Wild Is The Wind

It wasn’t grasped intially, but by the end of the record, I was honestly in awe of Simone’s incredible contralto and the sheer honestly and gentleness of the whole album. There really isn’t anything or anyone that quite sounds like Simone, and the influences on other musicians she has are countless. There’s such a wide range of emotions and styles on this album, yet all of them remained anchored by Simone’s incredible skill.

This was beautiful. Her voice is so interesting.

Good album

Very nice. She really could do anything and sound good

lilac wine??? what a star

Well, after 2 weeks of this challenge, i've gotten John Zorns "Jazz" album, Miles Davis and now this. I guess I've officially done my study of jazz and im an expert right? Heh, well at least that's all the qualifications you need on the internet, hell maybe pitchfork will hire me on those merits! I actually remembered seeing this on Rolling stone's list on 2020, and it stuck out because i had never heard of it or listened to it, been meaning to, but now im thankful i have. This absolutely falls under the more soothing, soulful and bluesy sound of Jazz that I love to gravitate towards. While I rate Miles Davis' Kind of Blue above this, I will say, this album shines in different ways and indicates a direction that was taken to really evolve the sound and push the genre further. I will refrain from throwing out a 5, but only barely. Four Women, Lilic Wine and That's all i ask are songs that stuck with me for its beauty. 4/5.

hfs. 5/5.

Classic.

Thursday, 10 September, 2026 LZ has never sounded better. Killer album. Start to finish.

I have always meant to listen to Nina, but never have. This was great +

Classic....I love her voice/emotion in everything she sings. Always five stars

7.3

You can tell that this wasn't planned or recorded and meant to be one album and still it is a great experience. Nina Simone of one of the best vocalists of an time, she had such an intensity and variability, both are on full display here. There are better albums by her and more should be on the list, but I'll take this one any day over average white Brit Pop, Country, Noise Rock or Post Punk, all of which this list had way too much of.

60s jazz, wasn’t my cup of tea but I can’t deny that it was good. Wild is the Wind, the song for which the album is named after, is my favorite track

Wild and womanly. Less jazzy that I expected, which I'm happy about.

I know this is supposed to be really good, and I get it, but I just don’t like it really. Sometimes it’s that simple.

lilac wine set the foundation for jeff buckley’s “grace”, and many other songs from this album were used for future projects from various artists. some of her most empowering music, in my opinion, and also her most eclectic

Beautiful, heart wrenching. Her voice is so emotive.

I've been in a bit of a 60s slump lately, not finding anything really interesting or memorable. It seems like this is what I've been waiting for. Nina Simone has the kind of voice that makes you sit up and take notice, hanging on every note. You really get the first taste of it on the fantastic, "Four Women," because the opener is a throwaway track and the worst on the album. Four Women uses just a few words to paint four interesting and different portraits of complex black women. Simone changes her voice slightly for each one... and is particularly powerful on the final verse. "What More Can I Say?" is probably my favorite track here, and the first time we can really focus on the fluttering vibrato she achieves in her phrasing. It's such a unique and beautiful sound, adding so much texture to her vocal performance. At this point, I'm totally in for the rest of the record. Other highlights include Lilac Wine, Wild Is the Wind, Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair, and If I Should Lose You. Her piano playing here is also extraordinary. I was prepared to be impressed by two different artists here, so it's even more astounding to find these two immense talents were contained within one person. I don't know if this will be an album I'll return to often, but I was pretty floored by how much I enjoyed this, aside from track 1 which should have been left off IMO. It's a small quibble overall. This is a fantastic record by a supreme talent -- I hope she has more records on this list.

немного не тот джаз который начинал мне нравиться. Голос у Нины конечно никак не соответсвует романтизму её песен.

I like the story where she threatened to shoot a man for not paying her. 5 star story. 5 star voice.

Amazing songwriting, beautiful vocals.

Such an amazing voice. So much emotional depth

She has a great voice and her songs have so much emotion and soul poured into them. Enjoyed this album

Nothing jumped out at me but this was pretty enjoyable and a very unique voice

An album worthy of a list so named and new to me. I've heard the odd song from it here and there but not the album as a whole and of course Bowie covered Wild is the Wind. "Four Women" is my favourite so far and I can see where Anthony from Anthony and the Johnsons got his inspiration from on 'Why Keep on Breaking my Heart'. I'll be returning to this...

Interesting album, a little disjointed but a beautiful and unique voice.

her voice is majestic and the entire album is just perfect

Never listened to this album before. But damn it's a bloody fine album! Nina is a legend! So: 4/5

She’s got a great voice for sure.

One of several artists on this album list who have received enormous posthumous attention and praise, Nina Simone displayed her massive array of talents on Wild Is the Wind. New styles appear on nearly every track starting with the blues on “I Love Your Lovin Ways.” Simone’s own “Four Women” offers her unique version of folk song protest. It mashes up Paul Robeson declarative singing with Bob Dylan social commentary and church based piano. She turns an orchestral jazz number, “That’s All I Ask” into something poignant. Similar brilliance jumps out on “Wild Is the Wind” as this cinematic melodrama suits Simone quite well. “Break Down and Let It All Out” and “Either Way I Lose” combine Phil Spector style R&B with the power of Aretha Franklin’s voice and piano. It is understandable why Simone became a household name without scoring huge record sales. Joan Armatrading comes to mind as another artist who was not quite this genre or that genre. Perhaps too single-minded to allow a Spector or Jerry Wexler to mold her into a specific type of artist, Simone embraced too many styles for audiences to pigeonhole, and therefore, popularize her work.

It was all so wonderful it’s hard to pick a favourite. I think Four Women will stay with me the most.

Clearly a talent but man her voice is masculine. But I’m gonna give her 4 stars. It was great music don’t live her voice. Actually no. I’m not giving in. I don’t like her voice. This would be 3.5 stars and I’m rounding down. Need something amazing next.

Her voice is great but the music is pretty whatever to me. "Lilac Wine" is a great song that I know from being a big Jeff Buckley head. "Four Women" has great lyrics. "Wild In The Wind" has some badass piano playing. Overall it's just too slow and boring for me. I'll probably never throw this on again.

Catchy, sultry, gorgeous. What a remarkable woman she was.

