Wild Is The Wind

Too sad

Man, this is awesome. She has such a beautiful, effortless voice she has. Not overcomplicated bullshit, just soul and a message to share with the world. The piano and drums also hit different fasho fasho. Kinda therapeutic. "That's All I Ask" sent me into a pschodelic trip, no need for substances. Unbelivable. I feel like if I understood the historial context of the songs, it would be even more enjoyable. I don't usually hear female Soul/R&B singers, this just opened my eyes to it. Damn, it's really hard to decide between 4 and 5 stars. Probably another 4.5

Really nice album. No bad songs. Nina Simone is an icon guys come on.

This is a difficult one to rate for me. Very big cultural impact, great voice, but I won't put the album on again very soon.

It's Nina Simone. She could pour more emotion and feeling into song than almost anyone I can think of

精彩的专辑，行云流水精彩纷呈。歌词也非常值得称赞

The mix of different genres in this album was truly incredible, and shows the talent of Nina Simone to be able to write songs in so many different genres. However, I would argue that this comes at a trade-off, because the more genres in an album, the less likely it is to be perfect. I loved many songs on this album, but also don’t really care for the rest. For that reason, I can’t give it a perfect score. Still an amazing album, though.

Nina Simone has the ability to drive me to tears, but in the most elegant way with her classical/jazz piano and a voice that really has raw emotion, whether that is righteous anger, yearning, or a deep sadness. The fact that many of these songs survive throughout the decades, like "Lilac Wine" in Jeff Buckley's album, or "Wild is the Wind" in David Bowie, or "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair" as a track that I go to when I feel down makes this album a cultural touchstone.

I've somehow never listened to this album, and what an incredible journey. On a tangential note, we've stumbled upon another 2 hip hop features - Four Women is sampled on The Story of O.J, and Wild Is the Wind is sampled on Logic's The Return. I'm sure Kanye sampled something off this album but I didn't catch it. Anyway, while I couldn't get past the rather unique vocals by Nina Simone on the last album we were assigned by her, I felt they strongly complimented this album with it's softer jazz and coarser lyrics. At times, she leans into the oddities of her timbre, but I see that almost as an analogue production effect, similar to how Tom Waits really tones it up for certain songs.

This is really good. I wish I had more commentary, because it's so perfect. but I was trying to get more work done, so I didn't write as I was listening. Nina Simone is top tier, but this is no surprise. We knew this.

The live recordings are a miss for this album for me. Her studio recordings however are near perfect enough to cover for those two songs making this an easy five-star for me that I'd come back to listen to, even after this project.

yeah vibey

woah

Thoughts before listening: I am constantly told that I should listen to Nina Simone. She is one of the most heavily recommended artists of all time. That being said, I know very little of her music. It seems like highly orchestrated r&b and soul with lots of political and social commentary. Review: So this is soulful jazzy arrangements with Nina Simone's strong vocals leading the way. Its a powerful listen for sure, with "Four Women" and "Break Down and Let it All Out" being the standout tracks for me. Maybe a bit too many ballads for my personal taste, but thats certainly not an indictment of the album as a whole, just my preferences. 4-stars

Lovely blues.

yo dude this is sick. but why three albums by black artists in a row this isnt black history month /s 4/5

good

Incredible vocalist, as everyone knows. Skilled piano player and interesting songs.

Loved this. Don't know why I was surprised, but it took me back a bit. So brutal and stark, but also sexy and cool. Packed with classics as well? Full marks.

low 5

No me disgusto del todo, siento que Amy winehouse se inspiró mucho es esta artista. Me dio un poco de depresión hacia el final, pero en definitiva un disco lindo

Right at the start of my musical journey, a true masterpiece. Nina Simone was always an artist I should have known more about. This is powerful music with a political messagecand sadly, not much has changed: It's black, feminist, poetic, sublime. Particularly fascinating: ‘Lilac Wine’, 'Four Women', ‘Wild is the Wind’ and ‘Black Is the Colour of My True Love’s Hair’.

is notable that even when most of the songs are not written by her, her interpretation is outstanding and emotional. At the same time, some songs really worked for me, and others were forgettable . idk

Nina Simone is pure perfection, you feel every word she sings, and her piano playing is next to none. Truly one of the best performers of all time. She is woefully underrepresented in this list. I think she has better albums than this, but I just die for Nina singing any song really. Beautiful piece of music

A fine album and a nice listen at night. There are many Nina Simone albums to choose from for the book and this one seemed to get a lot of acclaim. Nonetheless, certain songs felt a little dragging and could have finished stronger.

What a voice. I'd heard the famous covers of Lilac Wine and the title track before this but Simone delivers both with wonderful gravitas that blew me away. The Simone penned Four Women is outstanding.

