunks of this.

Mainly jazzy love or lost love tunes. Great piano. Some good songs but some a bit dreary

Great voice but I just didn't really feel this album

Beautiful ambiance.

This album is so good! From the first note to the last one it’s full of emotions.

Många låter slutar bara mitt i. Gillade hennes energi men lite tråkigt låtar. Kändes även som om albumet aldrig kom igång.

Verkligen inte dåligt men inget jag fastnade för alls heller. Bara lite meh tyvärr. Fav: vet ej.. kanske break down and let it all out?

Fett mysigt album men tyvärr lite repetitivt. Hon låter ju gudomligt men man vill ha lite förändring ju. Favoriter: Lilac Wine, Either way I lose

Nina Simone GOAT, jättebra låtar, jättebra album Bästa låtar: What more can I say? Lilac Wine, Wild is the wind

I liked a couple of songs but not in the mood for jazz in general

An album so good as to cast doubt on other 5 star ratings. Sublime is often overused, but here, well, it is as properly descriptive as possible Darkly romantic, gossamer to muscular crescendos. This album, often one song will run the course of human emotion. There are albums and artists that reasonable people may disagree, but this one is not. A singular talent. An unarguable masterpiece. Fight me. Her piano playing is almost as great as her singing. Although it’s kind of silly to say, because they are one beautiful thing together. People often are their own best accompaniests for obvious reasons. Hendrix for example

Four Women // What More Can I Say? // That’s All I Ask // Break Down and Let It All Out // Wild Is The Wind // Either Way I Lose 4-4.5/5

Achei fantástica.

Very talented and powerful but I just don’t love her tone of voice, which holds this back to 4 stars.

Shmooth

While the music is very powerful at points and has a lot of soul, I also think the music can be kind of minimalistic and not very engaging at moments. I think it’s a decent record but it’s not much of my thing I’ll leave it at that 6/10

4/5. A beautiful, heart wrenching album. Some songs are happy which are needed to not be sad throughout the whole thing. The only downside is the song by the same name as the album, very forgettable. And some songs are just good but not awesome. Overall though, an honest and direct album from a black woman who is tired of putting on an act and decides to be herself instead.

Truly astounding. I actually think the songs songs being pulled from previous seasons is a strength of this album. The breadth and diversity of styles you hear in 40 minutes is incredible. Just greatness from start to finish.

ta cool

What a voice, so soulful, and her piano accompaniment make for a very moving album. Very deep lyrics that I should have listened more closely to...

i always find nina simone's default grandiosity a bit self indulgent and boring. how wonderful it would be to have an album with tracks all as musically cerebral and artful as four women

Enjoyed

Prefer Lilac Wine by Jeff Buckley. Amazing voice, just not my jam

I wanted to like this more but I did still enjoy it

Lovely stuff

It's boring sorry

One of those albums which I respect but not my personal jam. Rating 3.0

Ok so this is odd, it really did nothing for me! I was looking forward to some sensual, smooth vocals and lush production. Maybe it’s just me, but it just came across as a bit ramshackle and angry. Will not return to it.

What an amazing powerhouse. Awesome album. “Four Women” is haunting.

The fact that this has Four Women and Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair makes this a must listen.

Really unique, beautiful songs. Her voice reflects the hardships and turmoil experienced throughout her life. It’s a bit raw, raspy, and slightly chaotic.

Track 2 (Four Women) is sampled by JayZ in Story of OJ which was an enjoyable listen. Overall a good listen but nothing that stuck out too much otherwise. 3.8/5

Nina Simone is a singular talent, that is clear. No one has sounded like her before or since. Other than the opening track, this is filled with such melancholy sadness. Four Women is a heavy song. Lilac Wine and Wild as the Wind are both excellent, although I would say I prefer the Jeff Buckley and David Bowie versions, respectively. Does that make me sexist? Album closes out with the great Either Way I Lose. Could use a few more listens, but this feels like a 4.

Enjoyed this a lot, Nina really shows a lot of versatility throughout the album. Sometimes her voice strays a bit, but that sort of adds to the appeal for me. 9/10

Great late night album.

A delight to the senses, I’ll have what I’m having.

Legend

I thought i wrote a review. But it turns out it was notes.

Her voice is near perfect which makes it hard not to give a 5 but there are a lot of songs on this album that are mediocre except for her. Four Woman, the only song she wrote, is quite good. So much so that I'm surprised she didn't write more songs but she did write new arrangements for many songs so displayed her creative talents that way. She is so good at singing that her excellent piano playing doesn't get as much praise as it would if she didn't sing so darn well. Funny story: I listened to Bowie's up tempo version of the title song so much more, when I hear her cover I expect the words to come before they do.

The one song that Nina composed on the LP, “Four Women”, is great. I like her versions of “Lilac Wine” & “Wild is the Wind”, though comparing these standards to the other versions out there highlights the fact that Nina’s voice is not her greatest asset. Yet on this album she keeps it in check, hitting a lot of highs and lows, as in “Either Way I Lose” without “yelling” as my co-judge refers to it. Nina was a talented pianist and the sparse accompaniments on this LP bring that to the fore. She was an artist who, through her songs and activism contributed to the civil rights movement, and since her death, her music have been kept alive by a growing number of remixes and samples.

