Wild Is The Wind

cum

Great album

A beautiful album, surprisingly made from unused tracks from old recording sessions. There are a few memorable tracks among an overall solid album.

Emotionally heavy. Beautiful in the same way some funerals are beautiful. Definitely not easy listening, touches difficult issues. Too heavy for me.

No niestety, barwa głodu Niny czyni dla mnie tę płytę niesłuchalną, mimo że to kawał dobrej muzyki. Po prostu nie znoszę jej głosu!

Love me some women with powerful voices. Not surprised to see Nina Simone on here, considering her catalogue. Feel like I pretty much know what I'm getting into here, even though this album in particular wasn't known to me before today. Expecting to hear a great vocal performance. Love how I've already reviewed covers of two of the tracks on here (Wild Is The Wind, David Bowie) , (Lilac Wine, Jeff Buckley) both of those are on albums I scored 5 stars, hoping for more amazing tracks like that. I Love Your Lovin' Ways It's a very uplifting song, enjoy how positive and sweet it is. The vocals are sung with a lot of confidence and naturality. Really like how the backing vocals contrast with Nina Simone's voice. The instrumental feels pretty typical for the era, doesn't take a lot of space and focus away from the main performer while adding a decent amount of texture to the track. Good. 4/5 Four Women Feminist sentiment is strong in this one. Relates with and celebrates women of colour while bringing attention to the stories of these women. There's a lot of tragedy in this tale where the common theme is the discrimination and dehumanization that women in minority groups have been facing all across the world. The final verse details someone who's world view has been particularly soured because of generational trauma caused by these injustices. As the piano darkens and tenses up, you feel her anger and bitterness, before the final line in the song releases the tension with an explosion of sound. Insightful. 5/5 What More Can I Say? Has a really classy vibe to it, while still showing a longing emotional core with a hint of frustration in there too. Love the grandiosity of the track. Has a lot of payoff to the buildup. Remains soulful throughout. While it relies heavily on the large and powerful instrumentation, it works great in tandem with the vocals to create some really powerful emotional moments. Great. 4.5/5 Lilac Wine A great piece of storytelling, love the metaphor. Has a really interesting structure. The piano is very emotive. The vocal performance is really balanced, never too subtle, never too bombastic. Remains understated enough to feel genuine. The ending is really sweet. Great. 4.5/5 That's All I Ask A great piece of soul with a jazzy little instumental. Has some decent sounding horns and a lot of subtle but impactful percussion. Feels like parts of the instrumental gets a bit in the way of the vocal performance. At times they compete for the same real estate causing it to sound a bit messy. The vocals are great, but never really doing anything out of the ordinary to differentiate it from similar songs of the era. Don't like how it fades out, it's too quick, too sudden, leaving the song with no real ending. Ends up sounding a bit unfinished. Fine. 3/5 Break Down And Let It All Out Empowering with a splash of colour. Love the slight bitterness and confrontational nature present in the vocal performance. The main hook is kinda cathartic. Still not loving the fade out. Decent. 3.5/5 Why Keep Breaking My Heart A nice change of pace instrumentally, with some more folky energy. Pleasant enough, but not particularly inspiring. The backing vocals feel a bit weak, and the main vocal performance is fairly standard. The chorus has a decent melody. Fine. 3/5 Wild Is The Wind Stunning. The background piano really gives the song some high stakes beauty. Buttery smooth and passionate vocal performance, with a hint of somber contemptation. Has this epic almost cinematic buildup that just keeps adding tension to the track, building layers on top of layers. One of the greats. Romantic powerhouse. 5/5 Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair Sweet and sentimental. Has a very good vocal performance, and is written very passionately and beliveably. Decent. 3.5/5 If I Should Lose You That piano intro is just so incredibly beautiful, wow. Sleepy and calming vibe. Love the interplay between voice and piano, it really reflects the emotion in her voice. Really like how it cascades and escalates through the track, played with a lot of depth. Never takes away the focus from the vocals, which work excellently in their own right. It's gotten to that point where her brilliance has become par for the course, as she's so incredibly consistent. Great. 4.5/5 Either Way I Lose You Kinda don't like the "dum dum dum"s. Feels a bit distracting. The horns are also kinda unneccesary. Soulful and mournful, has that quiet acceptance which makes it that much richer and more flavourful. Decent. 3.5/5 That was some upper shelf quality stuff. Oozes with class and skill, unburdened with the cliches that are often found in other 60's soul albums. She's such an amazing vocalist, showing so much control while also delivering in the areas where restraint is needed. Giving the performances just the right amount of push the song requires. Powerful, unique, and also incredibly sweet at times. Genuine sounding love songs, showing gratitude, longing, despair and even bitterness. Even has an amazing concious piece with the stunning "Four Women" written with incredibly thoughtfulness and awareness. Instrumentally the part that impressed me the most was the incredibly smooth and able piano playing which had some great technical moments, while always being an amazing supporting companion to the vocals. Would also shout out the percussion at times. A really consistent album where the weaker tracks are only hurt by production choices I don't agree with, or just lacking a bit of extra polish. A great listen with plenty to love. 4/5. Fave track. Four Women Least fave track. Why Keep Breaking My Heart

YEAH LETS GO

good music, shes really cool too

Excellent. Great instrumentals and vocal work! 'Wild is the Wind' was my fave.

Not my cup of oak milk latte with a dash of caramel and gratings of cinnamon.

This is great jazz blues, way different from what I have heard before

Not my kind of music

Solid, got some bangers

Very deep voice, which sounded like an old film. Nice but not inspiring 5/10

😭

Album art:2

I liked it a lot. I listened to this while making coconut macaroons on Easter. Something about the condensed milk made this feel more appropriate. The sweet, thick and smooth nature of it paired well with Ms. Simone's style. Almost every song felt like, apart from just a song, it had been steeped in something else. Call it emotion, call it something at the same time contemplative and primal (maybe call it soul), I don't know. Every track seemed like you were being wrapped with a different blanket. A lot of the songs made me wish they were written/sung for me, that someone could love me with what it felt like she was loving with. Rating could go up but not down.