Love it for a cozy day, so relaxing and beautyful

Didn’t care for this at all

At first the variety of production styles, orchestral jazz, Motown R&B, operatic Broadway-like songs, and reinvented folk really put me off. But I listened through a couple more times and it really cohered around a fundamentally Nina Simone temperament. Still, it makes me want to go listen to one of her other recordings, because I just have a bias toward feeling like I'm in one room with one band (no matter how big) at a time when I sit down with an album. 4.5/5. Wouldn't dispute that it belongs on the list of 1001 (though I feel like if I listened through more of her catalogue I'd find a substitution or two).

Listened in the car. Was a bit disappointed to read that it was mostly unused recordings from previous sessions but this one really grew on me. Such powerful performances. Wish there was more of her on this list.

Nina Simone, 5 stars all the way

A great jazz and blues album, some amazing instrumentals and vocal work on display here for sure. My standout choices are what more can I say? Lilac wine, and that’s all I ask.

It's interesting to read on Wikipedia that this is actually a compilation of out-takes from previous albums. Considering that, this is a better album than one might expect.

top 3 - Four Women, Wild Is the Wind, Break Down and Let It All Out. Beautiful voice!! Worth revisiting and definitely belongs on this list.

Tiene 11 canciones, me gustaron solo: - what more can i say? - either way i lose El album es medio aburrido, triste, y monotono!

Okay

This album is incredibly powerful. It's so raw, emotional, and pure that it touches me every single time I listen to it; it’s one of my favorites!

My name is PEACHEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSS!!!!!!!! Also thought it was a dude singing the entire time.

I really did not enjoy this album. Her voice does not compliment the instrumentals at all.

I didn't find this offensive, but it also left almost zero impact on me, so it gets a meh

Nice jazzy and often dramatic music, with engaging piano, supports Simone's unimpressive and distracting vocals. Simone's voice is at times harsh and unpleasant when adjacent to the instruments in the band, but her songwriting and orchestration is impressive and keeps the music engaging. The subject matter of the album is noteworthy and Simone's passion is apparent.

She's amazing

I like Nina Simone and all, but this was just ok.

Awesome with non-stop highlights

Top Songs: I Love Your Lovin' Ways What More Can I Say Break Down and Let It All Out Black is the Color of my True Love's Hair

Nina Simone is one of the greatest to ever do it. A prodigiously talented singer, pianist and interpreter of other's music. She also had impeccable taste and an invigorating passion and politic. This album shows off her towering talents in a range of styles in the vocal jazz milieu, including hauntingly beautiful solo performances and swinging full band numbers. As with a lot of pre-late 60s albums it hangs together more as a collection of songs rather than a cohesive whole, but the songs are by and large magnificent, so it doesn't matter.

5 so far

Nice album!

Nina's great - good voice, good songs, etc. Good listen.

A beautiful set of performances. Funny that these were the leftovers from several previous recordings.

Det var virkelig smukt og dejligt.

I like Nina Simone. I don't know if I was in the right mood for this record, but it did sound great.

AHHHH AMAZING LIFE CHANGING FOUR WOMEN??? YES. I also LOVEDDD why keep on breaking my heart. Amazing

No skips. Best: liliac wine Worst: I love your loving ways

Judging it entirely by the cover alone, I thought I was going to love this record - it just looks like a classic. And it's good, in its way, I just thought it all sounded a bit cobbled together. None of the songs really stood out to me - they just kind of drifted by. Maybe I wasn't in the mood and I should come back to it.

Not sure what I was expecting, but perhpas something more pop and ppolished than this is, which turned out to be a good thing. Four Women was probably my favourite track. An album I think typicla of this list where I am glad I have listened to it, enjoyed it but in all honesty I probably won't listen to again.

No.

Worth revisiting but overall nice Jazz

I think that this would be a clear example of how music is a form of art. I have recently found a slight interest in Jazz music, having listened to it for the first time very recently, and this just solidifies my new love for it. Her vocals are beautifully crafted and flow very nicely with the music. The instrumentation is classically that of what you would usually find in Jazz, but it doesn't sound like 'any other' Jazz song that you would have on in the background. There are stories behind the songs, and Nina Simone tells them powerfully through the art of music. Favourites: I Love Your Lovin' Ways Four Women That's All I Ask

NINAAAAA

This was better than I expected, but a bit sombre in places. Ultimately not my thing. The title track was interesting, because I didn't realise that Bowie's version was a cover, so at least I've learnt something. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ ★★★☆☆ (5/10) Total reviewed : 265 Already owned : 61 Purchased : 15 To buy list : 1 Nope : 188

Damn. One brutally powerful song after another. Nina Simone fakes nothing.

Amazing

[Already rated. Original review:] Everything on this is fantastic. I love how the arrangements lay way back and just let her voice do all the work. It doesn't really feel like a coherent album because of the way it was cobbled together from old takes, but every song is perfect in its way.

Esta mujer es música de la grande, de la de recursos y originalidad. Este disco es una colección de joyas.

Icon. Queen. Love it but a little slow at times.

This is a soulful, jazzy, piano-driven album. Notable pieces for me included "Four Women" and "Lilac Wine". Though this album had its stellar moments (carried by the lyrics and Simone's powerful voice matched with more subdued instrumentals), this wasn't something I'd reach for again.

