Reviews (page 5 of 8)
beautiful voice. lot of the same. probably wouldn't listen again
Zuviele Instrumente, sogar Streicher... ansonsten mag ich BH sehr.
Not a huge fan of vocal jazz. Less so from the 50’s. Billie is deservedly a highly acclaimed vocalist, but this album is not the best example in my opinion.
I liked this album. 6/10 Favourite track - I’ll be around
I really wish I could enjoy this type of music but to me it all sounds the same and gets boring eventually. Her voice is beautiful though.
It's okay, but a little too background-y for me to have a strong opinion on it.
p38. 1958. 3 stars. Wonderful voice and inflection, let down by substandard material and syrupy arrangements. Not her best work, but a good introduction to the talent.
I enjoyed this more than I expected to for an album from such a long time ago. It’s actually pretty good and you can see how influential it was for many artists.
I can't listen to her without thinking of David Sedaris. her voice is definitely one of a kind. I want her to get a little more excited? feels very languid. but Not bad.
Elokuvamaista tunnelmaa kokkailun taustalle
no disrespect to billie but i just can't get into it
Having not heard much of Billie Holiday before, she certainly has a signature voice. Almost Louie Armstrong-like in a way, but in female form. Reading up more on the album tells me that this was released pretty late in her career, and her voice had changed (for better or worse) after years of alcohol and drug abuse. I can see how her voice would turn many off from this album's listening experience. The rhythmic phrasing is definitely there, so I can see why Holiday is a revered jazz vocalist. As for the content itself, everything felt a bit...samey? I guess that's more of a product of its time, as love was generally the singular theme for these sorts of slower, vocal jazz pieces. Hardly any of these 12 songs felt that distinctive from one another, I hate to say. This just makes me a tad bit curious to listen to Holiday's previous work, though.
Not really my bag not stood the test of time however appreciate the voice and the musicianship.
3/5 pretty good
I'm a Fool to Want You sets the tone for this very melancholy album. It's an end-of-career album from a great singer who has lived a hard life.
I remember when Len Houmous pitched a TV show in 1971. It was a travel show ‘Billie Holiday’s’…..he proposed Billie Holiday presented it! He didn’t realise she died in 59. How embarrassing! 2.8
Good album, good music. I know Billie Holiday has phenomenal vocal skills but I am not a HUGE fan of her voice. I enjoyed the listen though.
3.1 Billie obviously has a terrific voice and and Ive never listened to this album before. It was interesting to hear her vocals sounding a bit weathered. I thought the orchestra was loud in the mix
It was good. Billie has a beautiful voice and her accompaniment was great too. Just not my thing, but to each their own.
No one has a voice like Billie: raspy but elegant; melodic but personal. She lived a hard life and the struggle comes through in her music. I can’t say that I had a favorite song on this album, but I respected the album as a collective unit. This is not dinner-with-the-fam or play-at-a-party kinda album. Instead, it’s more of a headphones in a dark room with a glass of Merlot or whiskey and let the day melt away album. It’s a classic.
Random thoughts: * This was pleasant to my ears. I liked the trombone solos throughout. * I swear if you played me random 15 second clips of any of the songs I wouldn't be able to distinguish or name them. * I honestly couldn't tell you any of Billie Holiday's top songs. But somehow I know the name automatically and know she is a famous singer. How did she permeate culture without people knowing the art? * I read about Billie Holiday and especially the end of her life. So sad. Drugs and alcohol. Seemed like she was revered though by other musicians.
How this record fits in the context of Billie Holiday's legacy is noteworthy, but this album didn't do all that much for me on just the merits of what was recorded
Too sleepy.
I liked it, but it all sounded very similar
Vibesy. Overall pleasant music but not really my genre
same old same old doesn’t mean it was bad tho
Pre-listening thoughts: hip hip hooray for album #250! And what better way to welcome my next round of 50 than with miss Billie Holiday. Voice of an angel. Post/during listening thoughts: I understand that this is the 50s and production isn’t great back then and maybe I didn’t notice this in other 50s albums but why can I hear her saliva when she opens and closes her mouth. It’s all I can focus on. But anyways this is pretty normal 50s jazz. I know Billie Holiday is culturally important but this particular album doesn’t feel like it has her culturally important moments. It just feels like another 50s jazz album of standard covers. It’s also just incredibly downtempo, vs like Ella Fitzgerald or Frank Sinatra had really upbeat songs along with ballads. This is like all ballads. And they’re all the same tempo. I cannot tell any of these songs apart. It’s not bad, just like mush. 5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no Fav tracks: I Get Along Without You Very Well Least fav tracks: didn’t dislike any of it but I’d be lying if I said I could distinguish these songs
Good album. Jazz with a great lady singer. Not my thing 1001 album worthy: Yes - 61/112
Female crooner? Croaky voice, gentle drums and strings
This is a bit of a difficult album for me. I like Billie Holiday, a lot, but this isn't her best work. Her upper register seems to have weakened over the years and the songs themselves aren't her best work. It's not bad, but if I was pointing someone towards a Billie Holiday album it wouldn't be this one. For that, I'd always suggest "Lady Sings the Blues".