Listened to this once through as background music, went back to some of the songs and I think I will probably be going back for more in the future. Torn between a 3 and a 4, but since it's my first time listening to a full Nina Simone album, I think it deserves to be elevated.

Not familiar with really any of these tracks but love Nina’s voice always

A major talent who led a fierce life.

Nice but not for me

Incredible, versatile vocal performance with many moods. Excellent.

Good, if you're in the mood for oldies

My dumbass yelled out "JEFF BUCKLEY!!!!" when Lilac Wine came on. All jokes aside, Nina has a nice voice.

Really enjoyed this

Ok, but a bit too jazzy

Voice beautiful enough to calm a raging bull.

a truly amazing album. Not Nina's top but still amazing!

jazzy

Cooking in the morning on a sunny day was the perfect vibe for this.

Don't like the style very much. I don't see anything special about this one.

Always good to hear a Nina Simone album. Nothing really stood out for me, but an enjoyable listen.

Love Nina Simone. A decent selection of tunes and as always incredibly soulful. I do think Pastel Blue is her greatest work.

New singer to me dug the vibe a lot

This is some quality music. Not really my cup of tea, but I can respect the artist here along with the production. It's hard to describe but you can really feel the emotional weight in these songs. Jay-Z sampled Four Women on one of his newer albums (Story of O.J.). Knew that sounded familiar. I would put this as a solid 3. Borders near a 4.

Four Women I know from the Jay-Z sample on 4:44's The Story of OJ. Loved it used as an instrumental on that track -- love it even more as a standalone. The sparse instrumentation is so powerful in framing Simone's exposed vocals. I absolutely love Wild Is The Wind. Pretty sure I've heard the sample here in a Pretty Lights song before, but it was in such a very different context. Super dooper high 4 for me. High quality jazzy vibes throughout. Simone's vocals are on point and mixed well with tasteful instrumentals. I can get down with this.

Pretty solid, but honestly I didn't even realize it ended.

She's kind of a freaky singer but still sounded really good on some of the songs. Wasn't my favorite thing to listen to but still good. The beginning Dum dum dums on the last song were funny

That was a pretty chill quick listen. Loving the 35-40 minute albums we've had recently. Her voice is great just never found myself goin buckwild for it. Very solid 3 here though.

Nice album

This album had a lot of deep lyrics and hearty, low vocals. I think it would be perfect if you were having a dinner party or if you were in your feels. What an amazing singer.

A soulful jazzy album. Nina Simone’s voice is a true alto giving the most purple of purple and blends beautifully with the music to create an emotional experience.

Album cover is beautiful— super distinct hot pink with sketchy black brushstrokes? Charcoal? 1. Blues generally isn’t my thing, just too formulaic. Love the backup vocals juxtaposed with the primary, and Simone’s vocals are mixed in a cool way— super flat and forward in the mix. 2. “4:44” by Jay-z sample? Goddamn what a piano line. Way more minimal instrumental than the first track, gives her more time to really grab hold of your attention, of the soul. More small details in inflection and such for the listener. Lyrics are incredibly poetic and distinct, color and texture used prominently as sensory details. Lil bit of flute, but very low notes, so timbre plays with lower piano keys and the dusk Simone’s voice. BLACK MUSIC. “Peaches” sung without concern for meter, powerful. 3. A little forgettable, but only because the following track is perfect. 4. Gorgeous. 5. Weirdly short, feels incomplete. Voice is gorgeous though, little bit more bass in the mix than previous songs. 6. Just don’t think this one is for me, the mixing of her voice is a disservice here where it’s a credit on other tracks in that it’s so forward, and the reverb really washes out the rest of the instrumental. Ends too early too, I hate these fade-outs. 7. Like the strings on this, wish they were used more. The guitar kinda has an accordion vibe, and it in tandem with the percussion gives this a very French romantic kinda vibe, but a bit more summery and jaunty. The fade-out comes more naturally too, and feels less like an abbreviated song and more just a short one. 8. Piano’s allowed a lot more freedom, and the twinkly improvisations play really well with her voice. Last couple of tracks have lacked such distinctive lyrics as earlier in the record, though. “Like a leaf clings to a tree / oh my darling cling to me” is great, but it was what made me realize such moments of appreciation hadn’t happened recently. Do love that line though. Much longer— I assume the live versions don’t use the fade outs the way the studio tracks do? I much prefer it, the band fills the space and it gives Simone herself more room to roam. Song builds energy to a conclusion, feels natural, feels much shorter than ~6 min. 9. Beautifully minimal. Titular line is super powerful. 10. Sequencing of the project kinda confuses me, like this is just a less distinct version of the previous track imo 11. Masc baritone vocals kinda feel out of place. Saxophones great, surprised there’s not more elsewhere— compliments her voice well. Incredibly annoying to me that this album ends on a super early fade-out in the middle of a sax solo, so weird— just let the track play! I imagine it has something to do with fitting on a single LP, but then just trim a couple songs from the tracklist man. Really frustrating.

Listened May 2021. Her voice is unlike anything else in music.

4.5

Her voice was deeper than I was expecting. When I was listening to Four Women I realized one of her songs was sampled on Blood on the Leaves. Album was fine, a little boring.

4/10 - not a gym album and also not a great album in general. The second song was also kind of weird to listen to

Nina Simone has one of my favorite voices of any singer ever. This album was fantastic. Really high 4 or low 5

The second listen bumped it up to 4 stars

Captured in first notes. Love her voice and piano . Passionate

I enjoyed the beginning of the album more than the end, but this was fine. 3.0

A beautiful an essential record.

I'm actually not sure I've ever heard Nina Simone's voice before today. Pretty unique and deep, yet soulful. Apt for the melancholic nature of some of her song's content, and more so here. I don't know if this specific record is considered her "magnum opus", but it certainly has the makings to be considered. "Four Women" is pretty damn profound for one.

Great vibe and vocals. Appreciate the subject matter as well. A solid album for just listening.

Jazz queen

This is one sophisticated lady. Glad to learn about this album.

This is my 356th (one year) album! Happy Anniversary to me. Also, Nina Simone is fantastic. Her voice is compelling, the content is poignant and relevant even today, and the music is very strong. It is a little too old for my taste, but at the same time, the quality is undeniable. I'm stuck at 4.5 or 5, but just on vocal presence, I am leaning high!