Досить гарна музика

DON'T GET ME WRONG i love Nina Simone! I just like her other iconic album better

This album was beautiful. Her voice is gorgeous and overall I really enjoyed it!

A great talent but somehow this gives me anxiety that I don't wish to examine further.

My Nina Simone knowledge is shamefully limited, so I was happy to be able to sit with a whole album of hers. The opening punch of "I Love Your Lovin' Ways," "Four Women," and "What More Can I Say?" is great, and "Wild is the Wind" is pretty epic. It gets a bit repetitive for me personally, but that's not a complaint. 3.5 stars, rounding up to 4 for an icon.

Might be better than Sings the Blues. Hard to tell, it’s real subtle and simmery.

I am not smart enough to know if this is good or bad. She seemed to be a good piano player.

Reminds me of some early Bond themes. Great piano. For 1966, black female artist, easy to hear why it was groundbreaking.

fuck i love jazz, this is so dreamy i can’t believe i haven’t listened to this before

beautiful album. as always with nina simone the first thing i notice is the incredible piano - not only the performance but also the choices she makes harmonically / in terms if composition. she has such good intuition & its clearly shaped by the amount of classical piano she studied - the chords on lilac wine & the end of wild is the wind sounded particularly rachmaninovian. obvs also love her beautiful distinctive voice & rly liked hearing the way she went theatrical & made vocal distinctions between the four characters in 'four women'

I loved the voice of Nina Simone. The biggest highlight was the cinematic ending to "What More Can I Say?"

Four women is incredible. The album is not what I expected but I didn’t have any clue how it would sound.

Very smooth and lovely to the ears. Nina Simone is beautiful to listen to. Lilac Wine is my favourite.

Loved it 👊

Ahead of its time

Hmm. I want to like it, but I just didn't. Too depressing?

This was interesting and kinda boring at the same time

I'm already a fan of Simone from her "Sings the Blues" album, and this one also wowed me. Gold standard of 60s blues/R&B, absolutely in love with her voice and the arrangements on each song. "Four Women", her only self-written song on the tracklisting, is a definite standout here. 9/10.

Very strong writing in Four Women and haunting melodies throughout. Her vocals are really unmatched.

9/10 My first time listening to a Nina Simone album, and I’m blown away. I’m really impressed by the range of her voice here. “Four Women” is such a powerful song, immediately made me stop everything and just listen when it started.

Good anos very timid instrumental, but beautiful and know the exactly moment to shine. For Nina, her voice fits really well with the instrumentation, and her lyrics are very strong and straightforward. A really good project overall

Great, soulful piano playing; however, I found her vocals (controversially) a bit lacking and hard on the ears in parts.

Haunting - it’s like Nina tore out her heart and handed it to you.

After several listens, there is an intensity here that I really appreciate. I actually didn't much like it on first listen, but that's because I didn't have the attention to give.

Nina Simone's voice IS the instrument. No one on the album outshines her. Timeless sound for sure and the way she talks about unrequited love be making ME mad lol. Highlights: Four Women, Lilac Wine, That's All I Ask

I have heard possibly the most powerful vocals ever in my life because of this album. This is a voice that could stop a hurricane or something! The lyrical contents are pretty conscious, which I do like. The instrumentation are pretty well done, especially Nina Simone's piano playing. Highlight Song/s: "I Love Your Lovin' Ways", "Four Women" and "That's All I Ask"

Classic and classy

(6/7) she got soul

No notes. What a beautiful record.

p98. 1966. 3 stars. One of THE great voices on top form. Let down by some suspect song choices and arrangements, but when this is good it's magnificent.

not my style :/ too slow

This is an exceptional album. Nina Simone's voice is absolutely magical. It's hard to describe, it must be felt.

1: Wild Is The Wind 2: Four Women 3: Either Way I Lose

très cool! 4+/5

Incredibile

Goosebumps, literally got goosebumps with most of the songs.

Not for me.

Powerful voice. This music will make you feel. It isn’t exactly a “fun” time, but a memorable one.

great album, amazing voice, really enjoyed a lot of these tracks

What a voice! Just that.

Beautiful voice, I enjoyed listening to this.

not really my taste

I keep forgetting to explore Nina Simone so this was a welcome listen. I only knew the title track via David Bowie (and it's one of my faves of his) so hearing Nina sing it was a treat. And then of course I had to discover that it was first recorded by Johnny Mathis. Anyway, this was a good one and I will revisit it.

Gran álbum clásico, muy interesante y recomendado si te gusta el soul

This was great. It sounded like wisdom bottled up. Great story telling. Really enjoyed 4 women. Just all round clever and sounds so fresh.

Enjoyed this, such an amazing voice. Pretty much all of the songs were new to me which I liked. I would listen again, glad it came up

First album and perfect for a lazy and wet Sunday morning. Beautiful story telling and composition

Álbum hermoso

Good album for its genre. Alas this is not a genre I care for.

My name is also Peaches

Virkelig godt album.