It is a crime only one of her albums is on here. Vivid chord progressions, a great voice with emotional range, lyrics that wear biting politics on the sleeves interspersed with regular fun and loving ballads. We had quite a few modern albums of artists claiming to want to do some politics or fight for a cause. This is the example. Simone risked a lot and didn't pull punches. Everyone wants to claim they do a Nina Simone, few actually dare to do it.

This is a really good vocal and piano-jazz record. Her voice is undeniable. It is one of those albums that should be heard by everyone and really belongs on the 1001 albums you must hear before you die.

Love this, so beautiful.

A great storyteller, i like some of her other songs more but the album was good.

This, obviously, is a great album.

Decent length, pleasant to listen.

Album #262 Nina Simone: Wild Is The Wind I have been conditioned to be skeptical of soul music; for whatever reason, my introduction to the genre has been mostly disappointing. In theory, I should love it, since what really connects me to an artist/band are deeply emotional and powerful vocals; but the issue that I find with a lot of soul artists is that they just don’t feel authentic. Most modern soul just feels like trying to emulate a past singer, rather than actually sing from their heart and mean it. I also believe that you can’t just sing any words and give them meaning, and with the surge of ‘pop-soul’ most of these artists end up just spewing rubbish. Well, thankfully Nina Simone reassures me that authenticity will always prevail, since Wild Is The Wind is non-stop, well-written, and masterfully performed songs that legitimately inspire emotion. Regrettably didn’t actually know that Nina Simone had her own version of Lilac Wine, since as a young white guy I was only really familiar with the Jeff Buckley rendition; but whereas on ‘Grace’ it hardly stands out, here Nina is able to give it a gravitas that led me to a new appreciation for the song. My favourite track though is definitely That’s All I Ask, and honestly it might already be one of the most powerful vocal performances that I’ve heard. Nina Simone is one of those artists I always hear people wax lyrical about, yet for whatever reason I just assumed she wouldn’t be for me, but after hearing this album I’m thankful to know that she absolutely lives up to the hype. Best Songs: That’s All I Ask, Lilac Wine, Four Women Worst Song: Why Keep On Breaking My Heart Score out of 10: 9

Really good. Simone has an unusual voice and this felt quite raw and sad.

Peaceful and happy and sad all at once. 7/10

arresting and brilliant! duh!

I genuinely think the authors of this list are racist and misogynistic at this point, and only including one of Nina Simone's albums is evidence of that. The song Strange Fruit alone deserves a spot on this list for its influence, let alone the entire album, I Put a Spell On You. It's a Damn shame black women aren't given the respect they deserve on this list, but every white man whose ever put out a half assed brit pop album gets jerked off.

Show me more like this please

Maagista kuunneltavaa<3

Aivan saatananmoinen bängeri! Mitä heleä. Upea androgyyni ääni, älyttömiä isoja musikaali big band orkesteri -mähinöitä. Oisin ollu tyytyväisempi ilman vikaa biisiä mutta silti niin täyteläinen kirpeä raikas kokonaisuus että onhan se vitonen. Kuuntelen uusiksi.

Upea levy. Nina Simone on ilmiömäinen tulkitsija ja biisit on todella hyviä. Tuotanto on just sopivan vintage ja tumma, jonka myötä biisien tummanpuhuvaan tunnelmaan on helpompi heittäytyä. Also, tietenkin Jeff Buckleyn Lilac Wine on coveri, miten en oo aiemmin tajunnu tätä? XD

Upea ääni, upeaa tulkintaa ja väkeviä tarinoita! Pysäyttävä levy. Tykkäsin kovasti myös suht minimalistisista sovituksista ja erityisesti basso pomppasi mehukkaasti paikoin esiin. Pikkasen oli mun makuun ylikäytetty vibraa äänessä joissain biiseissä ja pari biisiä livahti vähän huomaamatta ohi, niin niukasti jäi lopulta neloseen. Mut hitto että varsinkin Four Women oli kyllä voimakas ja vaikuttava biisi! 🥺

Nina Simone oli tuttu nimenä, tiesin että legenda mutta siinä se. Kauniita kappaleita ja Jeff Buckleyn cover Lilac Winestä on hyvinkin tuttu ja esikuvalleen uskollinen. Kaunista solistivetoista fiilistelyä.

This album is perfect! It's both comforting, soothing, and emotional. Nina Simone had a unique and beautiful voice.

Når det er bluesete mister hu meg, men når det er soul er det fint. Lilac Wine er dritfin, men kanskje enda bedre av Jeff Buckley.

Gosh, Nina just stops me in my tracks. Her voice is simply once-in-a-lifetime, once-in-a-generation, once-in-history. Her immediacy is just incredible. The way she moves between softer tones and powerful, but always in control moments is breath-taking. The final line of Four Women for example quiet frankly demands your attention and commands you to hold on for a moment and just marvel at what you have been blessed to hear. When she sings Break Down And Let It All Out, you feel it. You know she means it exactly as she sings it. Then there are songs like What More Can I Say that are so filled with deep-felt emotion without veering into kitschy-territory. The rawness is remarkable. There is no pretence, there is just Nina and her piano. As an album, it shows that it’s a collection of recordings from different projects, as it lacks a bit of cohesion and the track-listing is not the strongest it could be, so i can’t quite give it the five stars. This is still a great listen - at the end of the day it is Nina Simone.

Très bien miami

An enchanting record with an iconic voice.

heel erg mooi, maar ben denk ik niet vaak in de mood om dit te luisteren

2026.08.27

Not life changing, I get it but it’s not me. I like the background music.

Some really aggressive fade outs on this album. Some great singing, especially the more Bluesy ones . Album starts really strong, fades about on the second side. 3.5 stars, will round to 4 for such a solid start

Nina Simone was an artist, a pianist, an activist and a fucking mentalist but I love her!

love simone's unique voice on this record and the music sounds way ahead of its time, but the last few songs kinda drag on imo. 4/5

Have never felt like I had an accessible entry point to this artist but perhaps I had one all along with Jeff Buckley. ‘Lilac Wine”, the only song I have any familiarity with, is a heady, intoxicating brew. The perfect example of a song that sounds like the feeling it’s describing. A slow, head-swimming descent into memory and longing, all the better for its relatively flatter delivery compared to Buckley’s melodramatic rendition. ‘Four Women’ is stark, compelling and confusing. Her climactic ‘Peaches!’ almost made me spit take. Don’t know what I was expecting, but that wasn’t it. The album as a whole is obviously not a cohesive statement, but this woman was practically shitting gold, so who cares. I need more time with this to fully appreciate side 2.