There’s no doubt that Nina has one of the more unique voices out there but I found the writing in her songs to be lacking. Her vocals are also overly maudlin for me and this style of torch music is just not my jam. I think Bowie’s cover of Wild is the wind is far superior and the latter-day remixes of her songs to dance music are better, but that’s probably just me since there’s a whack of 5 star ratings here.

It was nice to Loren to something different.

4/11, 36%

Beautiful voice! Some good songs! 3/5

Unforgettable is an understatement when it comes to Nina Simone and Wild is the Wind. Regardless of it being compiled of cutting room floor material, this is Nina at her incendiary, visionary best, what with her stirring renditions of Lilac Wine, Break Down and Let it All Out, the title track and, of course, Four Women. One of the finest albums of Nina's career.

Wow. Her voice is incredible, and so full of emotion, it makes every song feel profound. Even the ones that were written for someone else - it's hard to imagine anyone doing them better than this. The first track was maybe my least favourite, and really didn't prepare me for what was coming - it was followed by Four Women, which pretty much made me stop what I was doing and pay attention. Fantastic.

Great album, love the vocals, not something I'd normally listen to.

Sorry just not enough for me. Her voice is amazing, a gift, an instrument all in itself. These are great songs to mellow out a Playlist but as an album it's a bit grating. 3 min never seemed so long.

Going to keep it simple: Nina Simone was an amazing, highly talented individual. The music is great. Very little to complain about here.

A mesmerising work of art. Simone could do it all - here we are tapping along with I Love Your Loving Ways, absorbed and moved by the extraordinary and powerful Four Women, enchanted by the singing and playing on What More Can I Say? and that’s just the opening tracks. Throughout, Simone is romantic, defiant and charming. What a talent. What an artist.

1/2 known by heart

This is a hard album for me to rate. I can clearly see this being one of the best examples of its genre which is a kind of soul/jazz/pop album with a focus on the vocals and at times the lyrics. However this is definitely not my style at all and I only really liked the more interesting tracks such as Four Women (although the lyric at the end “Peaches” is kind of weird despite the great vocal) and the more atmospheric title track. I think critically this is a 3 or even 4 star but personally I can only give it 2.

A good vocal, but recording leaves a bit to be desired.

One of those albums on the list that is difficult for me to place. I’m some ways stunning, in some ways transient. I don’t think I’d listen to it often and yet I can recognise how remarkable Simone was.

Quite boring album

Thats some good food right there

I had hoped to be far more unto this than I was. I think Nina Simone was a very important artist but I didn't find this particularly listenable

didn’t know what to expect, and was one of the most beautiful sounding records i’ve listened to. could definitely see myself hosting a dinner and having this playing in the background or being at an old jazz bar and being enveloped by the rhythms and vocals

Avrei pensato avesse una voce più intrigante

I was given "Wild is the Wind" to listen to back at the end of June, played it a couple of times and found it pleasant but wasn't particularly overwhelmed. So I set it aside to review later, left it alone for several months and didn't come back to it until this week (in mid-October). What on earth was I thinking? How was I not blown away by the depth of feeling here? "Wild is the Wind" is a stunning album which, at its best, presents Nina Simone as a peerless talent, unlike almost anyone else in her field. There's an unassuming start, as "I Love Your Loving Ways" is straight-lace enough. It's a rootsy, smoky 12-bar-blues, showcasing a lighter side of Simone… but the rug-pull moments are just around the corner. Few songs I've heard are as affecting as "Four Women", Simone's only self-penned song on this record and one which addresses the ghost of slavery haunting four different African American women. At the end, as Simone screeched out "My name is Peaches" and the band rattled to a crescendo underneath her, I had growing goosebumps for the whole of the last thirty seconds. From there, the album rarely lets up. "Lilac Wine", which I first heard in Jeff Buckley's melismatic diva stylings, is smooth and measured here, but no less beautiful. Next, "That's All I Ask" is absolutely sublime, no notes. "Break Down and Let It All Out" is searing, scorched rage, cathartic in Simone's vocal delivery. And, of course, the title track is stirring, haunting, ethereal. I've long been familiar with David Bowie's coked up version, but this is something else. Even in what we might call the "lesser tracks", there are no egregious offences, just less compelling songs. "Why Keep On Breaking My Heart" is easy to write off as a bit of a misstep- it's a diversion into shuffling, traditional pop- but it's so elegantly performed (and boasts a lovely string section) that it's hard to feel too cheated. Later, "Black is the Colour of my True Love's Hair" and "If I Should Lose You" are back-to-back introspective jazz ballads, and both feel slightly less captivating than the material leading up to them. Finally, "Either Way I Lose" is a lovely ending track, distinguished by a nice touch of vocal bass. I'm so sorry, Ms. Simone. I will never leave your albums unreviewed and unappreciated for so long again.

Me gustó. En ningún momento sentí que estaba escuchando un álbum que tiene mas de 50 años. Álbum atemporal.

Me puso triste Nina

If this album consisted only of "Four Women" and nothing else it would still be a masterpiece.

Great voice and smooth sound. Good album, but get's a bit boring after a while.

Not really my thing

amazing voice, very powerful

She is amazing. Very enjoyable album. She has some better records tough.