Nina Simone just has the way to make everything feel purposeful. Like preaching to the church, with a sound to match. Just this album wasn’t what I’m used to but still good.

3.5

Nina Simone's distinctive voice shines out. She could sing a shopping list and I'd still score her highly.

This was spectacular. I’m familiar with a few tracks from this, but even the ones I didn’t know, while perhaps not as iconic as tracks like Four Women, bring a level of variety and eclecticism that takes the album to another level entirely. I can’t believe some of these tracks are actually off-cuts from Simone’s previous albums.

Great

Not my cup of tea. Great voice, can’t deny that but did not enjoy

Liked this one. A nice listen. Probably won't come back to listen again often.

um

Legendary !!

Amazing

Funky jazz not bad

В целом это было очень приятно, в конце мне стало немного скучно. Пишут, что это не лучший ее альбом, в это верится.

What a voice. First real exposure to Nina Simone and it was incredible. Standouts: I Love Your Lovin Ways, Four Women, Break Down and Let It All Out

Thumbs up, 4 stars.

Was expecting a nice listen after the first song, but then it slowed down considerably, and I couldn't connect with most of the songs. Quite relaxing to listen to, but neither the genre nor her voice is for me, alas.

beautiful impactful melodies and voice

One of the most recognizable female voices of the modern era of popular music, Nina Simone was a legendary singer and civil rights activist as well. Her legacy cannot be denied. Each and every song here is great, some times painful, some times amorous. The standout song for me is Four Women, describing in first person four archetypes of black women. Their paths through life arduous in different ways, together they are aspects of every black woman. Truly eye opening and poignant. This album truly belongs on the list of albums everyone should listen to. 5 stars

An awesome voice and lyrics that made me feel things. I've definitely heard her name before but wasn't really sure what to expect.

really impressive! she nails the slow mournful misery sound, but the album spreads out a little from there. gives her room to really flex her vocal chops. just one or two more solid songs would bump up the score i think. favorite song is either Why Keep On Breaking My Heart or Either Way I Lose. really strong 3

Rating: 9/10 Beautiful music. Her gorgeous soulful voice is a beautiful instrument in and of itself, her piano playing is excellent, and she's got some good band instrumentation backing her. There's really no point where any of these songs are anything less than great, probably a high point of 60's recorded music. If I'm choosing a favorite song it's Four Women, that's pure poetry, reminds me a lot of Toni Morrison (or would more accurately be, she reminds me of Nina Simone). Really the whole thing does though.

Really nice, kind of a lot to casually put on and listen to, but great if you're sitting down and ready to give your full attention to an album 7.0/10

Loved this in a lot of ways, but I’ve gotta be in the right mood. Definitely of its time but the voice is just so special that it makes it worth coming back to

Non male, un po, slow

Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Great - I love the opener, it's energetic and grabs you. Then we get some beautiful songs. Four Women and particularly Lilac Wine are stunning. Things lose me in the middle just a tiny bit, I'm not keen on Why Keep On Breaking My Heart, but Wild Is The Wind gets things back on track. Either Way I Lose is a good closer.

This is just so beautiful that it makes me want to cry.

I just kept imagining how amazing it would have been to hear her sing live. It was a very slow, emotional album that I found it hard to relate to, but I have to appreciate the artistry. A voice like hers is rare. I loved this in concept but it felt a bit heavy for me.

Really enjoyed this one! I've been getting more into the soul genre recently, so this was a fun one to explore. It's crazy how powerful her voice is, I could listen to it all day!

I've heard Nina Simones popular songs as background noise but never considered listening to them by choice. Wild is the wind left an impression on me and found myself listening to the album many times on my commutes and sharing them with my wife.

Album 1 done on 2/27/26. I think by rating this 3 stars I set a good bar for what a 4 is, this was a good album that made me feel things but didn't blow me away from start to finish. Loved the vocal harmonies and storytelling throughout. I enjoyed opener Love Your Lovin Ways was because of the way the four women added to the shape of the melody, but the rest of the album was tonally very different. My favorite track was Lilac Wine, and the title track was also outstanding. The melancholy emotions in Nina's voice and tragic lyrics were inspired. My opinion is that the instrumentals were middling for what I thought they would be in this era of vocal jazz. Settles the work as 3 stars for me on first listen per my own tastes. I hope to get a instrumental jazz or psychedelic pop album next time I visit 1966.

9/10 gorgeous piano compliments deep powerful voice

3.5

Okay this one was pretty good. Had I not done my regular research beforehand I would have thought this album was performed by a man. A very unique voice that works well with this style of music. Like a lot pf the albums on this list, it’s not OVERLY exciting, but it gets the job done for what it is

STANDOUTS: What More Can I Say?, Lilac Wine, Wild Is the Wind Nina Simone is one of the greatest vocalists of the mid-1900s, only really being rivaled by Nat King Cole in my book. That being said, Wild Is the Wind is such a gorgeous album. It really makes you feel like you're sitting in a recliner by the fireplace, reminiscing over the life you've lived so far and yearning for the things you miss. In other words, this is a must-listen, regardless of if you're into vocal jazz or not. 9/10

3 ½

Sin palabras

richtig gut

sehr schön

Omg, just ger voice and the piano almost brought me to tears. This goes crazy!

