Reviews (page 9 of 14)
An amazing voice singing some great songs. My favorites would probably be Four Women and the title track. To my ears, it’s a 4, but I know this deserves a 5.
Es raro escucharlo al inicio pensando que no te va a gustar porque "no es tu tipo de musica", pero quitando todo eso y hacer el esfuerzo conciente de disfrutar este album vale totalmente la pena, esta bueno, super emocional, mi fav fue lilac wine
amazing jazz/blues voice, and even though this LP is culled from serval years of sessions, it is excellent
Nina Simone is the musical embodiment of the pain and sorrow of the African-American community. Her deep voice and tortured arrangements bruise even the sweeter songs she sings. Her’s can be challenging emotional albums to deal with. But they give clarity and feeling to the tortured reality of being a second-class citizen and dealing with the mental health challenges that plagued her life. Saved Songs: - Four Women - Why Keep Breaking my Heart - Either Way I Lose
I like her voice, but that's the only positive thing I have to say about this album. Having her voice with some better songs would have been really fun. The only song I really like on it is Break Down And Let It All Out, and Four Women tells an interesting story. Best song: Break Down And Let It All Out
Stunning
Too slow for me, prefer her I Put A Spell On You album
I came to the realization recently that Sinnerman is my favorite song of all time. This isn't on this album or anything but it should speak to the power of Nina 10/10
27/12/24 This was different, I enjoyed this album.
Not familiar with Nina Simone before this. I'll give it a 3...I guess, but just barely. A couple of tracks were good - Break Down and Let It All Out being the best. Some of the other stuff though, boring and over-orchestrated. Four Women was cringe, sorry. Oh, and she sounds like a man.
Tremendous voice. Gives you chills!
This makes me want to drink a martini and have a cigarette in a smoky jazz bar
6/10
Nina Simone’s music never gets old. She’s a powerhouse and this album is a proof of that. It’s amazing how rich and enchanting this album is. Song after song, it brings warmth and emotion. I love it.
Ich finde es echt gut. Erstes Stück mir zu bluesig, aber dann wird es immer besser. Am besten gefällt mir der Titelsong. Wurde später von David Bowie gecovert!
3.2 Captivating voice. First Nina album I've ever heard I think. Slow in parts, so slow it holds it back a bit. But some good moments on here. Not sure how much I'd revisit, but it was a pleasant listen.
Fantastic album, my #1 out of ten that I've listened to thus far. My favorites are What More Can I Say?, That's All I Ask, and Wild Is The Wind. Simone's voice is incredible, plus I'm a sucker for piano.
Great artist. Great voice.
Gorgeous early morning listening
Jazz Great. Four Women is such a powerful message. 5/5
Not the best Nina Simone album out there but you won’t be disappointed listening to this and chilling out
Okay.
4 stars for 4 women
Día extrañamente fresco y nublado en San Juan, Argentina. Hoy toca escuchar un disco de una eminencia, de la que he escuchado antes otros álbums y he visto el genialísimo documental "What Happened, Miss Simone?" ¿Qué decir de diferente de esa pasión en forma de cuerdas vocales? Mi experiencia personal, que es la hipnosis, el entrar en un trance con su voz (Four Women), sentir pura emoción (What More Can I Say? y, ni hablar, Wild Is The Wind) y mucha paz (Lilac Wine). ¿Tantas sensaciones nos puede dar una persona que canta? La respuesta los sorprenderá. Hasta mañana.
Her voice and work is so timeless.
I enjoyed this but nothing really stood out to me. I would *love* to hear Lake Street Dive cover "What More Can I Say?". Oooof.
exceptional.
Feel like having your heart broken? Have an afternoon to kill? Go ahead and spend some time with this one, but give it the time it's due. Bonus points if it's raining outside.
Either Way I Lose is actually my dad
Die ersten Songs erinnern an die James Bond Intros der Kinofilme. Teilweise schön arrangierte Songs, aber kein Album was sich bei mir einbrennen wird
Mid
Hauntingly beautiful.
My name is Peaches!
Not for me
This is the kind of music the Squid Game Elites listen to This is the kind of music you need Spotify Premium to listen to This is the kind of music that I listen to on a polyvinyl chloride record when smoking a high-quality very large Cuban cigar with Cuban hero and subject of my IB History HL Historical Investigation Fidel Castro and/or when getting Tipsy with Shaboozey, my favourite country artist!!!!! Starting a song with "my skin is black" is a next-level maneuver, also what is with the album covering having what I presume to be sponsors, but also glazing the "unforgettable" Four Womenl; they got that part right. Artistry is pretty good though. gotta love the wine from the lie-lock tree. This album is really good, I have no serious qualms with it, I thought that it would be 3, but it picks up after the first 2 songs, leaning more into delicate vocals with a masterfully played light and aflight piano. My pre-dispositions against this album made me reluctant to give it a 4, mainly because everything gets a 4 nowadays, but it felt like a disservice giving it anything lower, truly a piece of media of a time. Tangent crashout: it might just be me but why does every Black Women from the 60s/70s on this tracker sound like a man? Crazy premise, but it happened with this album when I first listened to it, and with Joan Armatrading as well. Starting with Armatrading, from the name I thought she was a woman, then I saw the album cover and thought she was a black teenage boy, and her vocals supported this hypothesis. Then I saw her spotify profile, and couldn't draw a solid conclusion. A google search settled it, and I didn't think anything of it until this album. The first song has Simone's deeper vocals contrasted with more feminine background singers within a back-and-forth love song, creating the illusion of a male vocalist. Knowing that both Simone and Armatrading are female breaks the illusion, but you can still picture a man behind the microphone in certain songs. Is it just coincidence that all black women(?) (sample size = 2) from the 1960s are somewhat androgynous in name, voice, and appearance? Is this what republicans feel like when they see a trans person?? Valid crashout? (most certainly not) And on the topic of Joan Armatrading that album should have been a 3
I had this album in college and I fucking loved it. There is maybe not a sexier song than Wild as the wind. Love this album
such an expressive voice. deep and soulful. when she sings the words, you can feel the pain in her voice.