Maybe not the best Nina Simone album, but still a fantastic one. It's hard not to love her passion, the deep texture of her voice, her incredible ability to subtly switch from soul to jazz to blues without ever sounding artificial. Even though it's not a perfect album, it's an amazing showcase of her talent, with a very wide range of styles and influences. Most songs are different enough from one another that it never feels repetitive, and at least half of them are absolute classics. I loved every minute of it, especially the more soul-oriented songs ; it was a very emotional experience for me. This is one of the handful of albums that truly and fully deserve to be on an all-time list in my opinion. It both saddens and infuriates me to think there's only one Nina Simone record here, but six Elvis Costellos... 9/10

Four women is a reason good enough fr teh 5star. But it's all great

Wow… this album gets pretty heavy lyrically at times. I can only imagine the controversy some tracks like Four Women caused when they came out. I could definitely come back to it, but probably more as background music, because I have quite a few issues with it. Nina Simone’s voice doesn’t always work for me, especially on tracks like Why Keep on Breaking My Heart or Wild Is the Wind, which are also among the least interesting here. I wish the slightly rockier vibe of I Love Your Lovin’ Ways had shown up more often, because by the end, all the ballads and love songs start to lose me. Definitely not my favourite Nina Simone’s album, Silk and soul the next year is more my kind of vibe. I much prefer her when things get more soul and jazzy, like the last track on this one which I enjoyed quite a lot.

3.5

starts strong, gets weaker

Review - This was an ok Nina Simone album. Not her best. Not the best I've heard on the list. But ok. Score - 6/10 Need to listen? YES

So good

It was soo good again, her voice is sooo amazing and the piano also is stunning !!

“My name is PEACHESSS!” Had laatst een documentaire gekeken over ‘the teaches of peaches’, en dit nummer is ze aan haar artiesten naam kwam #toevallig dat ik nou dit album krijg. En ook het origineel van lilac wine, die Jeff Buckley heel mooi heeft gecoverd. Prachtig!

goosebumps for 40 straight minutes

some were enjoyable, but i don't really like her voice

Ok

yeah not my kind of music

Powerful! She has been one of my favorites since I received her Album Baltimore in a box of LPs bought at a garage sale in the 1980s. Four Women is one of the best songs by Nina Simone. Standouts: Four Women, Wild is the Wind, Breakdown and Let it All Out Others: Black is the Color of My Skin, What More Can I Say, Lilac Wine, If I Should Lose You, Either Way I Lose. * * * * * (5 Stars)

I don’t think I’d listened to this all the way through before. Obviously some hits but a slower one all together.

A stunningly beautiful album. Her voice is like a warm cradling hug, while being a bit stark. I thoroughly enjoyed every single song but the obvious standouts are Four Women and Lilac Wine.

*Great voice but it got too intense at times.

This album is incredible

Top

Never heard of it, amazing classic style

Yes, you should definitely listen to this before you die! Voice of the devil/angel. Great music.

2,0/5

All a bit down tempo for me

It's fine.

Miss Simone is a legend, but this isn't really the best representation of her work. It's also apparently a compilation, which begs the question, they couldn't put on one of her multiple great albums? Still, it's a stirrer nonetheless.

It's a great album her voice is amazing i never heard her music before and i was really missing out

good voice, I liked Four Women, but there are just too many soulful piano-and-vocal songs about being tragically in love for my taste here

no doubt a good album, but just not for me. songs all sounded the same. instrumentation and support was rather flat as well.

I can understand its significance but it's not for me

While I thought this album was good musically, I have little to no desire to listen to it again. 3/5.

Nina Simone says the name of a fruit, I fall to my knees

Man this album is heavy. Nina was a singular talent.

Funny that just yesterday I was reading a thread on Reddit about Nina and then today here we are.

An incomparable voice seamlessly traveling across genres with top notch arrangements...yes please

Listened with James on road trip

She can sing any genre and the boldness of her lyrics, especially 4 women was striking.

I've never heard this album before or Simone's versions of "Lilac Wine" or "Wild is the Wind," but I found this album beautiful and wonderfully written. I don't even love Simone's voice, but it is used so well and works to such great effect with these compositions.

a set of tracks performed by notable singer and pianist nina simone. a lot of the music on this record were actually past projects, just compiled into this release. this album represents a high point in nina's career, some of her biggest ever hit records were recorded and released through the philips record label, and this period is also when she started to get a bit more conscious with what she sung about. there's quite a bit of material to unpack today when it comes to what's written and the kind of sounds that are heard. wow. she's got quite the voice... much lower and huskier than other female vocalists. there's a certain level of hurt, a certain level of emotion she has when she sings, i feel it deep within me with a lot of tracks. this music is very sophisticated, the vocal and instrumental arrangements compliment each other in a way that i love... having a bit of a rough evening, turning this on, it didn't exactly cure my feelings but it made dealing with my emotions a lot more tolerable. it's dramatic, it's elegant, it's a little brooding when it wants to be... i thought it was wonderful, frankly.

No me quiero volver a torturar de esa forma. La verdad es que es un buen album diria yo, pero simplemente no es mi estilo para nada. La voz la aborrezco siento que no tiene un tono para mi gusto, el instrumental bueno pero se me hizo eterno a pesar de durar 39 minutos. Diria que bueno, no se si es el jazz bueno u otro tipo pero no me sono tanto a jazz. En conclusion buen album si quitas la voz, no hubo una cancion que minimamente me hiciera ignorar la voz. Solo por la voz de Nina, le doy un 4. Insoportable voz

5/9

I was not familiar with the songs on this album but I have heard of this artist before

Not my favourite genre, but genuinely fascinating album and clearly historically interesting. Will be well worth repeat listens

Very nice music, but not particularly memorable. Not really my style.

Amazing voice. Not my jam.

A true masterclass of instrumentation and vocal performance. Nina Simone is at what seems to be at her strongest giving such powerful and varied performances. Some songs to me feel a little bit stuck in the past and are small blemishes to a very beautiful album. Fav tracks: four woman, what more can I say, lilac wine, wild is the wind, and black is the color of my true loves hair

I really enjoyed this one.

Uredu, res ma dober glas ampak se mal zacne ponavljat, malce pateticno izpade cez cas idk Tko zelo intenzivno pri dolocenih pesmih

genial !