There is evidently some classic stuff here but this feels a little too culturally deep for me to appreciate. Jay Z sampled four women on his 'Story of OJ' and it's awesome. The album is a lot to chew on but it's a little intense for me and I wasn't the biggest fan.

Incredible range in the voice, classic songs, but I kinda got bored. She's undoubtedly very talented but it's not really my style. Easy to listen to, hard to think of a reason I'd listen to it again though.

Pure soul. So much passion and power. Nina was, and will always be, one of the all time greats. Not much more to say.

I do like the occasional Nina Simone song, but I find her voice starts to grate on me after a while. Lilac Wine is classic.

Just lovely.

I rarely stumble across Nina Simone in my normal listening, but I am sure the Spotify algorithm will change that soon. Until now, I was most familiar her song Sinnerman, perfectly used at the end of Pierce Brosnan's Thomas Crown Affair and I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl, which I probably stumbled into from a promo jazz compilation during my time at Best Buy. Her voice is unique and at times she strains when really projecting ("MY name is Peaches!!!!"), but overall this is an enjoyable album.

Such variety and such wonderful righteous drama! Such power, creativity and impact! 5/5

I dont care for her voice tbh. I first thought the singer was a man. Can image this playing in like a old ballroom. Its soul yes but still not resonating with me too much.

Man, what a voice. FOUR WOMEN absolutely rules. Nina Simone is a stone cold badass

slay i love nina simone

Nina's voice is very emotive; you can feel her emotions as she powers through these numbers. I am a fan of her work, but never listened to this album before and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Even by Nina's standards, this was dark. Listened to: at Trader Joe's. Favorite tracks: Lilac Wine, Four Women, Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair

Pretty classy. Still sounding good.

I mean - insane.

I found most of this album somewhat difficult to listen to. I kept checking how much time was left on it. It just isn't my style and those vocals are unbearable. There are some fine moments but overall, ugh. The instrumentals are pretty great tho, so I will round up to a 2. Actual rating....1.5. Liked Songs: "I Love Your Lovin' Ways" , "Why Keep On Breaking My Heart" , "Either Way I Lose"

liked songs: Four Women, What More Can I Say?, That's All I Ask, Wild Is The Wind, If I Should Lose You Very good. 4

One of the greats for good reason. This album is so damn good and if it came out today, people would still go crazy for it. In fact, I'd kill for an album like this to come out today. This was such an easy 5 star for me.

What an incredible record. The songwriting alone is spectacular. It's true, its honest, its soulful, its dark, its lovely. Its kind of everything you would want from an artist. Nina's voice is perfect. Its super unique, its stems from that old crooner jazz style, but its kind of doing its own thing. The music is also varied, where its a bit of jazz, a bit of salsa, a bit of soul. This was a really beautiful album, that I had never listened to (outside of Lilac Wine). This is a perfect addition to the list and the kind of album that gets me stoked on this project.

Not some of my favorite stuff from Nina, but decent enough.

so many hip hop samples

Beautiful album. Nina was such a powerful singer, performer and activist. This album is very moving. Love it.

Some old moody stuff idk

Yeah look mad props to her but not much was gripping me here aside from a bit of her piano playing and lyrics but they were few and far between

76% Best: I Love Your Lovin' Ways; That's All I Ask; Break Down And Let It All Out Must-Hear? Not quite. Also, I'm certain she has better albums than this.

This rating indicates my enjoyment, not her talent. I was not super enthused when it popped up, but this seems like a great time to revisit someone lots of people love! Despite listening with as open ears as I could manage, her voice remains not for me. I recognise her talent, but I had to force myself to finish the album.

Alright. I'm noticing this app recommends artists from the same genre, and I kind of get bored when that happens. Still, I think Nina Simone is a good singer.

Exemplifies Simone’s power to turn any song into something deeply personal and profound. Not really my style, but i respect it.

Blind album and artist. I thought the album was very very nice in a sweet way, and I loved Lilac Wine. Aside from that, I don't think I would revisit this often but it was a nice change and a pleasant listen.

Cooles, wechselhaftes Jazz-Album. Interessant falls ich mal einen Film drehe.

Listened to the entirety of this album while stuck in standstill traffic on the M8 coming out of Glasgow. Still enjoyed it. Bit disconnected in places but as a whole a good album Fav song - I love your lovin ways Least fav - Black is the Color of my true love’s hair Specific rating - 3.9

chill vibes! also my deadlines are done!

She's just got such a gorgeous and powerful voice and she puts so much emotion into the music. The album itself doesn't feel super cohesive (the transition between the last two songs is particularly jarring) but that's to be expected of an album made of leftovers from other albums. I'd love to know why this particular Nina Simone album was the one chosen for the list. Favourite song: Break Down And Let It All Out Least: Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair

It's like Koko Taylor did a crooning album. I really vibed with the beginning tracks, but kind of got bored with it once the songs without band accompaniment began, at "Wild Is The Wind." Finished alright with "Either Way I Lose", though. Overall the music was good, but the later songs weren't my cup of tea.

Love this lady's voice. I got bored of some of the longer songs before they finished. Very pretty piano melodies throughout. It bothers me that they picked her least popular album, as usual.

Didn't feel it.

Could not find the album

Very few can beat Nina.

Love Nina Simone but I've never listened to a full album of hers as I always imagined that, as a Jazz singer, there wasn't much value in her albums vs just listening to selected songs. However, this was a lovely album with some nice songs and (obviously) fantastic vocals. There were still a few too many "boring" songs for my liking though. I wish the entire thing was more like "I Love Your Lovin' Ways" or "That's All I Ask".

Nice and mellow. Not my jam.

Well, interesting. Subtle. Noir-alike. Deep.

It's just jazz... Not bad.

interesting, but won't listen again I think

4/10

Sehr gute Stimme, tolle Songs. Aber nicht ganz so meins.