Favorite Track: I Love Your Lovin Ways
Overall her best album, consistent all the way through and with some of her most haunting performances ever.
good, easy listings album
很喜歡女聲的唱腔和聲線給我的感覺，可以很多變卻仍保有非裔歌手的那種渾厚。尤其是聽到「Four women」的時候，就被她多變聲音的情感吸引，讓我更好奇這首歌。看了可詞後就更喜歡這一首。講述故事的口吻，配上四個奴隸制度框架下的四個角色，有溫柔、無奈、無辜、憤怒，特別在最後一段的最後一句讓我印象深刻。
Love
When you lie on the piano I am reminded I am stupid
Simone's voice feels other worldly, haunting and mesmerizing all at once. We as the listeners are kept hanging on her every word, almost like listening to a great story.
Wild are the emotions wrought by the gale-force of Simone's stirring voice.
Nina Simone has such a unique voice, it's captivating. And it's her voice that carries it, it being an album largely of covers. The one song she penned here, "Four Women", is far and away the best. It's a harrowing song, where you can feel the pain in her voice, ending in a massive crescendo. It's these mournful tracks where I think she shines. Fav tracks: Four Women, What Can I Say?, Wild Is the Wind
What a talent and a fantastic album I'd never listened to before. 97 albums in and this might be the best one I've had so far.
Nina is an all time great, but this particular record leaves a feeling of being an incomplete package. Understandable given that its tracks are from the cutting room floor.
First of all, let me clearly state my case that Nina Simone's voice is an otherworldly gem and one of the best musical instruments humanity has ever produced, and if she's not on the Voyager record we have failed as a species. That all said, this sure does sound like a collection of offcuts rather than an album (mostly because it is), and a lot of these songs aren't the kind that really show off her power and emotion. When they are, like the title track and Break Down And Let It All Out, this is great (also Lilac Wine, but my brain rebels at the thought of treating it as anything other than a Jeff Buckley cover), but otherwise...eh. Also I legitimately heard the first "Aunt Sarah" in Four Women as "My name is Ed Sheeran", and even Nina is gonna have trouble coming back from that.
This was not what I was expecting. It completely blew me away, and includes two tracks I thought were originals by Elkie Brookes and David Bowie. The title track made me cry.
Nina Simone has one of those voices that could move you even if she was reading out a recipe for beans on toast - I've never sat and listened to a full album of hers before, and I'm now very glad I did - well worth the listen.
Incredible singer sings great songs
Kæmpe 4er! Jeg blev virkelig ikke skuffet! Endnu engang har Dj Brevet prebbet mig til noget. albummet fik jeg hørt 3 gange, og sangen breakdown and let it all out mange flere gange. Hendes stemme er vild nok når den får lov! Okay... en lille 5er.... Men også kun fordi det her album fik mig til at dykke dybt i hendes diskografi. Feeling good har altid været en favorit for mig! Men anede ikke det var hendes sang, og ikke et original Muse nummer.
Der var nogle fine elementer. Og der var kedelige passager
Honestly was a bit dissapointed, but this was ok as a whole. 2.5/5
too peace, too swing
First listen. Wow!! I have listened to a few Nina records earlier but this might be her best.
Nina Simone albums that are better than this one: - Little Girl Blue (1959) - Pastel Blues (1965) - I Put a Spell on You (1965) - Nina Simone Sings the Blues (1967) - High Priestess of Soul (1967) - Black Gold (1970) - Emergency Ward (1972)
heard already but it is great!
Da je samo four women na albumu zaslužio bi peticu a ima ti još klasika
not my favorite, sorry :')
I cant decide if I like Nina or not. This album got on my nerves by the end and I had to resist skipping songs. Based on that I am giving it a 2-star today.
She's my favourite interpreter of songs by I also wish she had written more like Four Women.
Great vibe. Great vocals. Fantastic album
Nina Simone is to my ears the greatest vocalist to have ever done it and this album is a prime example of that.
Her voice is breath taking.
Fav song: Four Women Beautiful, powerful voice with some amazing and important messages in the 60's. This is my first time listening to a Nina Simone album from start to finish and I see now why she is considered to be legendary.
Never really listened to Nina Simone a whole lot. Definitely a mistake on my part as I really liked this.
Nina Simone is a National treasure.
Fucking tremendous....exactly the record I hope for every time I have to struggle through another The Residents or similar project. Truly breath taking from beginning to end.
Incredible wow
I was flabbergasted when I found out this album was made out of tracks recorded but left over from Nina's previous four albums. It doesn't feel like it is. It may mostly be covers but that doesnt matter; she makes the songs hers. There isn't a bad song in the bunch, with every note packed with clarity, passion and emotional heft. Four Women was a huge hit, but most of them could've been if they'd been picked instead. Lilac Wine made me cry. What else can I add? Tangent: The app needs to stop closing itself when I tab out to check things. I've lost an entire review to it several times. Fave: Lilac Wine Least Fave: Can't pick one, they're all to such good consistent standard. Strong Bad Demerit Count: 0
I already loved Nina Simone. Now I have more to love.
Amazing and beautiful ❤️
Loved a lot of this and definitely made me want to listen to more Nina Simone.