I expected to love it but didn’t really.

Beautiful voice for a classy album: one of the best of the genre of that period for sure.

Uit de categorie 'artiesten die je nou eenmaal goed moet vinden want iedereen vindt het goed'. Bij vlagen heeft Nina Simone wel iconische nummers gemaakt, maar vooral wanneer de gekte echt op z'n plaats was (Sinnerman, nog gebruikt in een verbluffende kunstroofscène in The Thomas Crown affair). Verder kan ik niet altijd wat met dat unieke maar mallotige stemgeluid. Desondanks vind ik deze plaat nog best sfeervol. Mooie arrangementen, ingetogen uitvoering. Dus vooruit.

Ik luister de gevoelige nummers niet perse met plezier. Maar knap is het wel. Nina weet met haar zware stem gevoel over te brengen. Het tweede handelsmerk lijkt de trillende stem. Dat wordt iets te veel toegepast om het interessant te houden. Zelf wordt ik enthousiast van haar meer jazzy uitstapjes. En nog meer van een nummer als "Break Down and Let it All Out". Als daar een beetje stevige gitaar onder zat, was dat gewoon een rock-classic geweest.

Het is misschien het tijdstip, thuis op een zomerochtend, rustig wakker worden met een bakkie koffie. Het eerste nummer stemt me gelijk vrolijk, fijne blues. En vervolgens pakt nina (al is ze ietwat aanstellerig) je beet en laat ze niet meer los. Het is ruw, gevoelig, ongepolijst, en toch elegant. Waar frank sinatra me totaal onberoerd liet met zijn neppe mr perfect geluid, grijpt me dit wel. Heerlijk. Het zal niet voor elk moment zijn, dus geen 5 sterren dit keer, maar een hele dikke 4.

Incredibly haunting and beautiful voice. Not an album I would have ever thought to listen to myself, but its so heavy, downbeat and wonderfully orchestrated. The title tract is incredible, powerful, worth every single of its longer length.

I'm not a fan. When she's good, it's bone-chilling. Sometimes, her voice just scares me.

Canon

Great voice, no real highs or lows for me, not really my thing

good old tunes

En voiture Simone

j'adore le printemps

Good, but not my favorite Nina Simone album.

Nice, but too placid sometimes

Beautiful piano and vocals, but something about this didn't hold my attention as much as I expected it to. Still, can't deny Simone's talent.

I really wanted to love this but I just couldn't get into it.

listened

4.5

Four Woman is written so excellently.

Compelling and affecting – it's alternately classy and raw. The accompaniments and arrangements are great, too. She's a voice like no other and one understands those that might find it an acquired taste, especially given her occasional flirtation with overwhelming the songs.

I enjoyed four women a lot, the rest of the tracks less so. I can appreciate the simplicity, power, and talent on show here, but it's really not the sort of music I enjoy and I would never listen to this again.

8.5+/10. Beautiful album. Beautiful voice. So much sorrow and emotion packed into 40 minutes, what an album.

I'm not mad about it, there's just not really much there.

I love how haunting some of the songs are.

Great voice, good album!

Personal stand out tracks include opener "I Love Your Lovin' Ways" and "That's All I Ask".

I can understand why it is on the list, but its not really my digs.

Beautiful and way less dated sounding than I was expecting.

🐵🙈🙉🙊

Decent

I can appreciate how good this is but it's not my cup of tea. Fave song.. what more can I say

At så mange at Nina Simones sentimentale slagere var å finne på samme plate kunne jeg aldri ha drømt om. Et vanvittig bra album!

I find it a bit mad that this is the only Nina album on here, especially compared to some of the over exposed artists on this list. If you're struggling to get into this music, spend some time reading about Nina and her Civil Rights activism or watching interviews. All of that energy is channeled into the the lyrics as well as the vocal and piano performance.

What a voice.

This is great. And not just because it contains Lilac Wine and Wild Is The Wind! A rich and diverse record that improves on every listen.

Loved it, new gender for me!!

- Cohesive album front to back - Feels like stepping in a Time Machine - Amazing vocals -Fresh sounding album

Stand outs: Lilac Wine, Four Women, Wild is the Wind

Jackson Pollock: Four Women (i.e. used for OJ - Jay Z) is amazing. What more can I say? is amazing. Lilac Wine and That's all I ask also slap hard. Break down and let it all out sort slowed the momentum not bad, but didn't speak to me. Best Tracks: Four Women What More Can I say? Lilac Wine That's All I Ask Worst Tracks: Overall: The start of this record is amazing. It goes good-great-great-great-great to start. There is a little bit of a slip with Break Down but it recovers fast. I think its like a 9.1, so a 5.