Loved it! What a great voice!

Her is soo good its so majestic yet it feels so warm the lyrics are romantic as well as dark and real became one of my fav

Beginning - Perfect for a blues album, 50s vibes with 60s quality A bit slow in places Best/Middle-Impactful but slow, great but not my style Ending - Similar to the rest of the album, great but too slow 6.5/10

Im not black I’m…! «okey» That’s all I ask var nice Why keep on breaking my heart au Mye soul, noe sjuk vibrato, slalom mellom rolig og litt mer drama/fart. Likte avslutningssangen, either way I lose. Men overall litt kjedelig.

Not really for me, but this was incredibly relaxing and very heavenly!

Прикольний соул альбом. Не знаю, що ще написати. Оцінка: висока 6/низька7

Album #163: Nina Simone – Wild Is the Wind ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I had to listen to this one twice and really give myself over to it a bit. I was rushing around the house doing jobs the first time, but I felt like there was more there, so I came back to it and let it grow on me. I’m glad I did. I like Nina Simone, but I don’t know her discography all that well. I know and love Pastel Blues and I I hope it’s on this list because I actually think it might be a slightly better album than this one. I have a strange kind of cognitive dissonance with Nina Simone. I probably know more about her persona than I do about her music. She strikes me as such a fearsome woman. No-nonsense, uncompromising, almost quite intimidating. So when I hear her singing these incredibly tender love songs about being completely head over heels, I almost don’t believe her. That probably sounds insulting to her and her fans, and I don’t mean it to be, but that’s just the feeling I’ve always had. But I gave myself over to this album and, honestly, I can’t think of a song I don’t like on it. I think it’s really great. There’s a lot of variety, and I think the mournful songs are where she really shines. She always seems to come up with one song that just leaves you completely gobsmacked. For this album that’s Black Is the Color of My True Love’s Hair is absolutely spectacular. And then there’s Wild Is the Wind, which I always thought was a David Bowie song until I realised he was covering Nina Simone’s version on Station to Station. She arguably does it even better. So yeah, I really think this is a great album. I don’t seek out Nina Simone’s music as often as I probably should, but whenever she comes on, I nearly always enjoy it.

so lovely

I understand that this is the only Nina album on this list. Sure, I mean, there’s only one album by Captain Beefheart, Frank Zappa and the insanely overrated Metallica, so — (checks earpiece) Jesus Christ. You make no sense. Anyway, Nina is a goddess and I can listen to her one-of-a-kind voice all day. So if we’re only getting one, I’ll replay it over and over. Sucks to be you, Beefheart.

waarom zoveel 60s/70s rock en zo weinig dit soort muziek in deze lijst!!!!!!

Haunting voice. Beautiful.

Usual sometimes maybe good quote

Gotta love a bitta Nina, Black is the Colour was a nice surprise (3.5)

Listening to the rain outside with this on was Heavenly

I normally don't enjoy this type of music, but her voice is really something else.

Schöner Jazz

Uh yeah she can sing

Not for me

not my type of music

Beautiful voice, this album sounds amazing. Very introspective and immersive.

Црна жена пева, слушај и учи.

JL : 4, Four Women A : 4, That's All I Ask

Arguably better than most but not enough to be one of the greatest.

Probably culturally important, and she has a beautiful haunting tone. But couldn’t really get into it

All the songs sounded the same to me tbh, but great vocals.

In a very rock-centric, not to mention male centric, list of albums, it was nice to hear something different. I saved the song Four Women to a playlist.

Just a little boring musically and lyrically.

Heard of Nina Simone, but don’t think I’ve ever listened to her. Something different today again. The opening song is more of a blues r&b sound. Fun. Follows up with some ballads. Her voice is distinctive and great. Four Women wow that is a hell of a song. Wonderful showcase of vocals and just a storytelling song. Some of the jazz ballads are more straightforward. Some soulful songs. All dominated by her voice. All very solid. Really enjoying a few of these songs. Enjoyed Break Down and Let it All Out. It does feel to lose the variety toward the later half of the album, as it settles into more jazz tunes. I will say this is a 3.

Can't think of much to say, she has a great voice but everything else feels a bit dated.

Amazing album, easy listening, sometimes a little bit sad songs, but incredible harmony and Nina voice, she was definetely an icon!

This is a really good album from front to back. I’m not super familiar with Nina Simone’s full discography, but I’ve known about her for a good 25 years now. I originally discovered her through those Verve remix albums where modern electronic and hip hop producers reworked classic jazz tracks. One of my favorites was the remix of “Black Is the Color of My True Love’s Hair,” and that was the track that made me seek out the original version. After that, I started picking up Nina Simone records whenever I found them at thrift stores.Listening to this album now takes me straight back to that period of my life. There’s something nostalgic about revisiting her music, because this was around the time when I started stepping out of my comfort zone. Instead of only chasing cool modern music, I began researching backwards and diving into genres my parents never listened to. In a lot of ways, Nina Simone was one of the handful of artists who helped put me on my long term musical journey, to try and understand music more deeply and hear as much of it as I possibly can.

I would have picked other albums by this dynamic artist

Bastante flojo

Não curti muito, não é muito minha vibe...

This album made me feel like I had on ysl babycat cologne in the streets of New York at 4 in the morning smoking a cigarette walking down the street like it was the year 1977

Blusey/souly/jazzy, tankeväckande, kraftfull. Historier, kärlek, poesi. Konstig på sina ställen men på ett bra sätt, gör det intressant.

A musician with an incredibly distinctive voice, style, and mood whose works I haven't dug into nearly as much as I should have by this point. The majority of tracks on here have a particular kind of slow, roiling, uneasy quality that seems like her preferred mode; I think it's the kind of thing where I have to be in the right mood to fully meet her where she's at. Autumnal music.

Epic

Sorry man I appreciate that there are talented people behind this album but I just do not care for vocal jazz stuff like this at all.