I Love Your Lovin' Ways is a great R&B song. Four Women is as dramatic a shift in tone and content from I Love Your Lovin' Ways as is possible. What More Can I Say then moves to this jazzy song full of longing. It has the same feel as I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) vibe. She does this so well. I have to relisten to Jeff Buckley's Grace because he covered Lilac Wine on it and I like this version and it feels very memorable and I have no memory of that version. The selection of songs doesn't seem to have a lot of rhyme or reason, no real theme to the album, almost like a greatest hits. Wild is the Wind is amazing, an all-time great song. Her voice has such a sense of yearning in it, you can feel her in the song. Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair is one of her most famous songs, not my favorite. Her piano playing is great as well. It's amazing how some artists can pull off just their voice and an instrument. Either Way I Lose is strange but I like it. An eclectic album from an eclectic personality.

Very nice, just not in the mood for this today.

She's just great isn't she

It’s beautiful, the album itself is full of soul and passion. You can feel her heart in this.

Whitney doesn’t like. Bluesy.

It takes a bit to warm up to her voice which is different, but man this is really nice. Best Song: Lilac Wine Rating: 7.5/10 Stars: 4/10

Good art is all about emotion. There is so much emotion here. The word evocative comes to mind but I'm not sure it applies. 8/10 A worthy listen

This isn't an album full of Billboard Chart Topping hits, but it is an album full of powerful, passionate songs that showcase Nina Simone as an incredible, generational singer

Love Nina but I wasn’t a huge fan of this album. Felt a bit drab towards the end.

Pretty groovy

This is maybe the distinctive singing voice I have ever heard. Took a little getting used to but by spin 2 I am a believer. Didn't listen to it 3 times but it might have been a 5 if I did.

Not quite as cohesive as some of her other albums, but some absolute killers on here, including her rendition of “Wild is the Wind”.

Respect it! Not my favorite though.

I thought I would like this more but it really never got going for me.

I liked the feel of this more than I thought I would. This was somehow less strict than her other records.

Fine

Incredibly effecting stuff

I like Nina but I found this a bit boring.

Very calming music. Reminds me of Billie Holiday

Pet fav: Either Way I Lose Liliac Wine: covered by J. Buckley-- Grace Four Women - banned for lyrics, written by Simone Wild is the Wind: covered D. Bowie Black is the Color... - standard American folk Leftovers compilation from previous studio albums. Interesting stuff; not samey-samey

Nina. Simple enough.

Härligt jazzig, med stundvis underbara pianostycken. Påminner mig lite både om Amy Winehouse och Anthony and the Jacksons. Vill lära mig sjunga titelspåret!

👎🏻

Nina's great but couldn't get into this album. 1/5

Easy listening classic Nina

Chill

Immediately recognize the rhythm on Four Women, didnt know it was from Nina Simon. Fuck the next song is smooth as fuck and nice as fuck. Lilac wine is also beautiful. Its rare that i listen to slow songs like this on my own time, but these i for sure will.

very beautiful, i don’t listen to a lot of jazz records so this was a nice change of pace

What am incredible talent! I'm hoping there is more from her on this list!

Truly an album that deserves its status as an all time great, Simone's vocal performances are unbelievable in how much raw emotion she is able to put into them.

It’s a crime there isn’t MORE Nina on this list, but if we were only gonna put one on the list, this isn’t a bad choice. Nina Simone is a powerhouse singer, unique in every way, gorgeous and seductive and sad all at the same time. “Four Women” is an absolute gut punch, as masterful as “Strange Fruit” and reflective the suffering of black women without match in music to this day. It’s the highlight, but it’s not the only great tune here. “What More Can I Say?”, “Lilac Wine”, “Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair”; Nina travels so many genres, so many styles here and hammers it home. I’m writing this only 3 songs in and it’s a perfect album already. Bless.

peak

not a major album so dont think I’d heard many of these before. Fantastic range on display here and definitely one i’ll listen to again

Some beautiful Piano and interesting songs but just not in the mood for the down tempo and generally just not my favorite style of music.

youd have to be a genius

Heartbreakingly good.

Kind of listened as background noise. Didn’t really delve into it.

Powerful. A beautiful and moving piece with incredible influence. 9/10

He’s got an interesting voice, which kept my attention. The style isn’t really for me, but it’s different and bearable at least.

Incredible

Nina Simone is Nina Simone. LOVE YOUR LOVING WAYS typiscal bluesy soul. FOUR WOMEN is real Nina. Dark and raw. The rest is slower and not necessarily memorable.

most beautiful album on this list without a doubt

I broke my own rule here, i rated the album before i had finished listening to it

3.5/5

Alright

This was a pretty good soundtrack for a stressful morning spent trying to cancel my broadband, which is obviously what Nina Simone had in mind when she was recording it.

44/1001 - Weird sounding upright piano. I recognize that it's objectively good/well sung (the production and recording is pretty awful though, lots of weird compression and clipping artifacts) but I didn't like it very much.

3,75

Honestly if it wasn't her singing I would have enjoyed it a lot more. Her voice just isn't for me

What a wonderful record. Every track is a masterpiece on its own, carried by her tremendous voice.

Great album, lilac whine is a great song, along with so many political lyrics.

Not really my thing but powerful stuff and her voice and songwriting are fantastic. I tailed off a bit after a stronger start. I prefer the upbeat songs to the sadder slow songs.

Not for me

This is the best album I’ve yet heard from the list. Haunting, sorrowful and beautifully idiosyncratic, Nina clearly has been a persistent influence on a wide range of current music. This is one of the most personal feeling albums I’ve heard in a while, with capstone performances that stare directly through you. Rating: 5.0

Increíble voz, increíbles letras, increíble todo. Este disco pega en el corazón.