Intense

Exceptional

I felt like I was floating in the sky and those intros changed my life but I also cant tell if they are a woman or an man

•Four Women •What more can I say •Lilac Wine(loved it from before, but more now) •That's all that I ask. Wow!! •Why Keep breaking my heart: What a way to transmit sadness with her voice changes •WILD IS THE WIND!!! •If I should lose you: With you beside me A rose would bloom in the snow I gave you, my love But I was living a dream And living would seem in vain If I lost you... Demasiado hermoso ( ytriste) Un album donde se va del produndo enamoramiento a la tristeza de la perdida y todo se puede sentir a traves de la magnifica voz de Miss Simone. Album perfecto

The voice! I knew none of these songs but was great to listen to. Should really explore more of Nina's back catalogue. It's not really my preferred listening genre but quality shines through.

The album namesake didn’t move my needle, super moody record

Simply stunning

Really beautiful. Break Down And Let It All Out hit my like a punch to the stomach.

Not for me.

What a surprise this collection of performances was! Terrific song choice and great arrangements.

Oh yeah. This is something. She's hitting that. I don't know that I've ever heard Nina Simone but I've definitely heard of her and she's definitely goated. Hello Aunt Sarah?? What are we doing?? Hmm I see this is a portrait of four women. I see. Oh Nina Simone. Nina cried power. Oh man. What more can you say. Not much evidently. She's lowk doing whatever but in an actual good way big fan. Fuck man that wind is wild. Hold shit. That wind is fucking insane. You think you're done the album and then here comes the scary beat bruh. No notes goated Favourite: Wild Is The Wind Least favourite: Break Down And Let It All Out

Powerful. Haunting. She could sing about a nickel and I’d hang on every word. She would never make it today.

A few ok songs. Not best of Nina.

Nice, but yeah at this point you havent recommended me something good so...

New to me, I enjoyed this.

Lovely stuff

New to me and I enjoyed this very much, especially “Either Way I Lose”, thank you for sharing RGP…Tom.

Great voice and character, great songs, great random choice for a Monday

This was initially a two star album, but for one song that has now sat with me for days. I felt the haunting, fragile, and defiant tones of Nina Simone’s voice singing Four Women in the core of my being.

Nina Simone just gets it man. She's got the voice, the attitude, and the musicality. The album jumps all over the place which is why I'm only giving it a four, but I will be listening to more of her albums.

She is amazing.

5/5 First album on my list, a classic. Nina is a powerhouse vocally and musically, and you can't discount the significance of her as an artist. I've never intentionally sat down to listen to Nina Simone's music before so I appreciated having an excuse to listen through this album. I've heard songs off this album before, but after listening through the whole thing, it's indisputable the impact her music has had on the direction of modern music and composition, even now 60-some-odd years later.

I liked the first half more than the second half of this album.

Hmm, crackly sound on song 7? Nina Simone's voice, beats on last song

Nina shows her excellence by nailing a wide variety of genres and emotions throughout this record. If that wasn't enough, there are things that only she could ever write and deliver, such as 'Four Women', an early moment in the tracklist that already made me want to give it 5 stars.

She sang lilac wine hell yeah

Nina cookin

Like some of her other songs and work better, but def enjoyed listening…

Przyjemne, spokojne piosenki, moją ulubioną jest "Four Women". Reszta się dla mnie nie wyróżnia. 2,5/5

Nina Simone’s voice is like a broken heart speaking - the way she teases out the pain from somewhere that is gut wrenchingly ephemeral and so deep. With every word your soul breaks, history is told and you understand something you can’t explain but is eternal.

I’ve not listened to a lot of Nina Simone so I wasn’t sure what to expect, this wasn’t really for me but I absolutely appreciate the talent

Nina is SO incredibly good! Powerful. Beautiful. ❤️

Wow, wow, wow!

2/5

Incomparable voice. Soulful to the max

Pretty boring honestly. I can return to some tracks but most stuff here is meh. 3/5

beautifully soulful

Seminal artist in all ways, every song bangs. 40ish minutes of beautiful performance that makes you either want to cry, dance or understand the story being told.

I quite like a bit of Nina Simone. This was fine. Didn’t find it revolutionary or extra special though.

There are Nina Simone albums I enjoy more but this was great

I know Nina Simone by name but didn't recognise anything here. I kinda liked it but I am certain this is something that needs more listens.

Not for me

Beautiful album. Other reviews have put it more eloquently. A real gem in this list genereator

I did not know, before I first heard this album, that this album was made with leftovers from previous recording sessions. Artists wish their leftovers sounded this good! The power in her voice is astounding and captivating. The variety in the songs is great and she executes them to perfection. Easy 5/5

Nina Simone is one of the greatest singers ever. An exemplary album featuring some of her best performances with a decent variety of genres she sings in. Rest in power

Didn't do much for me.