I'm almost certainly the first person in history to say it but Nina Simone's voice is weird as fuck. Difficult to label, but unique and potent. The collection of songs are filled with sadness, desperation, and defiance, and most pleasing of all is that they are mostly free from the hollow trappings of Jazz.

i thought it was nice

album #108 nina simone has a beautiful voice and the instrumentation in this is lovely. it's not my thing though. ꩜ average track rating: 2.3/5 ꩜ favourite track(s): i love your lovin' ways ꩜ least favourite track(s): what more can i say ꩜ album rating: ★★⯪☆☆ ꩜ number of albums left to review: 981 ꩜ number of albums from the list that i agree with being on the list: 51 ꩜ albums from the list that I would consider on my list: 22 ꩜ albums from the list I won't include on my list: 86

Nina is a gorgeous and strong woman with majestic voice

One of the greatest voices ever. Not my absolute favorite project from her, but a classic nonetheless

I like Four Women. It's the song that grabs me the most. Some of the others are softer and background-y. Lilac Wine and I Love Your Lovin' Ways also are strong, if not quite the punch of Four Women. Black Is the Color... is famous but this might be the first time I've thoroughly listened to it. I really like how Either Way I Lose starts, even though sometimes I don't like those clever affect-y touches. This is all such a good mix.

one of the most beautiful album ever created. nina simone’s voice gives me chills like no one else. straight to the favs

Love Your Lovin' Ways- 7/10 Father's love most likely, kinda upbeat but still very slow Four Women- 6/10 Peak storytelling, slow music but it works deep asf What more can I say-6.5/10 Short asf kinda song, yearning for father's love, mid, music is peak towards the end FINAL RATING- 3/5 Lilac Wine- 6/10 Confusing in the start cant figure out shi, music is mellow. ts prolly another yearning typ shi song Thats all i ask- 5/10 Another yearning song, very similiar to the previous ones but its soothing Break down and let it all out- 8/10 Upbeat, surprisingly sad of a meaning, snese of nostalgia. The end has faster lines satisfying to hear. Why keep on breaking my heart- 6.5/10 Yearning AGAIN. Its faster tho but short asf again, the solo until 1:50 is nice tho Wild is the wind- 5/10 yearning... its long asf and kinda boring Black is the color..... - 4.5/10 Praising her "daddy" its mid asf If I should lose you- 6/10 Poetry at its peak, music is fine but peaks towards the end and sounds like heaven Either Way I lose- 6/10 Music sounds much more profound, nice paradoxical end to the album FINAL RATING- 3/5

Nina Simone with the legendary voice and the strong messaging. Only place this album slips a bit is that it sometimes feels like a collection of songs rather than a cohesive album. Not atypical for the era but it does make listening a bit less enjoyable.

She is perfection.

3.5/5 well yes...

Sad, but beautiful

I saw jazz as the primary genre of this record, and at first, as usual, I was shocked — again, those complex musical passages weighing on my mind... But it turned out not to be so bad, in fact, it was actually quite good, since if there is jazz here, it's primarily vocal, performed by Nina Simone's deep, sometimes not always perfect, but always piercing voice. Some of the songs here are upbeat, even danceable gospel, others are sad love ballads, and some seem to transport you to an old bar, where the night rain is washed by the streetlights outside the window. In short, regardless of genre, this is simply beautiful music!

Better than I expected. Liked it a lot.

When I look at some of the albums I've had during this project and realise that there is one one Nina Simone album included I can't help but feel my blood pressure rise. To be honest, if I had to pick one Nina Simone album to be on this list it would be her first, Little Girl Blue. Or even better, I'd leave out a Morrissey album or two and have more by Nina. This one is rather uneven. Two of the tracks on it are just awe inspiring. Several are not far behind those. And one or two are, well, not up to that level. First of all, Four Women. It must have been like a slap in the face to a white audience in 1966 and still packs a punch. The song, and her performance of it, are astonishing. Wild is the Wind is the other jaw dropping number. Her singing is so bleak and the arrangement so spare that it's like no love song you've ever heard. Other songs, like Either Way I Lose, Black is the Colour of my True Love's Hair, or If I lose You are just about as good. Lilac Wine is a song I don't like much, but it's a lovely performance. What more can I say and Why Keep on Breaking my Heart have big band arrangements that sound dated, and don't show the vocals to their best advantage. And I Love Your Loving Ways and Break Down and Let it All Out stray almost into Aretha Franklin R&B territory, which I'm not sure really suits Nina Simone. But consistently, the rich treacle of her voice is everywhere. She does things with her voice that others just don't, or can't. It's an album of highs and lows - or perhaps Highs and slightly lower Highs. But the Highs are such Everests that you can't help but give it 5 stars. And wish there was another Nina Simone album on this list

Only half listened

I really like the instrumental tones of jazz and chill vibes. Love her voice since it's like she's having a intimate conversation. Most of the songs have the same vibe. She has a powerful, strong and impressive voice, lots of talent, the album is also short as the songs are up to 3mins max, and easy to finish (38min). Why Keep On Breaking My Heart, feels very warm and cosy giving that old classy vibe of Frank Sinatra for example. All the songs have their own individual emotional feels of tone and rhythm. Overall, amazing artist, hugely respected but probably wouldn't listen to non stop.

not a genre i typically listen to but her voice is beautiful and so is her lyricism. my favourite song is what more can i say?

Nina was such a great artist. It is a travesty that she was only chosen to have a mere album on this list as the cultural relevancy of her work. While I do think that 'Pastel Blues' is the superior album, her harrowing vocals express her full range of emotions throughout this beautiful collection of songs that is fully representative of her range and prowess as a singer. 10/10 [KEEP]

Amazing album! I wasn't ready for the gut punch that was "Four Women", wow! That's the first Nina Simone album I listen front to back and it was very enjoyable and an emotional rollercoaster.

really good, most interesting album from the 60s that I've heard, definitely some context that I'm missing

Couple of good songs. Great voice. Don't feel strongly about this one.

Wild is the Wind is a really soulful album. I gravitated to the more uptempo swinging songs. The instruments are played wonderfully. It's a very good album, but I wouldn't call it high energy by any means. Standout tracks to me were "I Love Your Lovin' Ways" "Wild is the Wind" - the piano is phenominal - and "Either Way I Lose." I was a bit torn on this rating; some of the songs were excellent but I'm probably not going to go seeking this out again. It was a nice experience though. I think it's one of those rare cases where I should probably give it a 4 for the lyrics, emotion, and that insanely well done piano, but if I'm honest, its a strong 3 for me. I could listen to that all day, though, but the album as a whole isn't really my thing.