After an upbeat electric misdirection to open with, something grand unfolds here. There's fire and darkness, wisdom and poetry throughout this sauntry album where no song outstays its welcome, and I felt myself hanging on wave after wave of swell-and-release for 38 minutes - sensual and powerful. Favourite tracks: Four Women, Lilac Wine, Wild Is The Wind, Black Is The Colour Of My True Love's Hair, If I Should Lose You (amazing three song run)

Tried. Bailed on 3rd song

01) I Love Your Lovin' Ways - 7,0 02) Four Women - 9,0 03) What More Can I Say - 8,5 04) Lilac Wine - 8,5 05) That's All I Ask - 8,0 06) Break Down and Let It All Out - 8,0 07) Why Keep On Breaking My Heart - 8,5 08) Wild Is the Wind - 8,5 09) Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair - 7,0 10) If I Should Lose You - 7,0 11) Either Way I Lose - 8,5 TOTAL: 8,05 (81/100) Current ranking: 150/471

I love your loving ways yes I do. A beautiful project. Four women is such a powerful song that I already knew before but have learned more about through listening to this album (my name is peaches, wow). It must’ve been amazing live The rendition of these standards like lilac wine is wonderful, I needn’t ask for more or better. The way the lyrics are said in lilac wine is so delicate and romantic. I don’t know when her alcoholism started but this song also reminds me of her and her story. Break down and let it all out really makes me want to do as she says. Juste open up, let it all out. Why keep on breaking my heart is nice. I like how her voice and the way she sings is a bit different from the other songs on the album. Wild is the wind, omg. It’s so beautiful. In addition to it being such a powerful and political album with its lyrics and their delivery, the instrumentals go perfectly with each song which makes for a wonderful listening experience. I really like this one

The first song out the gates is a testament to Nina Simones range. This blues song is clearer, more guttural and beautiful than many of the classic blues songs in history. I Love your Loving Ways! Four Women is simply incredible. A no holds back message to the world around her about the power of women. Omg, I looked up what this song is about and it makes it so sad. It's about the Birmingham bomb that killed four women at the 16th street baptism church. Such an incredible song and performance from Nina Simone. The different viewpoints and her voice crescendoing at the end. Just, it takes your breath away. What more can I say is such a nice song to come next to. This reminds me of my devotion to my wife. I always forget how incredible Nina's voice is. God bless. Break Down sounds almost like a trippy 60s prog rock anthem. Wild is the Wind, this version infinitely better than David Bowie's. I may be biased against him considering his actions in his life that made me not like him. Plus, he doesn't have an ounce of the soul that Nina has. Listening to this album while working is difficult. I want to just do a deep dive on Nina and her life. Maybe another time. Black is the Color of my True loves hair is probably my favorite song from the album. Short album, but powerful. This is something I for sure want to get on vinyl now.

gorgeous incredibly emotional voice such powerful songs the band supports her so well her piano playing is also wonderful love the arrangements

Uffff Madame Simone! Top 3 Musiker*inne woni gern mal uf es Kaffiichränzli treffe würd. Ihri Stimm und Piano skills sind ja s einte, aber ihre Aktivismus als Woman of Color ide 50er/60er Jahr sehr Inspirierend. Sehr schön das Album mal ganz glost z ha und vieli vo ihrne lieder wohni noni kennt han i minere Sentimentalitäts-Playlist hinzuezfüege. Gern meh vo dene wichtige Albe! Vier d bagge abekullerndi freudesträne für das Meisterwerk

Wind is the wild by Simon Ninone isch locker flockig, classy und bizli sexy. Aber leider au nöd es banger album, ich wär na fast meh gspannt uf ihri neuere Albe. That's all i ask, zupaa track. Es brücht na biz meh songs i dem style und denn wärs es easy 4* album, abe rmuss glaubs bi 3 bliebe. 3 wildi Wirbelstürm für das solide Album. xoxo lil'cruzy

kei ziit zum schriebe leider, aber sicki stimm sponti 4, maybe 3, also guet 4

I think she uas better albums but it was still pretty good

It's alright, great voice, but was only into a few of the songs.

So beautiful. Wish I could sing and play like that!

This felt like the type of music I'd hear in the background of a fancy restaurant. Not *the* music, but the *type* of music. Just... off somehow, like it was trying to be original poorly while trying to emulate established music (not bad-ly). Also overall I thought it was kinda boring.

She has an amazing voice.

I didn't really care about this album as it started but Nina Simone has a really great control of her voice and makes every song something you have to stop and listen too. I ended up really liking it and glad I had this opportunity to find a new (to me) great singer and music

An album that’s familiar to me through the countless hip hop records that sample it. Some real beautiful moments here.

"Goddamn!" ...the power and strength in her voice is amazing. Nina Simone was one of those artists that for whatever reason, was fully skipped while growing up. I had heard the name and only become familiar with her when my kid's learned about her in 6th grade. It seems so very much overdue, but nice to finally have an excuse to listen to Nina Simone.

“Four Women” and “Wild is the Wind” are fantastic. The rest range from forgettable to intentionally forgotten.

Thank you 1001 Albums! I have never listened to a Nina Simone album but I have heard plenty of covers (including on other albums on this list) and I am so grateful that this oversight in my musical education has been corrected. It doesn't matter if Nina is singing her own songs or covers, her voice is powerful. Four Women was a particular punch to the gut.

Rare Things from My 1001 Experience for 1600, Ken: Jazz that I like

Rating: 8/10 What a unique voice, some nice variety here as well.

Extremely charismatic vocals all over this album. Nina's range is incredible, captivating on both the heart wrenching ballads and the more up tempo tracks. Favourite songs were I Love Your Lovin' Ways, Four Women, Why Keep On Breaking My Heart, Wild Is The Wind and Either Way I Lose. Really enjoyed. 4 Stars. Love the album cover as well.

Such a pretty album! Although I definitely need to be in a right mood to listen to this kind of music. 4 stars

This is a very eclectic combo of songs. Some are true ballads/love songs while others deal with some deep topics. She had a very soulful and emotive voice. Good stuff.

Outstanding

Already forgot the album

Several gems in here. Need to listen to it again.

This was an ok album, like nothing blew me away, I think that Nina Simone is a great singer but this album I was just like ok it is about love lol I guess I lost interest halfway through lol

Gem.

Smooth listening. Loved the vocals.

Blues, Gospel, 1966 -> 3

woeful, mournful, voice of sadness?

Underwhelming. Heard better versions of all these songs. Expected more.

4.5

First two songs alone make this in the upper echelon of albums. It does meander a bit but, powerful songs like the title track, and of course "Four Women", a statement unto itself just dominate the album. 9.8 ★★★★½

One of the great voices. I love some of the songs, but isn't sold on everything. 4 stars

There's definitely some great songs here, and Nina has a great voice. I do think it kind of sags a bit in the middle, but plenty of good stuff here including "Lilac Wine", "Four Women", "I Love Your Lovin' Ways", and the title track. 4 stars.