Pretty interesting, especially Four Women. Not sure I’d listen again but what a voice. After hearing her big singles and now this I’d definitely try another album
Perfection. I’ve listened to this album a lot over the weekend. At first I thought it was all about the vocals but the instruments - especially piano- are amazing too. The lyrics are incredible too
I like Supergrass, but to go from 'In It For the Money' to 'Wild is the Wind' is quite the shift. Like going from a battered, old manual Vauxhall Corsa with only FM radio to a slick, automatic 2014 reg Skoda Roomster with an aux socket. Proper all-timer this. Magnificent. 5/5, 10/10, 100/100. Just found out that this is the only Nina Simone album on this list. Aerosmith have three.
Great
Nina had that skill where she could sing to accurately reflect the lyrics and arrangement to fit the mood and emotions be that pain, anger, sorrow, joy or love she nails it every time. I have never heard the track Four Women before : a very powerful, shocking, sad but incredible piece of music.
Dear Nina, I love your loving ways! Thanks, Tim For an album that was compiled from several recordings left over from previous sessions in 1964 and 1965 this feels like a great collection of songs. This was the first album of Nina Simone I have bought and I have played in many many times on dark and moody evenings. Absolutely stunning and I love every single song.
I love her uptempo stuff, but the slow ballad stuff is not my bag. She's amazingly talented, and I'm always happy to listen to more of her catalog. However, after the first three tracks here this album veered into an area where I have difficulty enjoying.
Nina Simone is a great singer/songwriter, some of the songs feel too short for how good they are. Mid 4.
This is a great album! Nina Simone is one the great American singers ever. “(T)he euphoria pulsing through her voice spoke for itself. Simone could channel every facet of lived experience.”1 What a voice! Do yourself a favor, find this record and listen to it and enjoy it. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-wild-is-the-wind-by?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Amazing voice. Only really know a few of the hits before this one. Solid album.
Wonderful. Amazing. Other level.
This lady has such an interesting vocal tone, and the songs are great blues/jazz songs. Very creative for those times. I liked this a lot.
Albumi #107, 12.11.2024 Blues-/soul-/jazzlaulajattaren kuudes albumi ilmestyi vuonna 1966. Albumin kappaleita on coveroinut mm David Bowie (Wild is the Wind) sekä Jeff Buckley (Lilac Wine).
low 5
Wild Is the Wind by Nina Simone is raw, soulful, and haunting. Her voice draws you in, making each song feel deeply personal and unforgettable.
Yes, Miss Simone!
Passion that nobody can ignore and strength that nobody can deny.
I've never been a fan of her voice. Boring album.
While not my style, her emotion and voice are stunning...
Not bad. Not really my thing.
Good :) amazing voice
This is a great album really caught me off guard the first time I listened
Unique voice, its 50/50 feminine and masculine, its beautiful
Smooth, sometimes haunting, vocals. Nice mellow soul.
Not really into music today so I'll try to keep my thoughts short (though Nina deserves eulogizing far more than I'm capable of right now). It's entirely possible "Four Women" will be the best song I discuss on this whole journey. I've always been arrested by its sultry atmosphere, describing the struggles of womanhood from the perspectives of four women. It was famously sampled in Jay-Z's Story of O.J. by No I.D., which helped expose a new generation (me) to the music of Nina. For that I am forever grateful, as it's an incredible piece of music from an unmatched performer in the world of soul music. The rest of the album doesn't slouch either: it may not be as high profile as Pastel Blues, but I think I prefer it. As much as I love Jeff Buckley's Grace (which is hopefully on this list as well), Nina's version of Lilac Wine is so much better. 8/10
Easy listen
Such a beautiful album. Nina Simone is a legend. Lilac wine is such a beautiful song!
What is there to say? It's Nina Simone. She is everything that is great about humanity. A treasure.
I was eager to listening to this album because David Bowie's rendition of "Wild Is The Wind" is one of my all-time favorite songs. It is a great album, and Nina's voice sounds flawless, but unfortunately many songs don´t quite live up to the expectations.
enchanting
It's the best, full of longing and anger
Nina Simone's voice is very commanding and demands the listeners attention. The instrumentation is grand and the swells add to the emotion of the singing and lyrics well. Some parts are a bit hokey, e.g. "my name is Peaches." Probably not very fair considering this was released in 1966 but it doesn't flow very well as an album, and some songs just abruptly stop which is quite jarring Highlights: I Love Your Lovin' Ways
Objectively good but not my style. She has a strange voice, but is very good on the piano.
Really enjoyed this. Borderline 3/4 for me. Could've gone either way.
This is definitely for someone it’s just not for me. When I give something a 2 it means it has merit for someone but to me this was mostly a slog and again not for me. Her voice is hit or miss with my ears. The vibrato is a bit much.
First time listening to Nina Simone in any capacity. Strange that an album full of outtakes and leftovers is considered not only some of her best work, but one of the essential albums in music history. Needless to say, it is a pretty diverse record. While the piano chops standout, the songs are nothing to write home about, maybe save for the opening and closing tracks. For all the hype “Four Women” gets, the song is not even the strongest on this album. Side two gets particularly dreadful. I give her props for pronouncing “Lilac” the correct way.
In college a boyfriend handed me a couple of Nina Simone albums to listen to (not this one). We were at the end of the relationship, I had grown increasingly uncomfortable with him around, so when I played the first album I was subconsciously set against it. I hated it. Never bothered with the second album. Years later, when the idea of him just didn’t matter anymore, I played the album again. I was blown away. The power, energy, anger, and most of all, beauty in Nina Simone’s voice has stayed with me ever since. I come back to her music frequently and there’s always something new to hear in it.
I adore Nina Simone. This album has some knockouts, but because it is a compilation of sorts it has some uneven moments to me that perhaps wouldn’t be there or noticed as much were this a regular studio album.