I was excited to listen to some Billie Holiday but why this album? Any of her earlier jazz works are better and much more interesting. (I love her stuff featuring Lester Young). I suppose this lush, easy-listening orchestral music was popular in the 50's and a lot of jazz artists recorded this type of album "with strings" but I was never fond of this type of music. (One exception, Art Pepper's Winter Moon) Billie makes it work but at the same time it kind of doesn't. Her voice and style of singing are much better suited elsewhere.
A cliche it may be but it remains undeniably true. They just not make records like this anymore
Perfect album to have on in the background during dinner, there's no real shift in tempo from one song to the next, the songs tend to sound the same, her voice is excellent. Unlikely to listen to this in full again.
3.4
Billie Holiday has such a unique delivery/style. It's iconic, and it fits really well with the orchestration. But also she adds so much flourish that there's something almost comical/caricature'ish about it. Still, I like it as background music.
Beautiful (if dated) production and vocals, only undermined by the sameness in tempo and subject matter from song to song.
pretty good, a lot of songs sound very similar
Really nice!
Her voice has this sandy quality that I don't particularly love. Not to say she's a bad singer but the tone isn't for me.
Billie is one of the greats. However, is it too much to ask for at least one song over 100 BPM?
Hun har en flot og ikke alt for "pæn" stemme, der er god kontrast til lidt for fine produktion. Når det er sagt kan jeg godt lide, at musikken aldrig tager opmærksomheden fra hendes stemme
Sad and beautiful
Decent Billie holiday
To be honest, this album felt repetitive and without much progression. It was like listening to the same song over and over again. At least, it isn't a bad song.
What a voice. And an amazing recording despite being almost 70 years old. It suffers from sounding slightly samey as the album goes on. But enjoyable overall.
This is one you really have to be in a dreamy or heart-broken mood for. No variation, but if it hits, it hits.
Every song sounded very similar, it was nice but didn't capture me. Wouldn't relisten.
This is ok. Vocal jazz, end of Billie Holiday's career. Her voice isn't what it used to be but conveys a lot of emotion. Songs are much more emotional and sentimental, which in the realm of jazz to me is on the boring side. Not for me, but a well crafted album and a good reflection of the end of Billie Holiday's life.
I much prefer Lady Sings the Blues with both Strange Fruit and God Bless the Child, but the orchestration on this album is great. Not sure why this album is the sole Billie Holiday album on this project though.
Billie Holiday is one of the most important voices in history. This album didn't feel like a standout however.
Schone stem, ja, maar dit album vond ik nu niet wauw ofzo. Als ik wat scroll door haar Spotify pagina, zijn er toch wel beter albums van haar. 3.2
Da wurden bestimmt etliche baby boomer zu gezeugt
I get it but, not it’s not for me.
Great voice but not the best
I generally have a soft spot for this kind of album. Jazz, voice, and light instrumentation. But that does end up putting a lot of pressure on the person singing, and for me, Billie Holiday's voice just isn't that great, at least on this album. She's very expressive, but that's really about it. For me personally, she ends up falling into what I'm going to dub the "Bob Dylan Category", which is a giant in the industry/their genre, but whose voice/vocal talent ends up hurting my enjoyment of the album. The orchestration here is truly incredible work. Light, for the most part, with well-timed swells. Favorite Song(s): It's Easy to Remember
Very rétro, smoky voice, all songs are abt looove <3
Un jazz bien meloso, bien de gala, 'seductor', de película blanco y negro. Canta la negra pero es medio embole.
No soy un gran fan del jazz vocal, pero este álbum es definitivamente relevante en esta lista y, puesto en contexto, me ha gustado mucho. La voz de Billie Holiday tiene muchísima personalidad, con ese timbre áspero, consecuencia de su adicción a la heroína. He apreciado este álbum como una obra seminal que me recuerda a otras artistas posteriores que valoro mucho, como Janis Joplin o Amy Winehouse. Además, las letras (aunque las canciones sean versiones) son preciosas. En definitiva, un muy buen disco, aunque no sea mucho de mi estilo. 3.5
Lovely. It's not Billie Holiday's fault that driving around doing normal holiday-season city activities while listening to this album made me feel like I was hearing the soundtrack to my very own Rob Reiner holiday romcom. 3.5
This really isn't Billie Holiday's fault at all but boy was this an inopportune listen for when I was wrapping gifts
Amazing voice - unfortunately the songs/production are just so dated that does do her justice.
Never heard of Billie holiday other than pac rapping about her in thugz mansion and I get it now. Nice vibe to it, very vintage and you can tell this was recorded in 58. The album has almost Christmassy vibe which is apt considering we're in December, I won't visit it again but glad I passed through this town. Mid 3.
This was nice enough. Only half listened to it while cooking a Sunday Roast but it fitted that vibe well.
Absolutley love Billie but this isn't the one. Her voice was shot and she was sadly near the end after years of being slowly and systemically destroyed by her management, herself and the government. A tragedy. As for the album, its interesting as you can hear the years in her voice but too orchestral for my liking. Not enough jazz and too floral instead, especially when compared to her previous in stone cold bangers like I'll Be Seeing You and Strange Fruit. Can't give it lower than a 3 as she's the GOAT but its a very low 3
I know the name, but have no experience listening to her that I can recall. The orchestra plays a supporting roll falling to the background, almost responding to her. Although maybe not the most bombastic of voices, the power lies in her attention grabbing timing and cadence. I liked It's Easy to Remember.