4.5

So rich and moody. What an amazing voice. Four Women is a pretty startling highlight where at the end she reveals that she is a 21st century Canadian electroclash singer. Plus some excellent David Bowie and Jeff Buckley covers on this one with the title song and Lilac Wine.

Such a powerful voice. I wanted the songs to have a bit more energy so we could really hear her belt it out, but it only happens a couple times on this album. Most of the songs are low and slow, not my speed.

Fine

Solid

Nina is fierce. I’ve known her mainly from her fiery rebuke of those opposed to the civil rights era in the song “Mississippi Goddam”. That, and her ongoing support of black empowerment in the sixties and seventies always spoke to me on how much righteous anger was always percolating in much of her music. But it’s not all she was; her classical music training and love for folk music stands out here. This album still has her fiery side, as “Four Women” is a prime example, but she also shows her heart here with tunes of heartache and yearning. It’s apparently an album of leftover tracks from her most recent album, but they’re still pretty solid.

Familiar with three of these recordings to begin with - Wild is the Wind, Lilac Wine, and Black is the Colour - all of which are remarkable performances by Dr. Simone, both as a vocalist and pianist. She meets that standard again several times on the album - Four Women, Break Down and Let It Out - although is less well-served by the standard RnB shuffle of I Love Your Lovin' Way and the less focused If I Should Lose You. Either Way I Lose suffers from an easy listen arrangement that doesn't showcase either of the good doctor's strength. That is the risk of compiling out-takes and off-cuts. Simone is about the performance in moment, however, and an album is about something other than performance - we might work out what that is across the years of this project. Just over a week ago, I think I credited Marianne Faithfull's cracked vocal for communicating her experiences of degradation as an individual. Dr. Simone's is much more than that: the pain more painful, the experience more than just her own. 3.5 Despite powerful, committed vocal performances all the way there is no unity to this album. The heart of the album, its best tracks, is Four Women, Lilac Wine, Wild is the Wind and Black is the Colour… It is almost absurd to encounter these brooding, intimate songs side by side with polite, preening lounge ballads like What More Can I Say? or Why Keep on Breaking My Heart? Simone’s voice commands your attention even on fluff like the opening and closing track but when an artist is at the peak of her powers like this - not just as a performer but as a writer - why are those throwaway songs present at all? 3/5

What an amazing and powerful voice. A true artistic talent. While I enjoyed the style of songs bouncing around, I feel it would have been best to stay with one style of music over multiple styles.

holy. kinda jokainen biisi vitun hyvä. vähänniiku alusta tempaisee mukaan ja kaapii loppuun asti.. sielua... insane in the brain, insane in the membrane on ehk parempi silti. Koskettava ja läheinen soitto joka nostattaa korkealle. korkeuksiin korkeuksiin joo.. mut ehkä ei yhtä korkealle kuin insane in the brain, insane in the membrane. paljon varmaan olisi sanottavaa tästä albumista mutta ei tuu nyt oikeen mieleen. voisi melkeen sanoa että meikäläinen vähän hullu aivoissa, hullu kalvossa. 140 vuotta myöhemmin this album still holds up like a candle in the wild. in the wind. wild is the wind. four women

Being that this is an album that was made using leftover tracks from recording sessions from the past few years, the material here is understandably a bit all over the place. The opener 'I Love Your Lovin' Ways' is a blues rock tune which surprised me. The next one 'Four Women' is a dark jazz track with a cool little piano 'riff' and is the only original track written for the album. You can tell because it's definitely one of the strongest tracks here. Simone's nasally, unique voice isn't for everyone, but you can't deny she sounds full of emotion. There are ballads, folk songs, jazz tracks. The quality drops in the second half of the album. You can tell that the material wasn't strong enough before and was left on the cutting room floor for a reason. It's a shame that this happens to be Nina Simone's only album on this list because I would have liked to have heard more from her with an album with a little more direction and focus.

The first track sounded generic to me but then we get some much more sparse piano arrangements that compliment her voice and I'm enjoying it more. Lilac Wine might be the highlight, but there's other tracks I like where the backing band comes in and adds more texture. It's a very old school sound with the strings, theatrical, but not over the top. Wild Wind takes us back to just Nina and her piano - beautiful.

Definitely something I would listen to again, love a bit of Nina. My favourite song was break down and let it all out :) a pretty chill album with nice vibes.

Pretty enjoyable album, powerful vocals. Would have guessed this album came out much later than the 60s! Fav song: I Love Your Lovin Ways

It’s fine for Dinner music. Inoffensive. She’s also got that tortured voice that Chet Baker had.

Nina Simone is the greatest singer of all-time. Im so fucking serious

Stellar record where 'Four Women' makes you wonder how an album consisting of only original songs would have turned out.

Goosebump inducing from start to finish. "Four Women" is among most powerful songs released in the later 60's - that's saying something.

Really good

Не поняла где альбом послушать, да и в целом не оч

I found this quite a difficult listren whilst trying to focus on some work I was meant to be doing. Songs covered by David Bowie and Jeff Buckley were familiaryet different and not altoghether enjoyable because of it. But there is soul as well as jazz. In places its also quite dreary.

Great voice

Good

Ein ganz nettes Jazz-Album, bei dem natürlich vor allem die unverkennbare Stimme von Nina Simone im Vordergrund steht. Viele berührende Stück, aber gefühlt ging es in vielen Lieder um irgendwelche Liebesgeschichten, auch wenn sich immer wieder gesellschaftliche Themen dazwischenschleichen, aber alles meist sehr melancholisch. Mein Favorit: Either Way I Lose, der letzte Track des Albums mit schönen Bläsern.

A very beautiful album with a really palpable emotional energy to it. Nina is fantastic throughout, and her lyricism is always something to behold. This is a super mellow album that didn't quite keep me engaged through the whole thing, but the moments that grabbed my attention the most really pulled me in. Highlights: If I Should Lose You, Either Way I Lose, Lilac Wine, Black Is The Color of My True Love's Hair, Why Keep On Breaking My Heart, Four Women Least Favorites: Break Down And Let It All Out 8.5/10

This is one of the most spectacular albums to unexpectedly grace my ears.