Not bad
Mediocre songwriting and limited arrangements hamper an otherwise talented vocalist. There’s a lot better music in this timeframe.
8/10
# Playlist track - Lilac Wine # Notes - An absolute delight! - "Lilac Wine" and "Wild is the wind" are both songs that I love and never realized were covers. Super cool to listen to the original versions.
FANTASTIC
Her piano playing is incredible and the mix of genres, keeps things interesting. There were a few times when I was ready for the song to end, but all in all, great stuff. Will be in rotation and looking to purchase on vinyl.
Nina Simone's singing and playing is extremely soulful. A lot of great tracks here, can't really go wrong with any of Nina Simone's output from this era.
Compilation of dropped songs.
Sensazionale. Una voce unica, complessa e variopinta, e poi che piano raga
non so cosa dire, sono senza parole. è delicato e potente e melanconico e mille altre cose tutte insieme. ha veramente una voce che pare una carezza della mamma prima di andare a dormire. meraviglioso, mille stelle su cinque.
Brava, ha spaccato
Enjoyed this one a lot! Listened to it on my way back to Webb from NJ.
- Passionate and enthralling, with incredibly relevant lyrics and almost painful expression. - Wanted to rate this even higher, but some of the tracks eventually begin to sound like a singular, non-distict mass.
Really good.
She's the bomb diggity.
Legend
New one for me, I may have heard Nina Simone in passing but didn’t recognize any of the top Spotify tracks.. I feel like I probably missed some civil rights masking in the lyrics but it was pretty enjoyable. 3.5/5 but rounding up
it was ok. prefer other stuff from her and only about 5 things. was still good to experience but won't be happening again.
Great voice nice round
A beautiful voice. An interesting album
It is very good and I would happily listen anytime, but it isn't enough to my personal taste to put it on that next level
Well now then, this was a bit of a surprise. Not exactly what I expected, but then what did I expect? I don't really know. Certainly what I didn't expect was to like this as much as I did. And to hear some 'original'(?) versions of track I know quite well was really interesting. I can totally understand what drove Bowie and Elkie Brooks to want to cover the title track and the stunning 'Lilac Wine'. Though I do wish Ms Simone would stop singing 'Ly-lock wine'. Now then' the important bit. Would I buy it? As part of a multi-disc deal, probably. Points wise....... I believe it just, and only just, scrapes in as a 4.
I can respect it, but it’s not my thing really
Not a fan of her voice or arrangements. I expected better from such an icon.
Masterful. Not as showstopping as the previous year’s “Pastel Blues” but an incredible album nonetheless
Wild Is the Wind
I didn't even get through the whole album before deciding this was 5 stars. Nina Simone's voice literally gives me goosebumps, true ASMR. It's amazing that these are essentially throw away B sides. I need to explore everything she's ever done now.
All over the place style-wise, but some good stuff.
Nina can sing but just not really my cup of tea. A bit too slow for my liking.
what a fantastic way to start this challenge!! I have not listened to a lot of nina simone beyond her most well known songs, and I’m not a huge early jazz/soul listener in general, but WOW her voice is so gorgeously powerful and iconic, this record was a joy the whole way through. there’s a few tracks I didn’t save and I may not revisit on their own, but they’re all beautiful as a collective and a couple did make their way into some of my playlists. some stand-out tracks for me were “i love your lovin ways”, “that’s all i ask”, and “break down and let it all out” i also love the album cover - what a fab pink 🩷
Hyvää laulantaa, mutta ei tee mieli kuunnella toistamiseen. Ei minua varten.
Wonderful album. I loved it.
She's got it 4.1
I want to give this queen five stars because of her legacy and impact on the music industry. But I found most of this album somewhat difficult to listen to. Maybe it's just not my style? I feel some kind of way that I like the white-man-covers of two of these songs better than her originals.
I cried...
A nice breath of fresh air from everything else. Smooth and chilled out. Good instrumentation and vocals.
Chad. A couple boring songs at the end but pretty great overall. Awesome voice.
Fine but a bit dull
Niet mijn stijl maar wel mooi
Well, wow. Started pleasantly enough, but eh vocal jazz, maybe boring, but hey, Nina Simone, alright, right? and then Bam, "Four Women" switching gears into calling for my attention and by the time "Lilac Wine" played I was IN. Hit me right between the eyes. Profound, gorgeous, wonderful record. Been playing this all day. Sublime. 20 stars.
Great album, great voice
Yes - everyone should listen to some Nina at some point. She certainly belongs on the list.
3 stars
Pure voice over a bit of jazz piano is always good. The album gets verrrrrrryyy slow down the end. I remember my parents listening to Nina Simone through the early 70s, this album doesn’t hold up to time, comes in at (2.4*s) for me.
Nina Simone is a recognizable name in the jazz world but I found this to be a bit boring, even with her unique voice and tone. It's slow, dated, and a little too gospel-theater for me. The only take away was finally placing the sample from "The Story of OJ" by Jay-Z (it's from "Four Women"). The title track is one of the worst on here and the cover art is a flop. Low 1.35.
I have heard the name many times and finally got a listen. Nina has a voice that is hard to tell if it's feminine or masculine. I did not particularly like this album but I guess for its simplicity it sits somewhere in music history? The fact that it is a compilation of previously unreleased songs means it could have remained an unreleased album and I would be fine with that. Makes me think Simone must have other albums on the list just cause I know she's known in the biz. His album though...1.2.
Another example of dated jazz blues from a bygone era. I wish there was more to this but it was mostly just an old frog woman crooning over simple piano and bass lines for 40 minutes. There are some vocal sections that I couldn't put a finger on from Nina that were somewhat compelling at the start. A couple jauntier tunes show up that I enjoyed but unfortunately it quickly goes back to slow, slow, sloooow bad lounge music especially on the back half. I wanted to like this and tried to keep an open mind but after 40 minutes I was so ready to be done with it. 1.25 stars
This is one sophisticated lady. Glad to learn about this album.