🎹✨🌹👑🎤

The instrumentation is not groundbreaking, but Simone's expressive, multifaceted vocals carry the day. The title track is haunting; minor key, warbling voice, some of the more dazzling piano. It's special and is now added to my essentials playlist.

Some songs were poignant and heartfelt. Others sounded background music at a candle store. Altogether it was a solid album. 4 stars

a beautiful deep, rich voice but it was just a bit boring for me 2.5

That voice is just wow 🤩 Epic emotional experience

I know of Nina through a few tracks we have on one of those supermarket special themed CDs and the odd feature in television adverts. I am aware of her impact and her distinctive voice. -------- The first track kinda passed me by, but then [Four Women] came on. Wow. Moody, atmospheric social commentary, that builds to a passionate crescendo. It tells a story of a people; a narrative that I imagine at the time wasn't being spoken of. Nina's vocal delivery builds in intensity with the music fantastically. A powerful song indeed. This is her own song, and you can tell. This is in stark contrast to several tracks that just feel like filler. Going from acute social commentary to a song like I love your loving ways is jarring. This makes sense as it is a leftovers album - but doesn't make it a coherent listen. For the most part it is that slow piano powered jazz/soul that fades into the background for me. Nina's got pipes no doubt, but I prefer her more high energy tracks I've heard. 2*

I only really know Nina from her bigger hits that seemed to resurface arounf the 90s in various guises... My Baby Just Cares for Me, I Put a Spell on You, Feeling Good etc and have never explored beyond that. .... I really should have done, cos this is compelling stuff, her voice, incredible, her performance, captivating and she's completely uncomprimsing lyriclly, especially for the time! Only other thing to note is that I knew Lilac Wine from the Jeff Buckley cover on Grace.

It’s Nina. She gets 4 stars no matter what.

3.5

she can't do any wrong to me

those cut deeply

Beautiful record. Haunting, soothing and mysterious. Nina's voice and songwriting is unlike any other. It's such a beautiful composition and demonstration of really powerful and soulful music. Great record.

Amazing voice of course, felt a little one note for me, lilac wine is a really great song. Just learned that this album is made up of different songs throughout her career, makes sense why it felt all the same-ish.

Debe haber pocas voces más bellas que la de Nina Simone. Tan calmo y romántico, este álbum te entretiene cada segundo y te dan ganas de escucharlo nuevamente.

She has such a deep soulful voice. technically perfect, but when she wants to she ignores all rules and breaks it apart for the sake of the phrase's grit and power. Also has one of the most spectacular piano performances I've had the chance to hear recorded. Her dynamics are cinematic and her hands seem to hover, almost fly, above the keys spreading glitter and shadows all over the pieces she wrote herself. The greatest example of this is Wild is the Wind. It's clear why she's considered one of the greatest songwriters and performers of her generation. One of a kind. Not important at all, but I find that the tape hiss gives it a special kind of warmth. Product of its time, not sure if intentional, but still I appreciate it.

I know I am not the only one to have issues with the fact that this is the ONLY Nina Simone album on the list while we have six (!) Elvis Costello albums and five (!) Byrd albums, for example. I also don’t think I am the only one to point out that this IS NOT her best work. It really isn’t. It’s uneven. It feels all over the place. And it really doesn’t show off her amazing talent as a pianist. I want to give it a 5 because it’s her only representation, but… yeah, not today. 4 Boolean: True

Great raw old timey speakeasy blues vibes you can feel. Personally not a fan of the vibrato style and never have been, but I understand it as a product of the vulnerability. And since If I Should Lose You made me cry I clearly don't hate it as much as I claim. The Story of O.J. - Jay Z Given Up On Me - The Weeknd

I love her voice, but this didn't do much for me.

Absolutely not my cup of tea. I just cannot listen to that kind if bluesy, old-timey, schmaltzy Jazz. And I don't vibe with her voice.

Not as good as I thought it would be.

This is an album exists to make you feel, some of those feelings will be sweet and warm, others not so much. Four Women is a deeply uncomfortable song that explores trauma and race through snapshots of the lives of four black women. Lilac Wine is beautiful and is far more eerie than any love or heartbreak song has any business being. Despite revisiting the same themes repeatedly, it isn't a repetitive album and it shows real range and depth. Top tracks: Four Women, Lilac Wine Bottom tracks: Break Down and Let It All Out

la voz es un 10. la composición un 100

1. I Love Your Lovin' Ways - great starter:)) I liked it. 2. Four Women - really dark and emotional lyrics, but didn't quite do it for me. 3. What More Can I say - okay. underwhelmed 4. Lilac Wine - okay 5. That's All I Ask - meh 6. Break Down And Let It All Out - groovy! I like it, a breath of fresh air. 7. Why Keep On Breaking My Heart - groovy again, I enjoyed it. 8. Wild Is The Wind - really dragged on, I didn't enjoy any of these 6 looong minutes. 9. Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair - eh. I really wanted to like it. 10. If I Should Lose You - skiiiip. I can't, I'm over it:)) 11. Either Way I Lose - A nice ending. Didn't love nor hate it. Conclusions: I just think this isn't for me. Her voice isn't to my liking (although I did really try to adjust to it), and I felt like the album dragged and dragged on with a few exceptions (the opening and ending tracks and the middle two), which feel like a breath of fresh air. Honestly just waited for it to end, bored me. Maybe 60's just isn't my era?

My name is.....PEACHES!

la más grande

Wow! I don’t know that I’ve ever listened to a Nina Simone song all the way through, let alone an album. What authority! Not a voice you would call beautiful, but holy smokes she nailed the emotion!

Una obra maestra incontestable de la música vocal y el vocal jazz que ha envejecido bien como un monumento de emoción desnuda. En el plano de diseño formal, la producción demuestra una contención sabia: la música no necesita arreglos más complejos, pues el ensamble acústico de piano, bajo y percusiones discretas configura un entretejido austero que le da una claridad sónica impecable a cada matiz interpretativo. El pilar del álbum es la voz de Nina Simone, cuya entrega desborda una fuerza y calidez que transmiten autenticidad pura, otorgándole una autoridad superior para transitar desde la vulnerabilidad del amor hasta el dolor histórico. La belleza devocional de la hermosa canción de amor "What More Can I Say" y la fuerza de la pieza homónima "Wild Is the Wind" conviven con la devastadora "Four Women", una composición de un impacto tan estremecedor que eriza la piel. Este contraste convierte al disco en un potente llamado a la conciencia sobre la identidad, el trauma y la entrega afectiva, entregando un documento profundamente conmovedor, crudo y real. Un trabajo cuya serenidad nocturna y constante sensación de paz y fluidez lo vuelven un camaleón idóneo para múltiples usos, siendo un acompañante extraordinario para potenciar el trabajo creativo o sumergirse en una densa reflexión solitaria.