B+ I Love Your Lovin' Ways 3 Four Women 4 What More Can I Say 4 Lilac Wine (From "Dance Me A Song") 4 That's All I Ask 3 Break Down And Let It All Out 5 Why Keep On Breakin My Heart 3 Wild Is The Wind 4 Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair 4 If I Should Lose You 3 Either Way I Lose 4 Very good album, fantastic cover art, and some timeless tracks. Sometimes 60s music can feel dated, but Nina Simone is ETERNAL.

An emotionally rich, passionate and dramatic and technically excellent vocal performance, with great songwriting and instrumentation to go with it. One or two songs feel like they could do with a bit more development though. Four Women is handily the standout track and is incredible. Easily a 4/5 could be a 4.5 on another day.

8/10. Not the sort of thing I'd usually listen to but thoroughly enjoyed. The vocals are obviously fantastic and Simone often does weird and unexpected things which make it even better imo. Big fan of the crescendos which pair her powerful voice with some dramatic piano. Fav songs are Four Women, for the hard hitting lyrics and intensity and That's All I Ask for the very satisfying jazzy riffs.

Nina!

Well this was dope. The front half was basically all bangers, and while it faded in the second half, still a stellar album. The vocals were all over the place (in a good way), the lyrics hit even the first time through, and the moodiness of the backing was great. Super suave album.

Nina Simone consistently shakes the earth with her intentionality, authenticity, and presence. Her life experience and emotional spectrum was so robust and channeled into each song. It seems I've reached an issue where I'm only repeating this album and unable to move onto the next album in this exercise. Nina Simone's voice and aesthetic principles is a world that is easy to want to stay a while in.

sounded ok.

listened to once at work, then on my walk again, and third time before bedtime while laying and cuddling with my gf on the sofa. perfect.

The album was surprisingly emotional, but no song grabbed me. The lyrics were dark and introspective whilst the music was light, smooth, and jazzy - the contrast was interesting!

Some beautiful moments in this album.

Any album featuring Wild Is The Wind, Lilac Wine and Nina Simone is time well spent

A bit enjoyed the music, sometimes the singer sang in an unpleasant way. Not of my taste.

Excellent. Still listening to it

The arrangements and sings were food but I really don't like Nina's voice. Very distinct sounding but kind of grating

So, when I first started this album, I wasn’t sure how it would go. The first song I Love Your Lovin’ Ways just felt like regular 60’s pop, complete with female backing vocals. I felt that this would end up something that wouldn’t leave an impression on me. That feeling was flung right out the window when Four Women came on right after. Nina grabbed my attention and refused to let go. She was in firm control as she took me through the gauntlet of emotions. She brings power through on Four Women, tackling racial stereotypes with authority. The ending where she boldly sings “My Name Is Peaches” gave me goosebumps. She brings passion to the love songs. The title track and What More Can I Say touched me in a way not many love songs have before. But most importantly, she brings raw emotion to the sad songs. In particular, Lilac Wine nearly broke me. The pain in her voice just hits differently. And I know that phrase gets tossed around a lot, but I can’t think of anything close to it. This is extremely close to a five for me. I feel the only thing that takes it a bit down are the more poppier tracks like I Love Your Lovin’ Ways. Other than that, this blew my expectations. What a remarkable talent. Favorite track: Lilac Wine Other hits: Wild is the Wind, Four Women, That’s All I Ask, What More Can I Say, If I Should Lose You

***An ok album

This isn’t what I normally sit down to listen to but her skill is undeniably massive. I can now say I’ve listened to Nina Simone and I can appreciate her.

An irresistible listening experience. You can hear the pain and struggle of the entire African American community in the quest for civil rights behind Nina's gritty yet astonishingly beautiful singing voice.

This was so damn good. Powerful is a frequently used term to describe this album for a reason. I got chills over and over while listening. Nina rules

A couple of really strong tracks, but also a lot of filler. Even the strongest tracks, with their swelling crescendos never actually does enough to justify the drama of the backing track.

Sad, haunting and pretty

NINAAAA

I loved her voice. I have obviously heard a lot of Nina songs in the past, but I have never listened to this full album. Great songs, great voice.

The piano makes me feel melancholy, but that´s the magic of Nina, she has the power to create a beautiful blues without being dramatic, she´s truly poetry.

Not for me

I was about to give this a 4 but I’m in a good mood and this one just hit the spot. 5 stars

I love this album so much

Great storytelling.

Favorites: What more can i say Lilac wine wild is the wind 3/5 goede aparte nummers maar als geheel album net niet genoeg. niet zo een variërende opstelling.

Vocal focused album with nice songs

Deep, textured, earthy voice. Every song she sings with conviction and takes her time to feel the emotions. Also easy to understand the words. Not sure I’d listen to it often so 4 stars

3.5 to be exact. Definitely a fantastic album with a fantastic voice, but I can tell it's not for me and that's perfectly okay. Every track here is good enough to be in my personal playlist, but not a zero skips album, if that makes sense? I'll throw on something on here every now and again but would never give it a full listen again.

Great jazz vocal and lyrics. Not always super groovy, but most parts is.

Poco que decir acerca de la voz de Nina Simone. Un rango impresionante, una voz única que suena muy diferente según la canción. Las letras son muy dramáticas, y se nota el giro hacia temas más políticos que la artista iría tomando. La música es súper apasionada, como es típico de la época, y hecha con muy buen gusto. Un disco excelente.

Smooth, elegant and simple.