Unbelievable. Will be listening to this over and over again. Her voice is the most vulnerable and delicate, yet moving thing I have ever heard
Cmonnnnn four women goated song
Beautiful stuff really, if a little one paced and at times dull. You can quite easily lose yourself in her voice though, and when she really draws on it, such as during the brilliant Four Women, it's fantastic.
Some good songs
powerful and beautiful! not my thing to listen to unfortunately. can appreciate the artistry
Good album with some good tracks, nothing too special tho. 6/10
Powerful voice. Great sounding recording. Her voice is deeper and more masculine than I expected. Sounds good, just surprised.
What a hauntingly beautiful album. Nina’s voice is so unique and makes me feel like I’m sitting back watching a live performance at a speak easy. The piano, the vocals, just everything is beautiful.
Was Ok
Solid 4 4 women Wild is the wind I love your lovin ways
Love this album
Okay- it was fine, easy listening, but I don’t know that it made me feel anything. None of the tracks grabbed my attention and it took me a minute to release it was over- meaning I had turned it out.
Pretty great stuff. Love Bowie and his cover of Wild is The Wind always blows me away. I had actually never heard the original. So this was great.
Very haunting melancholic album- I thought the piano was very beautiful but the pacing was a little slow. Definitely brings you down -particularly thinking about how sad Nina Simone's life was, but undoubtedly stirring.
There's something about Nina Simone's voice that fills me with dread. It's etherial and otherworldy. Listening: In cold wet autumn Favourite Track: Wild is Wind
4.5
All a bit samey. Come on girl, liven it up a little. Light and shade; light and shade.
Really good, Story of OJ sample
Give this a listen before you make your judgement, That’s All I Ask.
This is a gem. Put the headphones on, close your eyes, and let Nina take you away Although Jeff Buckley still does the best version of Lilac Wine that I've heard
boring
nina simone não decepciona nunca
Um blues e um jazz nesse nível é gostosin do mai puta merda. Da até vontade de me apaixonar de novo celoko.
chiquérrimo esse aqui. muito calmo pra mim, mas é bom pra quem quer ficar quietinho.
Some heart wrenching lyrics. Soulful, moving and everlasting.
So beautiful. I've listened to this before but it was great to actually sit and focus on the album. Would absolutely listen again.
Hard to argue with the fact that Nina is one of the most iconic voices of the 20th century. I thought this album lacked some more upbeat material, favourites were Lilac Wine and the live cut of Black Is The Colour Of My True Love's Hair. 6/10.
Realize it’s a supposed classic and appreciate her passionate voice, but fiund it a bit boring
Not for me
one of the greatest jazz singers to ever do it. loved the sparse production on this. just nina simone and her piano. no filler, an incredibly solid body of work
Just a devastating voice. Imagine walking into a dark theater on a cold night and hearing something like this in person. Imagine if you were the only listener in the room. Your soul would leave your body.
Nina left us so much. god bless you, Nina. Literally a force of nature. Not really the sort of artist I think of for albums, but this is beautiful throughout. Such range, and it flows so well. Also one or two great songs I didn't know.
My dad likes it
Nice vocals and nice singing, I can appreciate the artist’s talent. Just a bit slow for me.
Wer auf liebevoll bis kleinste Detail gestaltete und arrangierte Songs, wird hier bestens bedient. Mit Kopfhörern wird man noch mehr bereichert. Immer erscheint irgendwo ein zusätzliches Instrument, liebevoll und sanft oder fertig und überraschend. Die Stimme von Nina Simone ist derart vielfältig und wandelbar. So schön.
What a geat album. I am really happy that Four Women is now a song in my music library. Really amazing!
Powerful and meaningful and all around great excellent. But ultimately wasn’t my jam.
Not my cup of tea at all
Just fucking timeless
It's a delightful voice to listen to, and I'm glad for the challenge to have been educated and experienced it. But boy, did this one drag on. I really liked the upbeat bluesy rock'n'roll of I Love Your Lovin' Ways but the rest of the album slowed down to an almost pedestrian tempo and I found it far too slow and sad.
Has some powerful and brave songs mixed with some more broadly appealing ones. A good view of Simone’s range and complexity.
Whole lot more gooey daddy/baby singing than one would expect or hope for from Simone. Some good songs here but it’s also a somewhat disparate collection.
Listening to Lilac Wine by Nina feels like hearing the universe sigh! Buckley just turned up the echo.
Really not my thing.
I have heard a few of these songs sampled before, it’d a very sad album
Amazing
3.5
Nina Simone's voice takes a little getting used to, but once it hits, man, it really hits. One of the coolest, most soulful, and most distinctive singing vocals of the 60s. The lyrics in these songs are also great. The three-track run of Four Women, What More Can I Say?, and Lilac Wine is especially strong in terms of both lyrics and musical hooks to back them up. So, in a rare turn of events, the weak point in the album is actually the instrumental. There's a lot of piano, and it's all played in one particular register that gets a little stale after the first twenty minutes or so. (The piano on the track Four Women, though, is fantastic – partially for being beautiful/bluesy, and partly for just being near the beginning of the album.) The percussion is present, but never quite in satisfying quantities. I think the soul and drama in these compositions should be complemented by an equally dramatic instrumental section (think muted crashes, more strings, and so on) – but it's not *quite* there. 4/5 Key tracks: Four Women, What More Can I Say?, Lilac Wine, Wild Is The Wind
high priestess of soul for a reason
Gorgeous.