Lovely but i thought i’d like it more - a bit monotonous
Vocal jazz is the one type of jazz that I actually seem to like most of the time. This falls into the likable category, but it also becomes a little same-y with most of side one just being love songs in the same tempo. Side 2 improves this somewhat by touching some other subjects. Standouts You've Changed I'll Be Aound You Don't Know What Love Is 3/5
Billie Holiday's voice stands alone in its uniqueness, it has it's own gravitational pull. The broken, trembled affectation she puts on every word never gets old. She certainly convinces me of her general turmoil and woe. Let's give props to the beautiful brass and string arrangements on this album too. A serene and elegant listening experience. I enjoyed it a lot, I'm only going to mark it down to 3 because I'll rarely return to listen to it, maybe when having a Radox bath and enjoying a Cadbury’s Flake. Billie also did the definitive version of The Man I Love. Which is of course from the movie Hot Shots! I like to listen to it and pretend I'm Topper Harley, cooking and eating breakfast off Ramada. Ooh, suit you sir! I'd like to end things on a downer. Billie had no love as a youngster, pretty much abandoned, locked in a room with a dead girl by evil nuns, addicted to drink and drugs, and then of course died in her forties. Anyway, I hope we get Chumbawumba tomorrow!
In general, I really enjoy Billie Holiday, but there is a quality to her earlier recordings that just hits me a lot harder than this album. This seems just a little stripped of emotion and seems more generic. You’ve Changed is the only song that seemed like it had a bit of that spark to me. Her voice is still lovely, though and this was perfectly fine. I can only compare it to other things she has done, which guess were before LPs were really a thing.
I know this is heresy, but Billie’s voice has always grated on me if I listen for longer than a song or two. Nice enough album, but it’s too much Billie in one dose for me. 3/5 Highlights: I’m a Fool to Want You Glad to Be Unhappy The End of a Love Affair
Not my thing but I recognize greatness
It’s a sweet, elegant collection of vocal jazz tunes, great to have on in the background while cooking a Sunday dinner, but too soft for my day-to-day liking.
An unusual choice I think. By now her voice has largely gone and you can hear it. One of her last albums. Sounds glorious at times
Horror movies have ruined this genre for me
She's great, but I feel like it all started to sound the same after a while
You had me at Billie Holiday. Not her best work but, in my opinion, very enjoyable.
I liked this as background music. I think if I tried to engage more I would have liked it less. 3.5/5
her voice has a way of making anything sound like its from fallout i would also like to place an order for more trombone solos also also if i were this album i would run on a few songs less
Not bad, but every song sounds the same. Music is good.
5.5/10
It's okay. Billie has a beautiful voice, and the arrangements are very sleek on this, but I can't help but find this kind of jazz quite dated. I'm glad we've mostly moved on from the Songbook stuff, a little sweetness can be very good but this is much too saccharine for me. Best Track: I Get Along Without You Very Well Worst Track: It's Easy To Remember
Each song sounded exactly the same Best Song: You Don't Know What Love Is Worst Song: It's Easy to Remember
A voice like an instrument, beautiful musical accompaniments, pulls on the heartstrings. Good stuff
I realise a big problem with rating these albums is that I listen to them when I'm working. So I tend to favour music which suits that environment. This includes either (a) albums I already know and am familiar with, or (b) easy listening 'background work' music e.g. drum n bass or blues rock. Billie Holiday fits into none of these categories, so it's a pretty tough workday listen straight off the bat. So I need to take this into account. Really this is a great album for the first hour of a cocktail party, as people arrive and I'm making Campari Sodas all round. Or maybe the last hour, as we sit around with herbal teas at 2am. With those (hypothetical) scenarios in mind, this is a great listen. Her voice is obviously fantastic, and the production sensibly puts it centre stage. It's very atmospheric. Yes the lyrics are all a bit trite, and I'm not going to actively seek this out to listen by myself. But next time we spin up the Dansette and open the drinks cabinet, I'll be looking through the vinyl for Billie.
You can slow-dance thorugh the whole album. Classic pure sound of the early pop with an addition of not-so-pure voice. 3.5/5.
my heaven is drowning
An incredible voice but the songs are a bit too much love based for me.
It's nice to hear her later voice and even though it's clearly been through it, it's still Billie. The arrangements are lovely and she adds a lot to the songs, but I'm just not really into standards.
Nice
Un peu déçu par cet album de miss Holiday. Je comprends comment les critiques étaient mitigés à sa sortie car ça sonne peu inspiré en comparaison aux autres chansons que j'ai entendu d'elle. C'est très monotone, très unidimensionnel, sa voix est très peu exploitée (évidemment elle n'en avait plus à cause des abus de substances). 5/10
This album, to me, is a prime example how a great blues voice can lift the somewhat mediocre orchestrated songs to a higher level.
Didn't showcase Ms Holiday's best but it was an excellent soundtrack to wandering around looking at Jacaranda trees in full and glorious bloom
Nice background music, but not sure I would listen to it very often.
I will always pull through for Billie Holiday. Her beautiful, enchanting vocals have a way of enhancing any song that she is a part of. However, it has to be said that all of the songs here maintain a very similar sound and blend together. There’s nothing standout or particularly enticing, but it all makes for good, easy listening on a nostalgic Sunday morning or at a jazz bar on a rainy evening.