Прилегающий к телу красный шелк. Кажется, что прилично пьян во время прослушивания. Такая довольно точное описание растянутости голоса. Вокал конечно несравненный и очень затягивающий. Здесь абсолютно все на своих местах и как должно быть и для жанра и впринципе для альбома. Музыкальное сопровождение в особенно духовые и ударные просто изумительные. Оценка с учётом теплого отношения к жанру а точнее смеси джаза блюза и соула, оценка 7,5/10

I have a soft spot for soul. A bit repetitive but it's still nice to listen to

One of the best voices ever. It is sad there is only one of her albums on this list. 8/10 Top song I love your lovin ways

What a voice, a classic.

It's good, but I'm trying to get fired up on a Friday morning. Come on!

She has a very nice melancholic voice

Liked this, but didn’t love it.

5/5 Transcendent. I had never listened to Nina before today and was very moved by this album. Especially loved her rendition of Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair.

loved her voice, but the music is not my style. the album title song was absolutely beautiful

Beautiful album. The writing on "Four Women" is marvelous and Nina makes it hit so hard. So much emotion packed in that voice and when she soars you soar with her

Nina Simone fucks. Powerful album. Great music

Released in 1966 very impressive. Jazzy. Soul. Good vocal performance overall. They tried shallow and quick vibrato - a very bold decision but didn’t always blend in their music nicely. Can’t be too picky about production, this was the 60s but I’d really like it to sound more polished.

soooo beautiful. never got around to a ton of Nina Simone when i was listening to a lot of jazz in my younger years, but this is fantastic. she is truly truly wonderful to listen to. honestly between a 4 and 5 on this one. but, ill give it a four as i think the back end of the album slows down a bit too much for my taste

A wonderful album for easy listening. Nina Simone is a legend from right down the road of my hometown, so I’m more than happy to see her make the list.

I wanted to like this album more than I did. Nina Simone has an amazing voice and her piano is beautiful. The lyrics are meaningful, but the song's feel all over the place. You can kinda tell this is a collection of leftover songs. Yesterday I was leaning towards a 4, but today I'm leaning towards a 3. I think I'm going with a 3 because I do forget most of the songs already. I should really give this a relisten.

she can do no wrong in my eyes. i would listen to her sing my grocery list

68/100

9 / 10

Nina Simone can sing anything but the song slection here is not the best. "Four Women" is a standout, though.

i mean its nina simone of course im gonna like it, soul and jazz are the best genres that exist

Very good

Classic, jazzy, heartfelt blues from a landmark artist. Quintessential ‘60s.

Perfection. It is amazing how she adopts a unique voice and character for each of the songs. I added “Black Is the Color of My True Love’s Hair” to my playlist.

Wow. Hung on every word. Can hear this echo in who she's influenced through the years. Yes!

Great listen, but lacks my favorite Nina Simone tune - Feeling Good

Great singing!! Just don't think I'd listen to this much...

Nina was on such a tear in the 60s. Jazz, blues, folk, theatre: she crushes these songs - love her work on the piano, and her interpretation and voice are subtle, emotive, rich.

“Four Women” is a novel and an opera. The album as a whole is strong and tender, and Simone is superhuman in the different personae and cadences she can adopt.

#6. It’s great. I’ve listened to some other Nina Simone albums that I loved before and this was no exception. Four women literally gave me chills.

Goddamn son that is an album I don't wanna listen to ever again until it's the last one I ever listen to.

Nina Simone is incredible even if this doesn’t show of all of her best songs

Extremely enjoyable soulful listen

Pretty nice but not my favourite of her contemporaries. You know what to expect.

Nina Simone's voice has some ridiculous power to it that has never been replicated. Not my personal genre of choice but I'll never downplay her greatness, I can completely see why so many people connect with her.

Her vocals and delivery are hard to ignore.

Amazing vocals and a sultry album that just speaks to the soul

I love her voice. This isn't my favorite Nina Simone album, but it was a solid one. It would have been cool to see her perform live.

Start off energetic, then the next song is slow and gentle, a soothing sound but with lyricists that are not sugar-coating the pain. This continues into the rest of the album. stars 4/5 Would I listen once again? No, just because my taste are different, but all the songs are convaying something powerfull.

- minimalitisch (häufig nur vocals und klavier) und leicht verdaulich - tracks meist sanft aber trotzdem dynamisch aufgebaut - viele baladen und jazz elemente - geisteskranke vocals - gutes storytelling - vocals fühlen sich sehr bluesig an

The songs resonated with me, specially the songs about broken hearts And also the loving songs

The whole time I was listening to this album I was thinking I have never heard a voice like this before. It was hauntingly beautiful, I will say though I listened to her other albums and I liked them quite a lot. I just didnt like this one as much

magnificent

#181/1001 🇺🇸 Just breathtaking. A stunning collection of songs from one of the greatest artists ever. There is simply nobody who can conjure up such emotion in their vocals. Best tracks: Four Women, Lilac Wine, Wild Is The Wind, Black Is The Colour Of My True Loves Hair, Break Down And Let It All Out.

The intersection where jazz lounge singer meets Motown and Stax. Her voice is great and most of the songs are of a high quality, it doesn’t have a Sinnerman on there but there are quite a few tunes that seem instantly familiar. 3.8

A really nice listen. What a voice. Beautiful, understated delivery. Not my usual genre but I will definitely listen to this again.

Nina Simone is a true legend and I love that she was overtly political and wasn't afraid to sing her truth. Four Women gave me goosebumps. A powerful and beautiful album.

Ekki plata fyrir mig

Wild is the wind is a good title!

This is was a good album. It was cool to hear samples I recognized and you can tell she had a very big impact on the music world. The only thing I didn’t like is that some of the tracks were very dry and uninteresting. My favorite songs were the ones that had vibrant piano and passionate vocals. She also sounds like a guy sometimes not gonna lie.