When I heard the 12 bar blues in "I love your loving ways", I knew I was in for a TREAT. Which might be a good time to say that 12 bar blues are more of the time boring (expect when jazzheads do em <3), but when they be an album opener OOOOOOOOOOOO goodness how much do they cook. so yeah, what more can I say? beautiful brass lines on the songs which have em, the piano is just drop dead GORGEOUS OMMGGGGGGG she is such a talented pianist as well, esp climaxing on If I Should Lose You. Either Way I Lose is such a clever idea of having bass vocals doing... bass hahah. what a wonderful way of ending the album little issues having her vocals sometimes not really hitting it tonely but that's prob due to experience compared to her 70's stuff. def deserves to be on not only a top 1001 but a top 201 albums :D fav song: That's All I Ask

The best way to describe this is as a Showcase of Utter Vocal Talent. I found myself enjoying the more uptempo groovy songs, but the storytelling on tracks like Four Women was impeccable. Overall, solid stuff. Fave Songs - I Love Your Lovin' Ways, Four Women, Break Down And Let It All Out,

This album conveys emotions that she has felt beautifully. Whilst not the type of music I would go back to, her music highlights struggle, joy, and despair being captured by her powerful but gentle voice. Representing the intricacies of her life and life in general for Black women. Favourite songs: What more can I say & That's all I can ask

I some other record by Nina Simone. I like that one much better.

Beautiful

Deeply soulful.

holy crap

Loved the soul and depth of her voice. Good musicality.

Beautiful moments. Quiet, reflective, sad but some hope. This was a collection of Nina songs I wasn’t familiar with.

la jodida goat, es una genia. tuve que subir este álbum a musicboard porque no figuraba en su discografía

It's jazz, it's alright, easy listening, one to listen to with a cigar and a nice scotch, pretend like i'm not a white man

Good old record.

Nina Simone is the goat. This album and I Put A Spell On You are the two I’m most familiar with. I loved how NO I.D. sampled “Four Women” for Jay Z’s “The Story Of O.J.” This album captures Nina’s beautifully expressive and heart wrenching emotive vocal performances perfectly. The band lays back and supports her vocal with such care to not ever get in the way of this legend. So many moments in this album pull a couple tears out of me thanks to Nina’s ability to make you hang on every word and note till she hits you over the head with that signature vibrato shaking your soul. Easy 5 for me.

Whoa, her voice. Fantastic and powerful. There's a crooner vibe, but with more passion and pain. A bassier Billie Holiday (whom I prefer). Tracks 7 and 8 were beautiful. I can see why Wild is the Wind is the title. I will definitely be listening to this one again. 4 here.

I've only heard Nina Simone on compilation discs friends made me. I was impressed from the start. Those friends were more politically minded, and so the songs they introduced me to from her were in the same vein. They were great and poignant, but it's nice to her sing less pointed songs as well, such as the opener "I Love Your Lovin' Ways." Nina is a treasure, a reflection of the times, and a soulful character who shares her pain and joy through her music. She is a true artist. Many of her slower songs brings me back to the beautiful jazz that filled Dante's Down The Hatch all those years ago, collectively alive and suspended in a moment. New favorites here are "Lilac Wine" and "Break Down and Let It All Out" and "Wild is the Wind," while I knew and still love "Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair."

Love Nina Simone and was glad for the push to discover more from her. Her voice is like a force of nature and while it's technically impressive, the thing that really gets me is that she's so incredibly emotionally expressive; at times she seems like a conduit to transport all of these themes of the human experience right into the listener via her singing and playing, conveying these big themes with so much nuance and power. I feel like she must have been emotionally tired after a performance, but the audience was certainly enriched. There's a real gravitas and intelligence that carries through this album.

Favorite Track: Four Women

It's a great album, I love her voice, but it is a little too depressing for an everyday kind of listen.

Great, really emotional. Really surprised to hear black is the color on there

A collection of songs by an incomparable legend. Four Women deserves a couple of listens. Lilac Wine... If you're like me then Jeff Buckley may have been your gateway to Nina Simone. Great track. With a few other good songs, but some not so memorable, perhaps a little dated. Solid three stars for me.

Doesn’t strike me as a seminal album, mixed opinions on the songs , but inevitably a foundation for the great covers that would eventually stem from it

So many songs that fill my cup, and such an emotion filled album - Lilac Wine always leaves me with a tear, Wild is the Wind I heard courtesy of Bowie and somehow I hear the same level of passion by both Simone and him. I love this album dearly.

Good vocalist but being annoying

didn't finish it but wow. heart wrenching and beautiful

Best album so far. Wide range of style but remaining very consistent. Vocals are amazing, mixed and tracked so crispy. The songs range from intimate to epic. Gonna keep this one in the rotation for sure.

Beautiful! 5/5

Masterpiece. Four Women, Lilac Wine, titular Wild is the Wind, and Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair

12/1001 Wild Is The Wind starts of very strong with a great bluesy track in I Love Your Lovin’ Way. Sadly I would say it fails to deliver on its early promises, when it turns into a jazz record. Still it’s not without its moments with songs like Wild Is The Wind and Four Women being the obvious standouts alongside the album opener. 3/5

I really enjoyed her voice and performance on most of these songs, with the exception of a couple weird ones.

Wowza! Sultry and moody in all the right ways. I want an entire album of “I Love Your Lovin Ways”.

I appreciate the piano playing and she sung with lots of emotions. I liked it more than expected, even if the end of the album blended together.

Nina gives good voice

I just adore Nina Simone - she's one of the best musicians of all time and all she made stands the test of time. This album sounds beautiful, it feels well rounded and there's nothing I can fault it with. Absolute 5 stars

Unexpectedly varied and interesting if in that mood.

Loved this, would come back for mpre

The good is good

Great

ok album, some nice poetic songs, also a new rendition of "lilac wine" for me. personally, i didn't add anything to "liked songs". i'd say 5 out of 10

Black is the color!

Wow. Soulful, beautiful, awesome.

dope.

Lovely voice

Really good album, fantastic vocals, powerful lyrics, definitely relistenable

Stand out tracks: "Four Women" (powerful with great vibe), "Lilac Wine," "If I Should Lose You," and "Either Way I Lose." I haven't listened to a lot of Nina Simone before, but enough that I shouldn't have been surprised by how amazing her voice was. I was still blown away. The instrumentations were so interesting and had a lot more variety than I expected in terms of style. I particularly enjoyed the use of male voices as a sort of bass line in "Either Way I Lose"

Nina always hits the right spots.

Ah Nina, wat een stem. Heerlijk album om op te zetten tijdens een treinrit. En Lilac Wine, wat een schijf... 3.4

Amazing album