I don't get excited about this but it's smooth jazz for in the background.
Þessi plata hreyfir ekki mikið við mér í dag. Mjög falleg tónlist og Billie er frábær. Þetta eru of miklar drama krúsídúllur fyrir mig og of mikil vocal-jazz fyrir minn smekk.
Dated lyrics and themes but a lovely listen
Folks sure loved differently back in the day. Not my fave of her songs but some classics.
This one wasn't my style necessarily, but I can really appreciate her voice and the stories she is telling through the songs on the album. I enjoyed it enough.
Nice smooth jazz album
Jazz vocal. Ni fu ni fa.
Rollete. Largo.
This must be the oldest album I have gotten so far, and this is also quite honestly the first time an album has stunted me for words (so far). I don't quite know how to review this one. There is absolutely nothing wrong with anything here. Billie Holiday has one of the most warm and soothing voices I have ever heard, and she matches up perfectly with the slow tempo jazz and gorgeous orchestral arrangements; all thanks to a pretty good song selection throughout the tracklist. She sings with so much soul you can tell she is heavily invested in the material she is pouring her heart into. However, this is one of those times where I feel like I'm on the outside looking in. This isn't something I would go out of my way to listen to, but it can all be appreciated on some level; and that's where I stand regarding this album. Not my jam, but I can totally understand why people would love it and why it is on the 1001 albums list. A high 3/5 for me.
kaffihús og depra. en ótrúleg helvítis rödd auðvitað. þetta gerir lítið fyrir mig vanalega en gefum þessu aðra umferð. 3,5.
I wanted to like this more than I did.
Was about to write how good this album is, but apparently I was listening to a different record by Billie Holiday. This one is much more toned down and actually not that interesting as I would assume. Beautiful voice, but boring album.
Billie Holiday is a name I have heard and I knew she was a jazz singer but I don't think I have ever heard any of her music. I can see why she was known for her voice, though I am not wild about some of the way she uses it for some reason. I personally wasn't a huge fan of this album but I was still very glad I listened. I think everyone should definitely experience this once.
Amazing voice but all the songs blend and blur together. Without looking at each track go by, I wouldn't be able to tell when one ends and another begins. All too samey
Ik heb zo vaak over Billie gehoord en zo weinig van haar gehoord. Leuk om het nu geserveerd te krijgen. Het blijkt een krachtige fijne stem, maar ook heel gedateerd en klein begeleid. Je mist toch joie die bijvoorbeeld een Shirley Bassey later wel toevoegt. Het duurt nu al snel te lang. Dit is zo'n album waarvan af en toe een nummer voorbij moet komen in je playlist.
"Toegegeven, het album heeft een duistere bekoring die even betoverend als aangrijpend is als het kijken naar een heroineverslaafde die een shot zet". Aldus de 1001-auteur van dienst. Daarbij verwijzend naar het feit dat tante Billie aan de troep zat. Nu heeft heroïne ons heel veel goede muziek gegeven (en levens verpest), maar je hoort hier wel heel erg dat ze goed naar de kloten is. Komt nog eens bij dat dit genre muziek totaal niet aan mij besteed is. Toch moet ik zeggen dat tante Billie wel een kleine snaar weet te raken. De muzikale arrangementen op de achtergrond treuren mee om dat wat ooit is geweest: een betere stem, een beter leven, geen verslaving. Het is wel echt muziek voor op de zondagochtend en het tempo is bijzonder laag. Maar omdat ze niet meer kan uithalen met haar stem, houdt ze het allemaal heel klein. En dat komt de muziek ten goede. Na de eerste noten dacht ik aan een 1, maar ik kan er alsnog best een 3 voor geven.
I like her voice, though I understand that it's not to everybody's taste. The material was a little schmaltzy for me. Overall I preferred the Ella/Gershwin album.
Oldish jazzy sounding album, a bit sad. 30s 40s?
Very pleasant!
Not my thing
I didn't know what Billie Holiday sounded like. I was expecting a voice like Ella Fitzgerald, so I was taken aback when she started singing. She has an odd, old lady smoker voice, which is fair enough considering she had probably been singing in smoky night clubs her entire adult life. I got used to it. As far as the album goes, it's slow, dreamy orchestral jazz. There's not much of a difference one track to the next. It's mood music. Favorite track: You Don't Know What Love Is
This album, released near the end of Billie's life, doesn't present her at her best, in my opinion. Her voice can no longer hit the highs it used to, due to a life of rough living. The songs aren't particularly strong either, blending into one another without much to differentiate them. I can't say I enjoyed this listen all that much, but because it's Billie Holiday, I can't quite give her two stars. Let's settle on 3?
Nice vocal jazz that sometimes reminds me of Disney music. Her voice doesn't seem to be as smooth as other vocal jazz I have enjoyed, and the songs do start to sound a little samey around halfway through.
I enjoyed this but by one hour Billie's voice got a little tiring on me. Still a good record and another win for 50s jazz.
I know she's a legend and respect that. Just did not work for me.