A gem. "Four Women", " Lilac Wine", "Break Down And Let it All Out", " Wild Is The Wind", "Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair"... And all the other songs... Nina's performance, her arrangements, the range of emotions displayed... 5 stars, obviously. There is no coincidence here. When stellar performers and songwriters such as David Bowie or Jeff Buckley make legendary covers out of songs taken from the *same* LP, it means that this LP is a keeper. And this doesn't even take into account the way Simone influenced so many other artists through her *other* records... By the way... The mere fact that there is only *one* Nina Simone album in Dimery's list speaks volumes about its shortcomings. I get that no list like that can satisfy every listener out there, and I still think the *1001 Albums...* is a great tool to discover artists from the past. But when you manage to cram at least three frigging Aerosmith LPs in your list (the band I actually had to review right before *Wild Is The Wind*), the least you can do is get your sh*t together and include *Little Girl Blue*, *I Put A Spell On You* and *Pastel Blues* as well. I mean, seriously... It would be nice if new editors could refresh and/or update that list. Some of the choices made for the 21st century are already arguable, even if I understand a consensus is always harder to find for more recent albums. But when there are such huge gaps for the sixties, said flaws become unforgivable. Number of albums left to review: 577 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 202 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 97 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 126

Wild is the Wind es una canción excepcional

Sonic Alchemy. Also, Bowie's greatest cover.

Heat

Nina don’t miss

Klassikko

This is such a good collection of songs. Classic 60s rnb/blues collections, but Ninas voice just pushes this into the heights. There are a few jams on here which are your traditional love / wedding fair, but there are some epic jams. Four women is the standout, it's amazing in its message and themeing. The last vocal is out of this world.

Not far me

Not really my thing, but she has a beautiful voice. I appreciated the blatant political activism in her lyrics.

4.5

Damn, what a voice.

(please come back to her if you're new and find it odd. For example go away and listen to SUGARMAN, and My Baby Just Cares for Me. Or read about her life and music. Shit she made it despite it all.) . Pure Nina. (YT MUSIC has 2 versions. The oink cover is better. Very different tracks so maybe a glitch?) From the first track opening, I am at a 5. I am at five at the last too. Such an intimate recording. Amazing despite having none of her greatest work...., (usually the quality isnt great for 69s live,as far as I know. Is this an) it's like sittig on stage between the instruments. She moves from playfyul carefree joy, with that 'smile' in her voice, to the breakup and slow heartbreak songs like at track2 where voice is pain, rendered beautiful, and then ... back to where ? Its lady sings the blues on this album, even Summertime is subdued, restrained. I know her for songs of joy. and here she is live, singing her pain,which was her life.,.. can you imagine being there to see it live? Nina is art. her life was pain. Ive listened to her SugarMan and My Baby Just Cares for Me 1000 times, but never this. amazed. they saved a taste fo her best, the redemption, for last. If you listen carefully to her highs on the last track (Fine and Mellow) , her voice is like a muted trumpet. Alright! ****(NB: the algo followed this one up with "Mad About You (Live at Koningin Elisabethzaal 2012) Hooverphonic With Orchestra Live 2012***** its all soaring troubles and strings. oh. mad about you....

Nina was never afraid to go to the dark corners and see what was unleashed. My favourite of hers is Nina Sings the Blues and the brilliant co write with Langston Hughes Backlash Blues, powerful stuff. Four Women takes a different path but is equally powerful. As a musician you get a sense of her struggle to work across genres and keep it simple, when she could of course go anywhere her astonishing talent called for. I love the provenance of Lilac Wine, Elke Brooks must have got it from Nina, who of course got it from Eartha...but where did Jeff pick it up from? Anyway, the way she plays those chords, so simple yet so perfect, letting that voice fly with just the right sense of restraint, where so many would have let rip. A beautiful record.

I remember when I first heard Nina Simone. It was her version of Ain’t Got No/ I Got Life from the Broadway musical of the moment, Hair. It was 1968 & it was the first of a long list of songs from Hair that were hits. And the reason I remember well hearing it for the first time on radio is that when the dee-jay back-announced it as being by a woman, my jaw dropped, because to me it had sounded like a man’s voice. I also remember when I first heard the song Wild Is The Wind - it was in the early 80’s when I first saw the black & white clip of Bowie miming his 1976 recording of the song. I then heard the Johnny Mathis version & eventually Nina Simone’s cover. I love all three versions but Simone’s is particularly emotional, & longer than the other 2 versions combined. The other well-known cover on the album is the beautiful Lilac Wine, written for a Broadway musical in 1949, first recorded by the great Eartha Kitt in 1952 but now best remembered as a track on Jeff Buckley’s album, Grace. Simone’s version is a as good as any. There are 2 songs on the album written by black ongwriter Horace Ott, who had written the classic Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood for Simone in 1964, and 2 songs written by Van McCoy, who had alreadyvwritten Baby I’m Yours for Barbara Lewis & Getting Mighty Crowded for Betty Everett & would go on to have a huge disco hit with The Hustle in the mid-70’s. When you add the 2 songs written by Bennie Benjamin, including the opener, the wonderful I Love Your Lovin’ Ways, and Simone’s own extraordinary composition, Four Women, it means that 7 of the 11 songs here were written by black American composers - no coincidence, because Simone was an important figure in the civil rights movement & she no doubt fostered black talent when she had the opportunity. This is not the greatest collection of songs she ever gathered on one disc, but the highlights shine.