Yeah this was pretty good. Four Women is powerful. 3.18
I mean, this is one of those albums that just makes you think, Wow. I enjoyed the atmosphere it created. The way it made me listen to its intent. A lot to like here. Benjamin Clementine must surely be a HUGE fan. How much power there is in honesty and pure emotion. Wild is the Wind. Great stuff, quite honestly.
She was a force of nature and a remarkable artist. Brilliant pianist, great songwriter across styles, great voice, and an outspoken activist. At times she seemed and sounds a bit crazy but nothing wrong with that! Not heard this album before but glad I have now. So many great songs and a lot of variety. To mix something so strong and important as 'Four Women' with beautiful jazz numbers and soulful r&b like the opening track and closer 'Either Way I Lose' is really cool. Will come back to this again. Such an enjoyable listen.
Wow I love moments like this! ‘Four Women’ is sampled in a Jay Z song from 2016 titled ‘The Story of OJ’. I highly credit Hip Hop for getting me into Soul music like this - and I love learning about the connections between the two. ‘What More Can I Say?’ is great, I bet Muse wish they wrote this. Really see inspiration from these soul singers in some of their slower songs. ‘Lilac Wine’! I love the Jeff Buckley version. This is good too. Overall I like the atmosphere and how it is recorded. The band is awesome and Nina Simone is even better. Something however does stop this from being something I see myself regularly returning to. This made me want to listen to Bridges by Gil Scott Heron.. can’t believe it’s not on Spotify anymore :(
I listened to this with Jess on the drive back from Northampton and we enjoyed this. Good songs and a great voice. Did get a bit tedious towards the end of the album, but still solid.
Wow. Just wow. This is why I signed up. I was blown away by Nina Simone’s voice, the emotion and the arrangements. During the first track, I Love Your Lovin’ Ways, I had to stop what I was doing and sit down to deliberately hear this album and soak it in. Give it a listen. You won’t regret it.
This, much like "Lilac Wine", is sweet and heady, and packs a literal punch. Just so overwhelming at times, its just unbelievable that this was leftovers from other sessions for previous albums.
really liked What More Can I Say. Seems like an album to cry to.
Who doesn't like Nina Simone? What a voice. You sort of have to be in the right mood for this, but it really hits when you are. Lilac Wine is an absolute gem of a song. Beautiful and sad and well written and everything you could want. A great relaxing album to throw on in the background. Not completely mind blowing but it's definitely an album to play every so often. 3.5/5.
Nina Simone is amazing. I’m not sure this is my favourite album but it was a great listen.
Incredibly powerful… to also then read that these are leftovers from other sessions is astonishing. A essential listen.
Probably better live
obviously nina simone could sing the phone book and it would be a transformative experience, but extra praise must be given to the various recording lineups here. they create an unassumingly diverse spread of sound that nina effortlessly matches...her chops span so many genres and idioms. and yet somehow this is still so aesthetically cohesive...heartrending and mystical ect ect. im very very sick rn so idk how to string words together but i feel like this is potentially one of the best things ive ever heard
The live songs at the end saved it a bit. Up until that point it was repetitive and largely boring.
I wish there was more Nina Simone on this list, and I’m honestly shocked that there isn’t. There’s moments on Wild is The Wind that are no less than transcendent; the run from “Four Women” to “That’s All I Ask” is truly untouchable. Simone had such a unique, singular voice, literally and figuratively, and the stark, sparse songs that let that voice shine with just her and a piano showcase why Nina Simone is still so goddamn powerful. But there’s other parts of this record that just feel….like fluff? The more trad-r&b songs, like “I Love Your Lovin' Ways” and “Either Way I Lose,” feel really cheap standing next to some of the most powerful social commentary in music history. And then there’s songs like the title track or “Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair,” which are complex and noteworthy, but also dense, and are very hard to digest. For the majority of Side B, I honestly find Simone’s deeper register more distracting than engaging, which doesn’t help me fully fall in love with this record overall. To me, Wild is The Wind is a 50/50 split. What’s annoying is that I *know* I like other Simone records. I know I like I Put a Spell on You and …Sings the Blues and would consider both stronger listens front-to-back, and that’s excluding at least 3 other records in her back catalog that are equally revered. I’m not saying I need 6 Nina Simone albums on this list, but given her influence, it feels strange to only acknowledge her once with what may be her spottiest record. The highs are mountain tops, but the lows are either deserts that do her style a disservice, or canyons that take years to descend. Truthfully, it wouldn’t be my pick for this list, and I feel like it’s a weak representation of her talent, despite its best moments.
On one level, this is a transcendent listen. There's so much beauty and pain in that vibrato of hers. Just perfect songs of longing and love. That said, it's almost TOO much. By the end, the vibe was almost too much for me to handle. I ended up pulling up on the last song because it was jangling my nerves and heart too much. But it's gorgeous just the same.
Generally not a fan of the groove-type songs and the trill-y type singing which Nina does A LOT of. And even though I found many of the songs to be quite sad, I enjoyed the jazzier ones regardless.
It's a quality album and Simone's performances are great, but this is a style and vibe I know I'd rarely find myself in the mood for. I was caught off guard but delighted by the "My name is... PEACHES!" ending to "Four Women" though. Giving this 3 stars as a matter of personal taste but it deserves its spot among the 1,001 Albums.
I don’t love Nina Simone’s voice. I wanna listen this album and maybe understand why people love that. But sorry, for me it’s 1
Not my style. Reminded me alot of the jungle book soundtrack for some reason.
I enjoyed this far more than I expected. If all you know of her is "Feeling Good", I think you'll be pleasantly surprised to find that that's nowhere near her best work.