3 - demasiado oldie para mis gustos
I love Billie Holiday! I enjoyed this album more and more throughout, but it doesn’t have any of my favorite songs from her on it. She is one of those artists that has a zillion albums/live albums, so I’ll be interested to see if any more are on the list. One thing that was neat about this album was that it showed you behind the scenes a little bit. You got to hear a few takes with some stopping and starting. It was cool, but also jarring and overall I would say that it took away from the album. Based upon my reviews for the list so far, coupled with my love for Billie, 3 is fair for me here.
I love Billie's voice. It's somehow sweet and gravely at the same time. I love her vibrato, and I even like the ASMR sounds right before she starts singing. That being said, I'm not crazy about the songs. They're all very similar with a meandering drum and bass line. The only variations that I can think of is the trumpet in "But Beautiful". This would be a 2 if it was based on songs alone, but Billie brings it up to a 3.
need to try again
Smoky vocals
Antigueira 1959. Jazz. Tipo um Sinatra feminino. Legal
I'm a Fool to Want You
Rollete. Largo.
Not my jam, daddio. Most of the songs sound pretty similar. I know her voice is supposed to be top-notch, but I don't love the singing style. I'm probably just unsophisticated.
Rollete. Largo.
Although Billie Holiday has a timeless voice, I just don't really enjoy the experience of listening to multiple songs about a woman pining for an unavailable man; the themes of this album got old pretty quickly.
OK album. Billie Holiday has an all-time great and distinct voice, but I didn't think these are the best songs of hers. It was a nice listen overall, but I thought this version of "You Don't Know What Love Is" was lackluster and could have been much better. I would have also preferred jazz arrangement rather than orchestral. ***
Not bad, but I think this music makes all the songs sound too similar.
Always love Billie Holiday, but for some reason this album didn't connect with me. All of the songs had the same sort of ethereal jazz background that reminded me of In the Wee Small Hours from Sinatra. Billie is a queen, there is no disputing that, but all the songs of hers that I love were not on this album and I'm not sure if we will get another of hers (or maybe we did, it's been almost 1000 at this point). Either way, I'm glad she made an appearance.
Always appreciate getting an album from the '50s. We haven't had any Billie Holiday, and I have no idea how this ranks in her catalog, but it's pretty good. She's got such an interesting and emotional voice, and she sounds really old, was she old when she made this? Damn, she was 43 I believe, and she died the following year. That makes this hit a bit harder. Apparently drugs and alcohol had damaged her voice quite a bit, which is what I was hearing. Really tragic to be able to tell from a recording that someone isn't doing well, even when hearing it some 65 years later. I'll be keeping a few songs from this one, and I'll have to listen back with that tragic background in mind. Rest in peace to Billie, her talent is undeniable even through the pain. Favorite tracks: For Heaven's Sake, You Don't Know What Love Is, It's Easy to Remember, Glad to Be Unhappy. Album art: Just a picture of Billie, typical '50s style cover. She looks very world-weary though. 3.5/5
Kinda all sounded the same but was nice
I love Billie Holiday, at least I can’t say I’ve ever heard a Billie song that I didn’t enjoy. She had one of the all time great voices, and she collaborated with some of the greatest jazz musicians on some really great tunes. That said, I didn’t love this album all that much. It was interesting to hear her late period recordings, but I found this a lot less inspiring that her earlier work and far less interesting than her “boppier” tunes. The End of a Love Affair was really the only song that I truly enjoyed, and otherwise it was interesting only as a chronicle of her declining health (her voice is still lovely but far weaker than earlier).
As much as I love Billie Holiday, this one was a miss for me.
all songs sound similar v nice overall
Rich, elegant sound, although a little of this sleepy vibe goes a long way. Holiday's voice is noticeably worse for wear on these songs, but it works well with Ray Ellis' arrangements. Fave Songs: I Get Along Without You Very Well, I'm a Fool to Want You, But Beautiful, For All We Know
Billie Holiday is pretty incredible but this album just feels like 12 versions of the same song. Fave: You've Changed
Raspy, smooth Jazz. I like it
Undeniably beautiful, but a bit too old fashioned and same-y for me.
Classic voice and era. Nice listen to relax and have good vibes.
I think Billie Holiday is really cool. These are very nice recordings... but I'm honestly kind of 3/5 because it's just a little too tame.
Not sure if I listened to the album. Can very much see where Amy Winehouse got her inspo
Notable track: For Heaven’s Sake
So.. here we go again with the 50's Disney soundtrack POV.. All Jokes aside, as far as music of its time, this is very listenable. This comes from a time where most music was created at the office by the labels, and the artists who were popular were created in a test tube. You can tell there is genuine feelings here, and that this wasn't a product of the system- however, I need more emotion- Idk there's just something off and I can't put my finger on it. The production is AMAZING- there's so many moving pieces at any given time, and just makes these tracks feel SO alive. HOWEVER, there's a lot of sameish songs here, and again with the weird missing emotion in her voice in some instances, it does get repetitive at times. You've changed is such a banger. Solid 6/10
Lovely, but not an everyday listen.
Old school. Relaxing
Didn't know much about Billie Holliday's music but I knew a bit about her rollercoaster life. The angst from said life is there in this album. Her strained and painful vocals are all but apparent. Not entirely my cup of tea, but I can kinda see where she's coming from.
It was good, very chill and laid back. I'm a fool is especially good.
Not riveting, but some easy listening while I was working. Not bad!