Ok, so this is a five star for me. It's hard to believe that this album was constructed over tracks left over from recording sessions across the previous few years. The material is understandably eclectic, but held together by Ms Simone's authoritative voice and piano playing. There are standards, ballads, folk songs and one (astounding) original, mixing love songs with the political. She is completely in control of the dynamics and presentation of the material, and it comes out with a consistent, coherent and definitive voice. Four Women is a powerful song of racial inequity and discrimination (banned on many radio stations at the time, with the still common conservative tactic of claiming that material calling out racism is, itself, racist.) Subsequently sampled by Jay-Z on The Story of O.J., picking up on the themes of racial discrimination (although there are elements of his message I find a little baffling. Art speculation as a cure for racial inequity?) Her version of Lilac Wine is definitive and was clearly massively influential on Jeff Buckley, who lifted her arrangement intact for his album 'Grace'. David Bowie was also a massive fan, covering Wild is the Wind on 'Station to Station' in explicit tribute to Nina Simone. And it obviously stayed close to him; he released it as a single in 1981, opened his 2000 Glastonbury set with it, and performed it at his final ever live show in 2006. I have listened to this album straight through three times in a row, and I hear more from her performances every time. She is so in control of her performance, even when she goes slightly out of control, such as her screamed "my name is Peaches!" at the end of Four Women. This album is a masterclass in how deeply a musician can understand and project a song. She is at the height of her formidable powers on this record. A five star classic, perfect and massively influential. My hidden gem on the album: If I Should Lose You. It's beautiful and heartbreaking. A moment of reflection on the 1001 albums list; why does Paul Simon (the alphabetically adjacent artist on this list) rate six album inclusions, and Nina Simone only one? More evidence of the white-boy rock critic bias of this list. I cannot understand why an artist of Ms Simone's stature and breadth of material only rates a single album.

great arrangements and she’s a mighty talent but it’s all such a histrionic drag

Loved it

Que sí, que cantas muy bien.

11th April 2023 Listened during the day in the living room working with Jen. Chilled evening watching city Bayern. Simply divine. 4.5 if I could.

I've heard of this artist before, but don't think I have ever heard one of her songs. I can tell just by looking at her Spotify page that this isn't her most well-received album so it is an odd choice. The second track is used as a sample in "The Story of OJ" by Jay-Z so I am already familiar with it/like it. This seems like it is a soul/blues album and while I don't typically listen to that genre it is pretty good. This is pretty chill music that I could listen to in the background. There are only a few distinct songs that I really like, but overall this is still pretty enjoyable. Nina's voice has a particular timbre that is enjoyable to hear, and adds a somber quality to her songs; especially her slower songs. I can tell there is probably a lot of subtext in her lyrics that I don't quite get because I don't know the full background, and there are probably old-timey sayings/slang used that I don't understand. A solid 3/5

i listened to like 3/4 of the first song and turned it off honestly.

Good, but oh so slow and moody. Not really my thing, feels completely devoid of any fun

L'émotion est si puissante dans la voix que j'en ai des frissons. Textes vraiment poignants. Belle liberté dans les accompagnements musicaux, qui ne se laissent pas dominer entièrement par la voix.

Nina Simone is of course an absolute legend, and has a brilliant voice. The musicianship on this album is also top-notch with some lovely jazz piano. I probably wouldn't listen again but it was pleasant enough and I can appreciate the genius present.

Amazingly beautiful record, a new favorite for sure

Beautiful, powerful music. A bit slow for me personally.

What a voice!

Je me réjouissais d'avance d'écrire ma critique expliquant point par point en quoi Nina Simone était surcotée, elle qui détient jusqu'à ce jour la version la plus charabiesque de Ne Me Quitte Pas. Malheureusement, les premières pistes de l'album ont installé une énorme climatisation chez moi, si bien que je me dois d'admettre que Simone est une sacrée cliente.

Quelle belle manière de débuter la semaine, merci Nina

An inspiration to so many, a tragic life, an icon. If this is your first time hearing Nina, go read her Wikipedia and watch "What Happened, Miss Simone?" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nina_Simone Loved this album.

Nina Simone is a treasure. She captures the deep pain and longing of a broken relationship in this album, like no one else can. I felt that while listening. I'm not crying. You're crying.

Beautiful album, lots of pain in her voice.

It was decent. Not really my thing but it was good

She blew me away in the Summer of Soul doc, and while losing the visuals does take away some of her charisma there's still a ton of power in that voice.

"Wild Is The Wind" é um disco intenso e emocionante, que merece ser ouvido com toda a atenção e devoção que uma obra de arte como essa merece. Em "Four Women", Nina canta sobre as histórias de quatro mulheres negras, cada uma representando um estereótipo diferente. Ela nos leva em uma viagem pela história da discriminação racial, desde a escravidão até os dias atuais. É uma música poderosa que ainda ressoa hoje.

Nina Simone is regarded as one of the finest vocalists of our time and this album highlights her strong and powerful voice. I hadn't listened to much Simone, it captivated me, but lost a bit of my attention towards the end. Overall, well worth the listen, but it requires you to be in the proper mood and mindset to enjoy it to the maximum.

Really enjoyed this, a great intro to Nina. Looking forward to more

loved. if i should lose you was my favorite

Beautiful powerful voice

She’s amazing.

AMAZING!!!! black is the color of my true loves hair was my fave.

Abyssal, fantastic. Four Women and the title track jump out immediately. All the songs have this spotlight effect on you and her, transfixing you like you're being subjected to the most dramatic monologues. The band is sensitive, knows its place, set dressing. All songs at least good due to incredible delivery, and at least four bangers.