Not bad, not great
Solid. Didn’t listen as actively as I could have. Liked it!
absolute beauty
Album 516 of 1001 Nina Simone - Wild Is The Wind (1966) Rating : 3 / 5 One of the early ones on the list. Hard to compare to modern album oriented music. It is a listening experience. One to check out if you haven't.
It is an album of all time
Makes me feel like Johnathan majors, made me very introspective. This album is filled with soul and feels very mature. Its a more indepth dive into the mind of a developed woman which is a big change from how young women populate the music industry. Feels very raw emotionally . Instrumentation feels like it has a soul of its own and is also speaking to me . Matches the tone of her words well.
Don’t know where but I felt like I’ve heard her name before…..prolly in a song. But the album is actually pretty good, I really enjoyed it. I think my grandma probably knows who she is and listened to her too, I should ask her. The longer I listen to her the more she reminds me of this song “Just to Keep You Satisfied” by Marvin Gaye, I wonder if they worked together.
The only thing I knew about this album is the song "Lilac Wine", which I first heard as the Buckley cover. I quickly grew to like Nina's version more. And after a few listens I got into a few other songs: Four Women, That's All I Ask, Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair, Either Way I Lose. I can see a pretty straight shot from Nina to other artists I like, e.g. Amy Winehouse, Lauryn Hill.
Grading a bit on a curve, since it would be easy to argue her singular voice warrents a 5 alone. But, I didn't feel this is the best collection of song, leaning too much into slow ballads to really showcase her range.
Her voice, her heartbreak - just so good. There are very few lulls on this excellent album - 'Why Keep on Breaking My Heart' has a bit of 60s lounge cheesiness to it but every other song has the seeds of every story-teller songwriter to come after her: Tracy Chapman, Bruce Springsteen, Amy Winehouse, and on.
Not a bad album buy didn't prefer it over another of hers recommended here.
one of those intrinsically perfect things. maybe you could make the argument that there's too many slow solo piano songs in a row or the soul songs are a weird contrast to the jazzier and more serious songs, but it'd be a bad argument and a wrong one too -- i'm disgusted that i even had to make up an argument against Wild is the Wind. "too many slow piano songs" you mean "Lilac Wine"? or "Four Women"? get out. it's an indisputable classic. nina simone was a god among her fellow man and i don't trust anyone who doesn't like her. sorry. actually, no i'm not sorry. if you don't like nina simone, take some time out of your personal life and try to figure out why. pin down a reason or get a doctor's note or something.
Another album which I have to rate not to reflect my own musical tastes but to reflect the fact that the artist is very significant and deserving to be on this list. That said there is a lot of music on this album which appeals to me more than it would have when released. My tastes have matured to appreciate all types of music and there is no doubt this is a very good album. 3/5 21/8/24
Very heartfelt and lyrical. I like the groove and message on Four Women and the jazzy feel of a few songs. To me though, sonically, it is definitely a product of its time, and i don't particularly feel it tries to do much new, especially considering other albums that were coming out at this time. 3.5/5
A solid listen.
Gorgeous stuff. Maybe a little too depressing at the end but hey, who the fuck am I to comment.
Just not my sound
Highlights: Four Women, That’s All I Ask, Black Is The Colour of My True Love’s Hair. In a nutshell: thoughtfully arranged, diverse, powerful. I can understand why Warren Ellis was enchanted by Nina Simone. Brilliant pianist, warm yet gracefully commanding vocalist. Nina sounds like she’s giving it her all with each track, each take. The backing musicians (especially the horns) are excellent. There is an absence of flow to the tracking but it’s a small complaint. Regardless, it’s good. Overall: 7/10
too gloomy for August, a bit boring, but pleasantly atmospheric, feels a bit like Venetian Snares in autumn (yet less energetic)
Jeff Buckleyn Lilac Wine on näköjään cover tältä levyltä. Sielukasta jazzia ja aika rauhallista. Parhaat: Lilac Wine, I Love Youe Loving Ways, Either Way I Lose
Best lekker
I mean come on
Everything she does is elegant and silky-smooth, but with a secret fist hiding behind it, ready to punch you in the face when necessary.
Singers like Mariah Carey should take note: having a powerful voice is about more than just singing scales. You can feel Simone’s pain, heartache, outrage, and strength pouring out of even my tinny phone speaker. Amazing!
Melancholia for its own sake is not for me, but these songs have purpose. Especially powerful are “Four Women,” “Lilac Wine,” and “Either Way I Lose.” These songs may have been castoffs from her other albums, but there is a respect given to each one that’s worth a listen.
I know it's heretical, but I don't love Nina's singing that much. There are times when she sounds amazing, but taken as a whole, it's just not for me. Not a knock on her talent, which is obvious. Just another talented person that doesn't appeal to me in particular that much. End of disclaimer.
I always found Nina Simone to be greatly overrated. Not as bombastic as a soul singer as Aretha Franklin, and not as sophisitcated a jazz singer as Ella Fitzgerald or Billie Holiday. Also, something about her persona is off-putting to me, not quite sure what it is. Still, there is great and undeniable talent at play in her music. Key tracks: Four Women Lilac Wine Wild Is the Wind
I'm not totally sure what to say about this. It's totally not my style, and I really didn't enjoy it. It's just so archaic and so different from what I'm looking for. I think she's supposed to be an ace singer, but to my ear she's just OK - she's got a very smooth voice, but doesn't show a ton of range or emotion. I think that's just her style. I think this CD probably does a fine job of doing what it set out to do.
Nice to hearSongs that got sampled in different ways these days. And Nina Simones Voice is really unique and special. liked her energy but to me not her best work yet! 3.5/5.0
wahnsinnige stimme! und wenn man weiss, dass sie dazu piano selber spielte! mir gefallen einige songs, bar&lounge-tauglich.