She has a classic, beautiful voice and a pleasure to listen to. Very nice album.
Pretty good. I like that standards style from the 50s. Her voice isn't as good as when she was younger, but still pretty great.
Her voice isn't what I expected it to be but the songs are still nice to listen to Best Song: Violets for your furs Worst Song: N/A
Damn, she's got me convinced.
Sounds like one long song
Unique wavering vocals, I liked some songs but overall a little slow and repetitive for my taste.
Really chill and sensual. You can tell her voice has been affected by alcohol/drugs, but somehow it only elevates it here. The backing arrangements do a good job of complementing her voice while still always allowing it to be the focus.
Laatulevy menneeltä ajalta ja varsinainen mestari taas areenalla. Vieläkään ei tää vokaalijazz kuitenkaan oo omia suosikeita, nii jää nyt 3.5/5
Voz parecida a Louis Armstrong pero en versión mujer.
Tiene mejores
Nice unique singing voice, soothing songs that remind me of old Disney movies. I enjoyed the music behind, great horn solos that compliment and aren’t starved for the attention. Songs did blend together a bit. Not my favorite album but overall very nice
A pleasant enough album with some jazz standards. Holiday's voice is very mature, and sometimes I'm into her delicate singing, other times not as much. The moments where the album really shines are when the vocals, the orchestra, and the lyrics blend for an enveloping performance. "You Don't Know What Love Is" is very cool & suspenseful. "For All We Know" is a nice combination of plucky guitar, sweeping orchestra with Holiday's voice floating through. Otherwise however, the rest of the songs have the same tempo and mood they're not distinguishable to me. "But Beautiful" only reminded me of other versions I prefer. I didn't care much for the alternate takes at the end of the album, except for the audio story of "End of a Love Affair" was really interesting and made me appreciate the song and the performance more.
3/5 I didn't really like or dislike any songs, it was pretty good throughout. Billie holiday is very talented as a singer, even with some of her vocal range being gone in this album. Wish there was more variation throughout, most songs blend together.
Mooie jazz standards. Billie is een legend maar vind haar manier van zingen en melodieën niet altijd even mooi. Prima album, niet bijzonder.
Billie Holiday is a legendary figure who unfortunately died a tragic death. Constant alcohol and drug use had clearly caught up with her, as evidenced by her voice on these recordings; truly a shell of her former self. By the time she died in 1959, her manager successfully embezzled a majority of earnings. She died with but $0.17 in her bank account, equivalent to roughly $7 in today's money. Her most successful recordings from the 30s had been long out of print by this time. She died almost forgotten. That's why this recording is important. It was her swan song. She wanted this record to consist of softer recording, which better suited her voice. I think she succeeded. That's why I really wish I could connect more with these songs. They all kinda sound too similar, but that was what most music was at the time in post-war America, easy listening. I'm still glad I heard this recording and read more into Billie Holiday's life, as I had never listened to any of her music prior to this.
It's hard to know what to say as I respect this music a lot but it doesn't move me that much. The slow jazzy style probably lead onto stuff I love like Arethra Franklin but at times I found it a little.. durgy?! That's OTT but I mean along those lines. Pleasant enough though
Not my typical listening for sure but mildly enjoyable. Sad to read about her life but the pain is reflected in her lyrics.
Hela skivan känns som en enda låt. Det är visserligen en väldigt behaglig låt och funkar bra som bakgrundsmusik i lurarna, men blir inte så spännande i längden.
Totally worth a listen but not very memorable.
2.5 - If this album was like thirty minutes long, it'd definitely be getting a better score, but it's really repetitive at its full length. I got pretty bored before the album was over.
1. im a fool to uuant you - 2 2. for heavenz zake - 1.5 3. you dont knouu uuhat love iz - 1.5 4. i get along - 1 5. for all uue knouu - 1.5 6. violetz for your furz - 1.5 7. youve changed - 1.5 8. itz eazy to remember - 9. but beautiful - 1.5 10. glad to be unhappy - 1 11. ill be around - 1 12. the end of a love affair - 1 13. im a fool to uuant you - 2
3.4
Not really my style of music, gets quite stale throughout the whole album. Lovely voice however.
I hadn’t actually heard a Billie Holiday album all the way through until this, but definitely need to listen to more. The opening song was absolutely incredible, though unfortunately it didn’t quite stay at the same level throughout. A great mix of songs though and such a distinctive voice (used to great effect maybe 95% of the time with some less convincing wavers) and my god the strings sound lovely
This is the kind of music I have to be in the mood for to really enjoy, but it's hard to go wrong with Billie. 3.5 stars.
Never really listened to Billie Holiday before. She's got a great voice, but there's certain stylings she uses that I just don't like. It was a fine listen but not one that I'll likely return to.
Hyvältä kuulostaa laulu. Kuvaava albumin nimi. Joka biisi kyllä kovin samanlainen oskestraaleineen. Mutta kun äänimaailma ja melodiat toimivat vähäisin muutoksin, mitä sitä kauheasti muuttamaan.