Amazing collection of songs on here. Bowie's version of the title track will never be beaten but it's great to hear where he got the whole thing from. Contrast with Break Down And Let It All Out which is as good as any Motown song of the era. Just excellent

Nina’s voice is pretty great even if this isn’t my usual go to style of music

Nina Simone is one of my favorite vocalists of all time. Her voice is so rich and beautiful and can convey such a wide range of emotion. I had heard some of these songs already, but hadn't listened to this album in its entirety. Although I didn't love every single song, I loved her voice on every song, and that was enough to make this a great listen. Besides her voice, the instrumentals, particularly the piano (if I'm not mistaken, Nina herself is the pianist), are gorgeous throughout. Her voice and the piano blend so well together, and there were many moments that gave me goosebumps. I will certainly be listening to this album again. Standout Tracks: "Four Women," "Lilac Wine," "Either Way I Lose," "Break Down And Let It All Out"

I’m a little anxious about listening to today’s album. The last time I listened to a jazz icon (John Coltrane) I really disliked it, and I had a very different opinion to the vast majority. Nina Simone is certainly someone I have come across before, but I’ve never really put much focus into her music. Today, we’ll change that. Songs I already knew: None Favourites: Lilac Wine, Four Women My hesitancy was completely unfounded. This album was phenomenal, and I honestly can’t fault any of it. There are parts that I would consider to be more rock and roll than jazz (I Love Your Lovin’ Ways has guitar playing that, with some distortion, could easily be a Status Quo track). But this album really shines on the slower tracks. Lilac Wine actually took my breath away. I’m in the fortunate position where I can not relate to the singer’s position of having lost their love, but regardless it still had me choking up. I’d recommend that everybody listens to this. It is genuinely perfect.

One of the most important voices of modern music, period. Musically, the album is... a bit of all over the place? Either way, the strongest parts of it are a joy to listen to.

Best Song: Lilac Wine. Quiet, poetic, and powerful. Worst Song: Wild is the Wind. Despite being the title track, it felt too mournful, and the vocal warble (vibrato?) was too much for me. Overall: Haunting, thoughtful music. Feels so personal and subdued, making it difficult to listen in all contexts, but good for quiet afternoons and reading by a rainy window.

Lovely voice, lovely songs - poignant, perfectly paced and just the right length. Just a wonderful record.

Very good album! However felt like it was missing something… can’t put my finger on what though.

Great album, with of course the production showing its age, Simone's vocals tell a powerful story. Wild is the wind is a personal favorite of mine. Personally not all the tracks were for me, but it still invoked strong emotion nonetheless.

While I can't personally relate to a lot of what Nina songs about, she has an unbelievable ability to make me feel what SHE is going through. The empathy she's able to elicit is matched by no other artist I've listened to in my lifetime. I can physically hear her pain and sorrow as she sings with her beautiful voice.

It's alright.

What a contrast from the Pixies and I have to say, I was surprised and impressed. Absolutely loved I love your loving way and immediately downloaded to my library. Thought this was going to a fun, upbeat Little Richard sounding album then........went deep, soulful and strong. Her voice is very unique and enjoyed very much. I can't say this this is my type of music or maybe I just haven't given it the proper due. I listened at work and it immediately caught my attention. I spent another hour listening to some of her other music. She is very good! I laid in bed and listened with my headphones and had visions of seeing her in some small, smoke filled nightclub on a romantic night out with the wife. I can only imagine what the real experience would be like and hope someday to enjoy that type of experience. I can't say all her stuff blew me away, but all in all, I liked this. Maybe the change of pace, maybe just different than my usual type of listening, but goo stuff. I think Mindy would enjoy this. I'm giving this a solid 3. I can see this being played at our home on some of our laid back, music nights. I think if your open your mind and let this flow through you, it would be enjoyable to all those who listen. I am very happy I have been introduced to her music! I love the way you love me and What more can I say were my 2 standouts, but really enjoyed a good portion of all the album. Good writeup with a lot of credit given. Maybe I underrated?? A very solid 3 for me. Thanks for the introduction. 3

This was a nice change of pace for me but honestly it was kind of boring. Jazz with vocals isn't my favorite but I do think Nina Simone pulls it off really well here. There are nice tender moments broken up by these grandiose finales with amazing crescendos but all of it failed to leave a huge impression. I think I liked it. I think? 3.5

3.5 Beautiful and profound. Having not listened to much Nina Simone, I quite enjoyed this, with her distinctive voice being the highlight for me. I wasn’t immediately sold upon hearing the opening track I Love Your Lovin’ Ways, finding it a pretty generic slice of the era, but Four Women won me over with its smooth oldies jazz sound and social message regarding depictions of black women. As the album went on, Nina’s charm continued to slowly unfold as her range in both performance and songwriting ability grew and grew. It’s no wonder this album inspired artists from a variety of genres even years after its release. I listened to David Bowie’s and Jeff Buckley’s respective covers of Wild is the Wind and Lilac Wine after this and was really impressed with how they were able to capture Simone’s spirit while still containing elements of their own iconic artistry. Of course, they were in good hands to begin with choosing songs from here. It didn’t blow my mind, and to be honest I don’t see myself listening to this often, but there’s definitely a vibe I appreciated and would likely come back to in the right time and place (I think my mom would like this too). If I ever decide to host a fancy cocktail party, this would be high on my list to play.