Ist mir etwas zu bluesig.
Impressive and unusual voice but this was a bit depressing, not my fave.
Nice album to hear at home in a cold day.
nina simone has the ability to captivate me with her songwriting and keep me hooked for the entirety of her albums. i feel enlightened after listening to her, as if i’ve reached a higher state of being. i love this woman.
Very unique voice that fits this music well. It moved me.
Love her voice! Gorgeous. Didn’t listen the whole album but will come back! Will give it a 3 for now since I can’t really say.
I appreciate it this album for its significance. I am very glad that I listen to it. However, although Nina Simone is incredible. I have heard other material of hers that I liked more. This album was actually intentionally created to be a sampling of her different styles and strengths and unfortunately for me it made the record a bit jumbled and disjointed.
Love Nina Simone. This is a pretty solid album overall, with no real duds. Wild is the Wind and Lilac Wine are both iconic.
I feel like this random algorithm knows more than we think because it’s a rainy ass day, I’m sitting in an Uber staring out the window and this was the perfect album for this moment. This album is beautiful, her voice is beautiful, 5 stars for a legend!
Very good voice. Good album.
Honestly Simone should’ve been given more chances to actually write songs as four women is really the best track on here, lilac wine is great too, I prefer Jeff Buckleys version but this is honestly brilliant. Wild is the wind is also cool, maybe a tad too long in my opinion but it’s cool. The rest is alright not my kinda thing but I appreciate it.3/5
could i write poetry to this? n
Every time I listen to Nina Simone, I realize that I don’t listen to enough Nina Simone
Really enjoyed this album, just quality music. Ended up listening like 3x in a row. The piano was really a standout for me I was blown away on If I Should Lose You and Lilac Wine. Nina always brings really impactful music and lyrics that cut deep to the listener. I'm a big fan. Rating - 4.2.
Style was good. Her voice wasn’t easy on the ears though.
Great album - not something I would naturally have sought out to listen. Some tracks are more interesting than others. Soulful singing and settings which perfectly encapsulate the '60s.
Really lovely while also thought provoking. Perfect rainy day album.
A little slow for me. Lilac wine was the song I liked the most
Barely feels like an album with how frequently it changes modes (perhaps that turned me off a touch a few months back), but that grew on me immensely this time around. Beautiful work start to finish.
I love Nina’s voice. I could listen to her all day. Every song is lovely
Four Women was haunting. What More Can I Say? was beautiful, as was Lilac Wine. I think i want to go back and relisten to this a few more times. Nina Simone's voice is so powerful, it infuses her music with deep sentimentality and emotion. She's truly incredible. I don't think I'll go back to casually listen to many of these songs but I'm so glad I heard them!
So so
Beautiful and rich. The fact that it is so sampled speaks volumes. So good to hear.
Amazing voice, emotional vibes. What an icon.
Enchanting and oddly haunting. It feels like a vinyl found in the back of a bombed-out diner, coated in a thick layer of dust but still playable.
Really haunting. This draws me in and it's hard to drag myself away. Incredibly powerful, and like other great jazz singers of her era, a wild dynamic range. Moving from quiet to loud in the space of a couple syllables brings that majestic, epic feel. Like an ocean wave, you float in the warm sea, get lifted up, and as more and more turbulence spins up, you get pulled away against your own power and pulled onto the beach, slightly afraid but in awe at the same time. Her piano playing is something special. Lilac Wine is a killer, her voice and the piano combine to create something unusual, astonishing. I've never heard anything like this before. It was interesting, the day I heard this, Donald Trump was interviewed at the National Association of Black Journalists. He was trying to talk about how Kamala Harris identified as Indian, but all of a sudden she's Black. Trying to divide us all, again. Disgusting. Then I heard the song Four Women, the song about black women's identity, possibly the struggle of this. Something I know nothing about. Sorry that Trump's shitty little ideas still exist and I'm sorry Nina Simone didn't have more impact on American culture. It's telling that this is the first time I've really heard anything by her, a 20th century middle-class white guy.
Powerful, emotional, and almost an earthy rawness are the best ways to describe this album. The restraint in the vocal performance really highlights the gravity of each song. And each song has moving and thought-provoking lyrics that really made this an all around excellent listen. Truly profound. Top tracks: Four Women, Lilac Wine, Wild Is The Wind
Cant not love her voice but doesnt compare to my enjoyment of her "sings the blues" album
absolute perfection
Some of the most gorgeous songs ever performed on here, are you kidding!
Her voice is truly astounding and the lyrics and accompaniments really just knock this thing way out of the park
Always been in awe of this one, incredibly powerful stuff... this album has sadly become a bit tainted in my brain because of the Jay-Z song that samples Four Women but then subsequently the beat of that Jay-Z song being used for that Pusha T song where he exposes Drake for having a child...
I know her. Excited to listen to some Nina. Solid jazz music. She is legendary.
3.4 1x very good, just not quite my style. catchup 11/15/2024
Amazing
Good but I’m not gonna pretend I loved it
Oh yeah heard this one before. It's funny some of the songs occupy space in my head as this huge band performance when some of them may only be her voice and one instrument, cause she can do so much with just a few elements. I don't know I'm talking shit it's really beautiful ok!!
Noteworthy songs - 808080808 Magical Dream - Kinda catchy synth, but the rest is bland. Ancodia - Good background noise. Cobra Bora - Actually kind of cool, reminds me of Bomberman Hero. Pacific 202 - N64 vibes, but melody isn't great. Donkey Doctor - Nothing too special, weird ending. 808080808 - Really cool beginning. A little slow in the middle but stays interesting enough. Sunrise - Nothing remarkable. The Fat Shadow - Eerie. Very short.