Laulajan ääni heijastaa tuskaa - ei sitä helposti sulatettavaa, romanttista tuskaa, josta kappaleiden sanat kertovat, vaan oudompaa, häiritsevää kärsimystä, joka saa meidät pitämään sitä kokevaa henkilöä jopa ällöttävänä. Toisaalta laulun antama vaikutelma ei ole lainkaan luotaantyöntävä, vaan päinvastoin koukuttava - vai ovatko nämä vaikutelmat lähempänä toisiaan kuin yleensä myönnämme? Joka tapauksessa levy jättää kuulijaan jäljen.
Starting to feel more and more absurd about ratings with this one. I like every song on this. I don't think I'd ever listen to more than a couple of them in a row by choice. I would put the full album on at a big hall dinner where I want people to actively seek out old friends & say hello, but be contemplative & not rowdy. Billie Holiday's voice has such a strong centre of gravity that the frilliest of the wind section parts don't detract from the songs. All-timer musical artist for sure and yet I'm only going to give this a 3 music: appreciated. (⌐□ ̮ □)
Som clássico e tals, anos cinquenta, não eo que mais curto mas tri
Not hugely my jam, a few moments I found myself getting into this but not enough that I think I would ever listen too again
The musical instruments in this album really highlight Billie's iconic voice. Track/lyrics that hit the spot: I'm a fool to want you
Ok Fallout music but not the good fallout music
I find it hard to rate ones like these because of how old they are. Great voice and I enjoyed it at the start but it started to drag a bit nearer the end.
Not the best for a sad hangover day, enjoyable nonetheless, 6/10
This isn't really my thing, but I recognize that Billie was a pioneer for female vocalists who would follow in her footsteps. This faded into the background for me and it was nice there.
Billie’s eternal voice….but the songs sound a little stale by the end of the album
A beautiful voice, unfortunately i think a bit of a relic of its time. Easy listening and would play at a high class affair but any kind of variety would be nice
3.5/5 Sorpresa absoluta. Un álbum para tomar whisky mirando la lluvia. quizas por prejuicio, quizas intuicion fallida, no crei que el album se me iba a hacer tan comodo de escuchar. la orquesta es hermosa, recuerda a los 'Old Classics' de Disney, cualquier tema es facilmente ambientacion de blancanieves. Me llevo una grata sorpresa con las letras del album, y creo q es el punto fuerte. La voz de la cantante es muy llamativa, mucha tecnica y tiene una aspereza muy particular, me encanta [Investigando, vi que NPR la nombro una de las "50 great voices" y rolling stone la puso 4ta en su lista "200 Greatest Singers of All Time" (polémico)] Lo que tira abajo el álbum un poco es la falta de variacion melodica de la cantante, lleva la misma estructura en la mayoria de temas y puede resultar repetitivo
I prefer Billie Holiday’s small combo works & I’m not a fan of strings in jazz. Still it’s Billie Holiday 3/5
A mellow, pleasant album. There's a lot of heartache in her delivery and the story behind this album makes it even more heartbreaking for the listener.
Probably insanely good just not my taste
Blind album and artist. It's pretty calming and relaxing. I enjoy it but I wouldn't actively seek out this style of music. I can appreciate it for what it is though.
Tough album.
I really like Billy Holliday, but the accompaniment on this album is a little too schmaltzy.
Always loved Billie Holidays unique voice and im also a sucker for lush orchestrations. But i can understand why alot of people don't like it (saw a comment about no original songs... it's jazz. every one plays standards). I personally get bored with modern female singers who just copy the bland "pretty voice". This is a nice album though nothing really stands out to me. But it's really nice to have in the background
probably better in context. 2.9
I absolutely adore Billie Holidays voice and count some of her songs among my all-time favourites. But this album's songs just didn't land with me like I hoped. Billie Holiday in general: 5* This album:
This was decent. In my mind, jazz doesn't have singing, but this may have changed my mind. Not a stellar album, but decent enough to give it 3/5
Sad melodic crooner
I honestly had a hard time trying to give this a proper review. Because if I were to review it poorly, I feel like I would be doing this album and its story a disservice. On one hand, this album is one of the hauntingly beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard. Ray Ellis and his orchestra do an absolutely excellent job backing up Billie. The instrumentation is sparse and simple, and mostly led by strings, but just extremely pleasant on the ears. I found myself imagining falling asleep to this, as it was just lulling me away. Those strings sound straight out of the music from a golden era Disney movie. One of those classic hand animated ones from the 30's and 40's. But on the other hand, that haunting beauty quickly became sadness as I learned the fate of Billie after the release of this album. She died a little over a year after this came out, making it her final release. And you can tell that she was clearly suffering while recording this. The pain in these seemingly simple love songs is almost palpable. And it breaks my heart to know she died with almost nothing, leaving behind a collection of work that, at the time, no one was willing to acknowledge as anything special. Thankfully, that is no longer the case in modern times. It lends credence to the idea that some artists are never truly appreciated until they are no longer with us. But because of that, I don't know if I ever envision myself coming back to this. Because this doesn't feel like an album you are meant to enjoy. That doesn't mean there aren't good things to take from it though.
It's fine a little too chill for my early, early mornings
Such an amazing voice. It’s hard to fathom how far popular music progressed in next 10 years.
Hélt ég yrði hrifnari en raun ber vitni. Röddin er töff, en þegar þarna er komið við sögu er hún orðin ansi hrjúf, sem er svo áhugaverður contrast við þessar satínmjúku útsetningar. Lögin eru róleg og ljúfsár en kalla ekki á mig við fyrsta rennsli.