I love Nina's voice, but not the biggest fan of this album. Highlights: "Lilac Wine"

nice

epic

Wasn't my cup of tea

Nina Simone is always amazing, but this album is not really representative of their classic work. It comprises of great recordings but they are from several different sessions and not planned as a concise and individual album. But still, you would be wasting your time here. Her deep voice just melts like butter on top of those jazzy and blues piano chords.

Nina mola, pero este disco no me ha entusiasmado

This falls right in the middle for me. Wild Is The Wind is gorgeous, I Love Your Lovin' Ways and Break Down... are strong songs, but it's all quite downbeat and didn't affect me the way that it's clearly inspired other people. And that has made it maybe the most difficult album I've had to review so far - i just feel I should be getting more from this than I have done, so I can't give it more than a 3.

MY skin is kinda lumpy and green. I am VERY sick. My name? Bony Soprano, leader of the orange juice mafia. I probably should have SOME reverence for this. First, I will say, that Nina Simone's singing voice never really made sense to me. I just didn't think it's that uhh good. There is something vaguely sour about the notes. This is really highlighted on "Break Down and Let it All Out." However, the singing is actually fantastic in all it's shabby glory. This thing is RIFE with emotion. It's not the greatest record I've ever heard, but it was a pleasant surprise. I've got nothing else. I've fallen behind again and my brain is addled with the poisons of modern day. 3 HIGHLIGHTS: Four Women, Lilac Wine

The Story of O.J. sample ?! Given Up On Me sample ?!

9/10 Best songs: I Love Your Lovin' Ways, Four Women Now THIS is what I call an album. At times fun, affective, passionate, socially conscious - just good stuff. This isn't ordinarily my type of music but it's genuinely just good, from the very beginning.

Nina Simone wasn't ever afraid of confrontation. She was always pretty full on in her lyrics and delivery. Even in the softer songs, she throws it down and makes you face uncomfortable themes head on. This record isn't obviously loud in a protest-song way, but it is emotionally unflinching. Nina uses silence like a weapon. Whole seconds hang in the air suspended, and you're left wondering if she's about to whisper or snarl. And those dynamics work so well. Take "Lilac Wine". I first heard it through Jeff Buckley, and as a big Buckley fan, I absolutely love his version. But Nina's version of the song? It's devastating. It's on another level and absolutely haunting. She stretches words until they almost disappear, and leaves space between lines. Her voice and piano shift so smoothly from strong to fragile that you barely notice it happening. One second she's confident and clear, the next she sounds like she might crack. For a person who was so ferocious, it's a serious moment of vulnerability. "Wild Is the Wind" almost feels like being in a room with Nina. It's quiet yet loud, intimate yet strong, emotionally devastating yet uplifting and positive all at the same time. Vulnerable and always confrontational.

As much as I love Mississippi Goddam I disliked this album in its entirety.

Really great grooves and playing. Strong voice but there’s something about the tone that doesn’t quite work for me on some of the songs.

Nina Simone's voice and piano add strength to the content of her lyrics. Her song "Four Women" are still relevant in these times, especially given the right-wing blow back to any person of color assertion of their self identity.

Nina Simone is an entrancing vocalist whose mellifluousness belies an emotional depth and lyrical complexity that is easy to overlook or to mistake for simple performance.

4/5. Хорошенький)

Favourite Track: What More Can I Say? or Lilac Wine

Lilac Wine!!

Classic R&B easy listening.

nina i’m not nothing but when you lie on the piano i am reminded i am stupid

Easy listening - good record to have for a party

not what I typically listen to but very interesting.

It’s Nina Simone. Do I have to say anything else?

Nina Simone is one of the greatest vocalists of our time, and I've always admired her when I've heard individual songs. But I'll admit I was a little worried about how I'd respond to an entire record of this mid-60s material, largely voice and piano. But on hearing it: Wow her voice, and her sense of timing as she interprets these songs. "Four Women" stands out in this collection, an incredibly affecting song. 4 stars - the romantic songs aren't my favorite, but the rest was very powerful.

A voice to get lost in. Piano arrangements resonate in both senses of the word. Four Women is a highlight.

her voice is very unique, not sure if i’m a fan. she sounds a little bit like a man. i liked the song about the four women but i don’t know if jazz is my thing

One of the most beautiful and emotional albums I’ve ever heard She has such a distinctive singing voice and the instrumentation is grand

Started out with some good variety and compelling ideas, but got pretty one note as it went on. Nina is undoubtedly a force in the history of music, but we weren’t terribly impressed with this record.

Good soul album, 3.5

Powerful voice but content is overall is not as powerful

I didn’t know that Lilac Wine wasn’t a Jeff Buckley song. I also didn’t know that Jeff Buckley is, a lot of the time, singing in a Nina Simone voice. Good, great, liked it a lot.

Pretty good felt really cinematic

Great vocals

So good. Very easy to listen to. Absolutely timeless.

Didnt like the first song, rest is gold.