I just love Nina Simone! Normally this time and genre of music would not illicit much response from me, but she just raises things.

Tudo!

A song by Billie Holiday came on after this. I enjoyed that much better. Not a big fan of this one.

What a voice. What a performer. The way her voice trembles and shakes. There’s so much pain and longing in her singing. This is a great collection of songs and performances from her. The song “Four Women” is a standout. Very powerful. I love that jazzy piano. I know this song from being sampled in the recent Jay-Z song “The Story of O.J.” — it was great to hear the original and sit with the lyrics. "Either Way I Lose" was cool too. Love the deep backing vocals.

I really love the drama in these songs. "Four Women" is wild. "What More Can I Say?" has such an incredible buildup. There are a few on this that I don't really love. "Break Down and Let It All Out" really misses the mark for me. The vocal vibrato is so incredibly tight and rhythmic in a weird way. The song itself isn't strong, and I don't love the super quick fade out at the end too. "Wild Is The Wind" wasn't my favorite either. Now that I'm listening I'm realizing that I liked the first half of the album much more than the second, save for the track "Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair", a beautiful modal ballad that is a highlight of the second half. Nina Simone is a force but this one isn't one of my favorites. Even with that being said it is a very enjoyable listen. Lovely album cover.

Makes me think of a female crooner, felt like I should be lounging in a Casablanca style club

Powerful blues vocals. A force. Loved a couple of these songs but there were a few weird ones too. Definitely worth the listen.

I appreciate she’s a great singer but really not my kind of thing.2*

Wasn't mad about it but then had it on when I was cooking and it was very nice.

Nina set me right in the world.

The songs are good, but there is something in Nina Simone's voice that I have always found thoroughly off-putting and that prevents me from wanting to spend any more time with her albums than neccessary. 2/5

Nina provides the evening you didn’t know you needed here.

Nina Simone - Wild is the Wind (1966) I have no idea how to review a Jazz album. I have listened to Nina Simone here and there, but I never really “listened”, until now. And…. now I am sad. The only Nina album I own is “Sings the Blues”. When she sings the blues, I am tapping my foot along with the beat, and I kind of let the music sink into the background. On ‘Wild’, her voice is haunting. So, so, haunting. I don’t really “get” jazz. My brain doesn’t know what to do with it. Sometime I can say “I like this”, but that is about as far as I can go. I don’t know why I like it or dislike it. It bounces around in my head and makes me feel things. This album makes me feel sad. 
My favorite track is: Wild Is The Wind (Live). I am not a huge fan of long songs, but this one is done so seamlessly, I love it. 4 stars.

So good. I need to listen to more Nina Simone.

Great stuff

Not for me

Pretty great. Especially four women

A troubled but beautiful soul. Who also happened to be a virtuoso pianist.

Nina Simonella on kyllä jännä ääni, siinä mielessä lumoava, saa kuuntelemaan. Painavia biisejä, mutta en kahden kerrankaan jälkeen ole myyty

Liian hidasta, liian synkkää, liian taidetta. Ymmärrän toki miksi tästä pidetään, mutta en tule kuuntelemaan uudelleen. Elo on tuskaa, mutta kaikki uskottelemme itsellemme, että se ei ole - ja tässä uskottelussa on totuutta.

Late night jazz

Nina sings with a very airy, vibrato effect. Her voice is raspy, and delightful to listen to. Her songs are centered around romance and elicit some feelings of longing and affection. The music is simple and stripped back, with accompanying keys, horns, and soft drums brushing. It starts off with some tempo, but ultimately resolves to softer and less ensembles tracks that feature her unique singing style. The audio specifically is lower fidelity, but not enough to distract from the passion of the music. No songs in particular stood out to me, but if I had to name a few that I enjoyed more than the others: I love your lovin ways, Lilac Wine, Break down and let it all out.

This album IS truth. Ms Simone sings with pain, with her heart Four Women is a heartbreaking story She was singing about things in 1966 that no one wanted to hear, but she did not care

What a heavy album.... She conveys a life experience that is raw and rough. Incredible.

Some good songs

- Voice isn't really my style - Prod on point

Remarkable, but misaligned with my general tastes. 4/5

Starts off pretty slow, made the puppy fall asleep so that's good. I liked it more by the end. Doesn't really sound like an album made in the 60s to me

What a powerful, otherworldly voice.

Not my thing

I wanted to go 5, but a couple tracks in the back half were just not for me.