Amazing album, not much used to listen to blues and jazz inspired music, and Nina Simone's Wild Is The Wind really surprised me in a very positive way. Her voice is so powerful and so sweet, depending on what she is trying to acheiev on each track, and she does it masterfully, with an extremely unique timber but very diverse in her vocal aproach. Plus, the instrumentals are always beautiful, complex and full of life, from the tracks that feature only Nina Simone's voice and piano, like the title track Wild Is The Wind and If I Should Lose You, to the band-featuring songs like I Love Your Lovin' Ways, That's All I Ask and Why Keep On Breaking My Heart. At the end of the day it's a rich, diverse and just extremely beautiful art piece.

Never listened to much of Nina Simone's music. Pretty good album.

Guy needs to stop vibrating voice 2.5 out of 5 not my style

Nina is undeniable, but a full album is a little too much for me all at once. Its not easy listening, nor is it trying to be!

Amazing voice but this was just a nice album

That’s a bunch of powerful songs packed into 40 minutes wow

Lilac Wine

Well, what a breath of fresh air after the horrors of the Bee Gees! Nina Simone is smoky as ever - I just love her so much. This album is sprawling with twinkling piano, blues guitar, soulful upright bass, and what could only be described as pure poetry. "Four Women" is easily one of the most bone-chilling songs ever written, and it's so simple yet so sobering, telling the story of four archetypal figures of African-American women in society, ending with the riotous and declarative exultation: "I am Peaches!" I love this album, I love Nina Simone, I love days where I get to give 5 stars to an album without second thought.

A very solid easy listen with some really great songs.

I like it much more than I thought I would. 4

I respect her and her delivery. So full of emotion. Maybe a little dark. I’ll listen again when I’m not so happy.

It was good, but not as great as I hoped.

Beautiful and melancholy. Songs that speak volumes even when there's little sung.

Not my vibe, but still a very beautifully composed album. I love the twinkling of the higher keys with the thumping bass of the lower keys alongside Nina’s iconic deep voice.

Great vocals, instrumental was incredible as well. Jazz isnt normally my Jam, but I still heabily enjoyed it

Top

3.5 - good album. Started off great then kinda wore out

4/5

I Love Your Lovin' Ways - 3.5/5 Four Women - 4.5/5 What More Can I Say - 4/5 Lilac Wine - 4/5 That's All I Ask - 4/5 Break Down and Let It All Out - 4/5 Why Keep On Breaking My Heart - 3.5/5 Wild is the Wind - 4/5 Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair - 4/5 If I Should Lose You - 3.5/5 Either Way I Lose - 3.5/5 Nina Simone sits you down and makes you listen to the struggles of black women in the 60s, and you will end up enjoying the intimate performance. Four Women is the standout track of both this album's theme and from the album in general, though the rest of the album is soulful thanks to Simone's powerful voice. While cabaret-style musical isn't usually for me, she makes me stick around for the more middle-of-the-road songs enough for me to enjoy the whole piece. Overall: 4/5 Favorites: Four Women

Even a slightly lower tier Nina Simone album is some of the best music ever recorded.

just top to bottom earthshaking! It's Nina Simone!

THIS SHIT IS SO FUCKING SILKY SPIDERS DREAM OF MAKING THEIR WEB FROM NINA SIMONE'S VOICE

a singular voice, to be sure. kind of all over the board, but i like it. and it makes sense having read that it is comprised out "scraps" of other sessions. i have seen the "what happened, miss simone?" doc, and have heard her songs throughout the years, but this the first full album.

new taste but it was a good one just not used to it😊

Not my cup of tea but can see the appeal

That's All I Ask. WOW!

2 out of 5. No hate just not for me.

Its alright. Hard to rate such an important artist when the music doesnt touch you that much Another iconic sample spotted tho!

Not a fan of this one. Pretty mediocre song selection, loosey-goosey tuning and intonation, anal-retentive vibrato, underwhelming delivery. Don't know what the authors were going for here, so let's take a little detour into the book -- their argument hinges on the adjective "convincing" to nominate this album. I find the performance and material too languid to warrant acclaim. Yet another tally against professional music critique.

started off interesting, then it got lame

I like this. There is something off putting about her singing voice, not necessarily bad but not good either. I think it's because it's a deeper feminine voice than I am used to hearing. She has control over her voice, for sure. Four Women is a great song & that's the one song she wrote. 3

Nina's powerful vocals are a perfect match for the messages in these songs. 3.5/5

Listened to this album on a very hot June evening—it’s absolutely beautiful.

Great for the summer day at home

Nina Simone is a versatile powerhouse here, breezing through jazz, pop, blues, R&B, and whatever else she feels like conquering at the moment. Her voice is both powerful and soothing, packing so much emotion into every song that you can feel the heartbreak, sorrow, joy, and every complicated feeling in between. And of course, her piano playing is fantastic too. The title track is the clear standout for me: a hypnotic ballad where the piano feels like it is slowly building into its own little windstorm. Love it. Yes, since these tracks come from different recording sessions, the album can feel a little disjointed at times, but that is a small thing to look past when the performances are this strong. If anything, it just proves how easily Nina could move between styles and still sound like a legend. Total score is a 4.5 rounded up to a 5!

Mi favorita fue Why keep on breaking my heart. Amo un poco su voz. Tal vez lo escucharía de vez en cuando

Það er bara alltaf töff að hlusta á Nínu

Favorite Track: Lilac Wine

Ah ! Le sample de jay z ! L’influence de mitsky sur that’q all I ask Je suis étonné que l’album ne se termine pas sur « Wild is the wind » qui serait une chanson de conclusion parfaite

What a gorgeous record. This album is so warm and combines so brilliantly different sounds and elements that really is outstanding. It is very varied and yet cohesive, so wonderfully sung and performed. I've loved it so so much. Nina Simone really is a fantastic singer, and this album is such a sweet and lovely record to listen to.

Pretty cool. Very nice voice.

Great first song, blues, fun and easy to listen to Second song, messagy, not something I'd want to listen to more than once Third song, sweet, smooth Lots to enjoy on this album. Some of it seems driven by making cultural statements while other songs feel more driven by the music.

Timeless authority.

Just because your work comes from a place of pain, longing, and frustration, doesn’t mean that it’s good. I wish I liked this but unfortunately Nina doesn’t stand up to Aretha, Ella, or Billie.

5/10

Soothing

3 stars

I love her voice and the use of dynamics on this record

What a voice. Soulful beauty.

What a singer