I've recently got a new appreciation for blues. Nina Simone was an amazing singer with a wonderful warm tone to her voice. Normally I don't like slower songs like "Four Women", but this song touches something in my soul. I adore this record.

A great album, starts of with a powerful rock song, and then spends the rest of the album in slower, more intimate songs. It is amazing how it combines themes of love with slavery and blackness. An amazing album I'm happy to Have listened to, and may listen to again in the future

Ok, bo mostly boring. Not my type of soul.

Crazy how good a lot of this was! It did slow down a bit in the middle and you can tell It wasn’t written as one thing, but man when it hits it hits

Loved the song variety, authentic performance and amazing virtuosity from start to finish.

Sublime.

If you don’t like this you don’t like music

I've never listened to Nina Simone purposefully before this. I'm going to be controversial and say I think this is amazing. 9.2 Fav Track: Wild is the Wind Least fav: I Love Your Lovin Ways

My favorite song on the album is wild as the wind. Very beautiful feels like a movie score. Who ever was playing the piano absolutely deserves some recognition. The whole album was beautiful.

not quite my favorite

Nina’s voice is deep and smooth and she sings a love songs with minimal but great instrumentation. I didn’t really connect with it, but I can tell why this album is important to people. 2.0/5.0

It’s a pretty great album but I’m not sure I really enjoy it…if that makes sense? Even the catchier songs. Not that all music has to be fun…I don’t know, maybe I’ll regret this and change it to a 5. Who knows.

incredible album.

Either way I loose geil Sehe auch Szenarien in denen ich das wieder hören würde, aber Nina hat mich gerade wo, wo ich nicht Geduld hatte für manche Songs 4/10

"Four Women" is without a doubt the standout song on this album; just incredible. The rest of the album great too, though and Simone's voice is captivating.

Very cool and diverse

It's truly wonderful and deep, but for me it's hard to listen such music. "Four women" is a masterpiece, also liked third and last track. I'm deeply touched by Nina Simone's story, but for me musically it's only 2-3 stars. (Piano is still awesome)

wow jazz QUEEN

In my mind I put this in a box with the Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald albumsI have already gotten. In that company it stands out solely due to the depth of the lyrics. My comparison may not be fair as this album was released nearly a decade after those two. Regardless, I think it is clearly better.

Favorite tracks: Break Down and Let It All Out, I Love Your Lovin' Ways WOW what a set of pipes! I will absolutely be returning to Nina Simone in the future (maybe sitting on my porch with some tea on a rainy day), but not necessarily this album. As other reviews have said, it didn't flow all that well and something tells me this is not her best work, hence the 4 stars instead of 5. Disappointed to see it's her only album on this list.

This is a first listen....I've never really been exposed to Nina Simone, other than her reissues in the 80s onwards. Turns out I also know some of the songs from their cover versions. And also turns out (as is often the case) that the originals are the best....Lilac Wine - just wow. Its simply divine. There is an effortless cool to it and the vocals just give you chills. Am stunned these were the cast offs from other albums...I need to dig further into her albums for sure. 5

Hauntingly beautiful. Black is the Color of my True Love’s Hair

Fav tracks: that’s all I ask, wild is the wind, black is the color of my true love’s hair, if I should lose you Her voice is unmistakable and unforgettable. This album is so special and it’s apparently complications of leftover recordings from other albums. Given the fluidity of this album, I would’ve never guessed that. She’s an icon forever

I especially love the piano tracks, what a talent 3.5

This was a nice breath of fresh air after a few bad albums. Nina Simone is great and truly one of the greatest artists ever

Album #34: Wild is the Wind - Nina Simone Genre (W): Jazz, blues, folk, R&B Singles: Four Women I have listened to this album once before. Thoughts: Nina Simone was ahead of her time. I love her voice most of all, it’s not the most clear but it has the most emotion, much like Billie Holiday. I know the song “Lilac Wine” when Jeff Buckley covered it too. This entire album carries with it a somber, or for some a calming, tone. I think it’s because of the sparse arrangements and the songwriting. It’s a genius move, and I’m glad to listen to it. Favorite songs: I Love Your Lovin’ Ways, Four Women, What More Can I Say?, Lilac Wine, Break Down and Let It All Out, Why Keep On Breaking My Heart, Wild is The Wind, Black is the Color of my True Love’s Hair, If I Should Lose You, Either Way I Lose

Never heard of album or singer. Based on the timing of the release I have pretty low expectations. I love your lovin is very 60. Kind of catchy. Cool piano. Definitely dated. Woah was not expectingthe jay z story of OJ sample in the second song. The production is so good just like the Jay version. Lyrics not as good. Great song either way. What more can I say I super emotional. What an ensemble of intsruments. Another really well made song. Super interesting album because it’s not at all my style but I enjoy it a lot. Not at all what I was expecting. Lilac wine is another emotional song that works. Breakdown and let it all out is much happier while still being emotional. Songwriting on This one is the best so far. Wild is the wind🔥🔥🔥. Another one still being sampled to this day. Piano is so good. Lyrics are so good. This one is 100% better than the logic song that samples it. If I should lose you sounds ahead of its time. Love the piano solo at the end. Production again o either way I lose is so good. It’s not the best song on the album but it’s still a good song. This album was way better than expected. I can fully understand the influence, it’s a sound so different from everything else around this time. 4 stars.