First four songs are amazing. Title track is the weak point of the album

Otroligt fin, stilla, pianodriven jazz. Bara en av låtarna är skriven av Simone (Four Women), men jag antar att hon inte huvudsakligen var låtskrivare, så jag struntar i det. Fokus här är pianot och rösten. Och vilken röst det är, mörk, soulig, hård och mjuk på samma gång. 'Four Women' är vacker och drabbande. Simone berättar om fyra svarta kvinnor som får klä varsin stereotyp, varsin bild av förtryck och lidande. Simones röst är aldrig mer angelägen och ilsken som i crescendot i sista versen. Ingenstans kommer Nina Simones otroliga röst till uttryck lika bra som i nästan 7 minuter långa, vackra 'Wild Is the Wind'. Och hur pianot med resten av bandet ökar intensitet i refrängerna, ÅH. 'Lilac Wine', 'Break Down and Let It All Out', 'Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair' och 'If I Should Lose You' också otroliga. Detta var min egentliga introduktion till Nina Simone. All in all så är albumet en ren jävla fröjd från början till slut, och jag MÅSTE komma ihåg att återvända till det, och till Nina Simone. Vilken mästare. Bästa låt(ar): 'Four Women' och 'Wild Is the Wind'.

My god, this record is beautiful! So heartbreaking and soulful at the same time, amazing. A very consistent record with great instrumentation and performance of Nina. The production is great too, very well mixed. One of the most powerful records I've ever listened to! She was truly something special! Favorite lyrics: - It makes me see what I want to see. Be what I want to be. - But it's not enough just to remember, 'cause what good is the past? - With your kiss, my life begins. You're spring to me. All things to me. Key tracks: Four Women, What More Can I Say, Lilac Wine, Break Down And Let It All Out, Wild Is The Wind, Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair, If I Should Lose You. 9 out of 10

This isn’t really my taste in music but there’s a lot to appreciate here. Every song was heartfully sung. “Four Women” is a masterpiece.

Well this was glorious. Half of the songs should be exposed in museums, that’s how good they’re. My good Nina is just amazing.

Didn't enjoy all of it but there was some very nice stuff there

I know i’m meant to love her but she’s not that crazy impressive to me - plus i hate the way she pronounces lilac

Buen álbum!

Four Women is great in it’s visceral, moving, uncomfortable way. Even if Jay-Z hadn’t sampled it I believe it’d still move me. The way her voice vibrates on Break Down and Let It All Out reminds me of Jefferson Airplane. Outside of that, she’s more than serviceable covering songs about love and heartbreak, but she’s not as soulful or emotionally convincing in that realm beside say, Aretha Franklin or Al Green.

Liked

One of the best voices of the 20th century, carrying even weaker songs with it. Some less interesting tracks coupled with powerful songs. Tracks I liked: Four Women Lilac Wine

Ganska soft och skön.

Beautiful. voice and arrangements. Either Way I Lose chilling end of album, gives me goosebump like Anthony Now I Am A Birds masterpiece.

I love this woman but this ain't my favourite album of hers at all. Black is the colour was a surprise though. I thought it was Irish until now.

Such a recognisable voice. Brilliant songs

I don't know loads but I feel this isn't her best. Still what a voice.

it’s like rat pack vibes but black woman, more interesting. It could grow on me and there are a few that are sticking

Nina Simone is a stupendous singer. There are some amazingly beautiful songs on here. A masterclass in musical minimalism. However, it’s not something I want to listen to with any regularity. Life is already hard enough and as much as I don’t mind ordinarily being sucked into a vortex of misery, this is not my bubbling tar pit of choice.

The spare arrangements complement her powerful voice on this bunch of torch songs. Fantastic.

Damn. I knew her name, but this was my introduction to Nina Simone, and she's intense in all the best ways. There's a sadness and depth to her voice that gives every note added weight. Anger and vulnerability. I don't know if those are the right descriptors, but in the same way Billie Holiday infuses every song with significance just because she's singing it, Nina Simone has that same effect. "Four Women" is powerful, "Lilac Wine" sounds like it could have been in Twin Peaks, but "Wild Is The Wind" was something else. I was familiar with Bowie's take on the song, which I always liked, but all those descriptors — sadness, depth, vulnerability — were on hyperdrive in her performance, buttressed by the manic piano. Crazy that the wind is howling outside as I write. Her voice, that piano, the wind chimes outside my window... it's all coalescing. My head just exploded. Happy now?

My appreciation of Nina's music only grown through the years. She always delivers gutsy, soulful performances, her range is vast, and her overall approach to music is timeless. Plus, she's a hell of a pianist. It seems criminal to me that she only has one album on this list as her career is so varied and this collection of songs is not. Every song on here isn't of 5-star quality, but damn who cares. If you haven't heard Sinnerman or the live version of Pirate Jenny, do yourself a favor and check them out. Truly one of the greatest musicians of the last century.

I enjoyed.

Very slow, quiet and powerful album. Nina Simone’s voice is absolutely amazing Saved songs: I Love Your Lovin’ Ways, Black Is The Color Of My True Loves Hair

wow that voice.

That is a lovely album I can see going back to to experience again

I'd rate it 3.5 but won't let me, was pretty good for a first album on the list, cute slow songs etc

This is a quintessential Nina Simone album

What a voice!

Very slow, mostly sad songs about love. Probably beautiful at the time but a little harsh sounding in some parts these days.

listened to before: kind of favorite song (overall): break down and let it out strongest lyrics: four women best vocals: lilac wine best song (objective): wild is the wind pros: HER VOICE!! her range is just incredible. the lyricism is just top notch, especially four women. wild is the wind is a masterpiece cons: very few, i wish nina wrote more on this album because four women is incredible.

Very nice

Good singing, good to finally listen to this album. Would listen again.