It's Nina. The voice is just so good, it's impossible not to enjoy. Also, the album is nicely varied where it fits together without getting same-y. Nina cried power.

Loved every song. There are somethings that come to you at the right time and this album was that. I can't even describe the experience listening to this album. I will def give it another lisen while doing nothing to get the full essence.

Slower than expected. Incredible voice.

3/6

My rating 3.2. Loved the first song and appreciated the political nature of the second but after that got bored with the string of overly melodramatic torch songs. I guess not for me. Maybe give it another listen???? &&&&

Amazing vocals. Was nice to listen to once but will probably not go back

yeah this is chill better production than i thought such a good voice, esp song 9 songs 1,2,3 good esp enjoyed very much

Where has Nina Simone been all my life. This is incredible, beautiful composition backing Simone's gorgeous Vocals. With lyrical depth to boot! Im normally not a fan of compilations, I feel that albums need an "arc" that arises from an album being planned. This may be the one of the two exceptions to that rule of mine that I know of. This is really good stuff 5/5 (only my second one)!!!

Schon gut aber zündet bei mir iwie nicht ganz 3/5

Raw nerves, velvet smoke, and emotional truth with no safety net. Rating: 4.9/5 Short Review: This album feels like someone singing straight from their scars. Intimate, powerful, and quietly overwhelming, it moves between tenderness and fury without warning. Favorite Track: Wild Is the Wind. Pure ache. No defenses. No escape.

Strong bold lady with interesting vocals. Not used to that genre of music so not sure how I felt about it. I think more required.

La voz de nina y las partes del piano me encantaron.

Heel smooth en jazzy, lekker soul en ik kende Lilac Wine al van Jeff Buckaroo en die my skin is black sampl natuurlijk, heel leuk om het origineel te horen. Goed album!

Svårt ibland att betygsätta artister som haft stor betydelse för musiken. Bra album visst, men kommer kanske inte lyssna igen.

I could go on about how monstrously important Nina Simone was for so many aspects of music. I could use any number of words to try and sum up the emotion her music so uniquely captures. I think her music deserves a much deeper analysis than I can provide, at least in a casual written format. Instead, I just want to appreciate how demandingly evocative she was as a performer. I have found so few artists that could harness emotion through vocals anywhere near as effectively as Nina Simone did consistently for years, and I think Wild is the Wind is a prime example of this. She has an uncanny ability to redefine songs and make them uniquely hers. The album emanates a solemn, sentimental sadness that can't be concocted, only earned from experience. I know I'm just tip-toeing around the actual content of this record but I genuinely can't put into words just how beautiful this album is. Go listen to it, you'll know what I mean.

Fantastic album. One of her best

nice while coding.

what a voice

This caught me on a patient day and I thought some of these songs were really beautiful. 3.5/5

Excellent

Was recommended the album Grace from Jeff Buckley yesterday, the one song I saved in my playlist was Lilac Wine. Was pleasantly surprised to hear that exact song in this album.

This was an experience indeed. I knew Wild is the Wind only from Bowie and Lilac Wine from Jeff Buckley. First track didn't take me in but after that it was all fantastic. Heartfelt songs with beatiful performances.

Мені не сподобався(

There were a few tracks I didn’t care for, but all in all this was a very solid and soulful listen.

Great album

Nina Simone has all the passion. No one else has passion because she has it all. Every song is great on this album. My one complaint is that some of the songs fade out so abruptly it’s jolting.

Eh it's ok. I think I'm having an off week because nothing has resonated with me so far. I know Nina Simone is a legend, but nothing is coming out at me from this album.

I listened to this once before on Apple's GOAT album countdown and didn't really like it. But I took more time to listen to it this time around and it's actually a pretty decent album. That rare contralto voice is almost haunting, especially paired with her lyrics that are reflecting the race/gender attitudes of the time. My delineation between a 3 and 4 is: would I actively want to go back and listen to it? In this case, no, but I wouldn't mind hearing it again if I'm going through another list and it is better than the multitude of other 3 star albums I've been stuck with lately.

Wunderschönes Album, intim, träumerisch.

This was really really good.

Nina Simone has an awesome voice. Strong album.

Beautiful voice. Gets a little boring.

This is a good soul album with good arrangements and great vocals. However, the whininess of Simone's timbre surprised me; it feels like an acquired-taste voice despite receiving much in the way of acclaim. Once you get past the voice(which I can rather easily see being a turnoff for many), you get well-produced soul with excellent singing and good lyrics. I can see this being influential, and it's almost perfect, but the voice is make-or-break in soul. While Nina has a great voice, it's not the best voice I've ever heard, and that ultimately makes it a 4 alongside the lack of upbeat, energetic songs.

It had a few good songs but her voice was a little annoying.