Just a shell of her former glory, there’s an amazing raw emotion to Holiday’s singing on this. Unfortunately, the soupy strings bring it down for me - too intrusive and out of place. I wish there had been the ability to record with this clarity for her 1940s performances.
Good jazz album from 1958. Billie Holiday's voice had changed significantly by this point (listen to her earlier work to see what I mean) apparently from drugs, alcohol and illness (she died the next year) but it gave her voice so much character.
What an incredible voice. Her ballads are soothing and buttery smooth. Not an album I would return to often, but definitely one of the great singers of her time.
I kinda feel that you have to be in a certain mood to appriciate this album cause I've listened to it twice and first time I really liked it but second time I almost fell asleep. 3/5
Might have been a 4 on a different day
it's alright. I'm not a huge fan of her style but was good to listen to.
Sweet album de jazz 3 solido.
As much as I'm into the history of the album, the voice surprised me because it wasn't how I pictured Holiday's voice would sound. It wasn't until after did I read into the album and understand that this would be one of her last recordings. Her voice would be very raspy, very... not warbly, but fluctuating. It was a bit dizzying to me, actually. The strings and orchestration definitely put the album firmly in its time of the 50s. I was hoping for at least one more upbeat song, but I get why she was going for more slow, sultry songs. If a song from this came up randomly on a shuffle I would not skip it, but listening to all 12 tracks they started to sound a bit same-y to me. "I'm A Fool To Want You" was probably my favorite. So I liked it, but the songs did sound all of the same format and style. But I can't really blame the album for what it isn't, (this is what Holiday wanted) and talk about what it _IS_.
Normaal gesproken had ik dit vast een lagere score gegeven, maar hij viel net goed vandaag. Mooi!
Kind of have to be in the mood to listen to this one. Billie's voice is dripping with heartbreak and despair. The heroin and alcohol are taking their toll on her here. Still, it's a worthwhile listen.
Nice and all but too samey and ide rather be listening to instrumental jazz.
Love song after love song, became quite tedious, not enough variation in sentiment nor instrumentation. Her voice is undeniable however and especially during that first half of the album, it was easy to get swept away. Fav track: I'll be around Straight 3/5
The driving crooner Undeniable talent, but as with Frank, these songs felt too similar to be enjoyed over an entire record for mine - but one at a time, lovely stuff. Fave track: I Get Along With You Very Well
Easy to be charmed by Lady Day - a lot of soul and sadness through her singing. The collection of songs all together I’m not sure I found all that compelling, and maybe a bit samey. But still a new and interesting listen for me. Two and a half. Fave track: Violets for Your Furs
I like the lush instrumentation, but it becomes a bit overwhelming and tiring. Billie's voice has an interesting timbre, but I unfortunately don't think this kind of music is all that enjoyable for me. It isn't the "sleepiness" necessarily but the fact that the way scales are used and the melodic lines don't sound "nice" to me. Can you tell I'm still trying to warm up to jazz as a genre?
Jazz vocal. Ni fu ni fa.
This was enjoyable.
Its some slow jazz
A little bit of james bond vibe
Not my favorite style
Billie holiday e emo for sure, gilla int helt hennes flow på vissa sånger dock
Helt deeZ
Nice music but it’s not my style. But it was great to listen to it
Whatta voice. Rich, vibrant. Best thing Fallout 3 did was bring Billie to the ears of a new generation. Album itself is quite same-samey and boring tho.
3/5 I had not heard this album by the "Lady in Satin." She is kinda the Lady Sachmoe though isn't she? It didn't feel particularly drawn to any of these songs. I think I listened to a greatest hits album when I was younger, and many of those songs are singable and very catchy. I wonder if this one came later in her career when the drugs had really taken hold. It didn't feel like it had the same soul. It wasn't bad, but I probably won't be listening to 300 times to learn the lyrics and the sing the songs.
I'm sad I didn't enjoy this cos I really wanted to. Her voice was something else but the songs didn't do anything for me. Maybe there's a better album out there for me? I guess I'll find out.
Listened Before? N Pretty good. A bit mellow, but she's a great singer. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: You've Changed
Always loved Billie's unique voice, powerful and heartbreaking lyrics. I wasn't in the mood for this album today, so I'll need to revisit later.
The voice is obviously incredible and the album flows really well. However, as a result it just felt like one really long song - The sad solo song from a mid 20th century movie that you recognise as decent but just wish it would speed up a little
Lovely voice, I suppose. Not interested to listen to more than half a song. Heard one, heard them all.
Sounded like yoda
Just over one year after "Lady in Satin"'s release, Billie Holiday was dead at the age of 44. 70 cents in her bank account, an estate of $1,000, her classic recordings out of print, and a short obituary on page 15 of the New York Times. I was stunned to read this: Billie Holiday, a legend today by anyone's estimation, was essentially forgotten by the time she had died. How did it come to that? A slow decline through alcohol and drugs; years elapsing without much notable output; obstructions in music's circulation in the mid-twentieth century; none of it seemed to have helped her case. By 1958's "Lady in Satin", she was written off by many as a has-been at the end of their rope. More fool them. There's a profound emotional quality to Holiday's renditions here, which can be as peripheral or pervasive as the listener is willing to allow. While I'm much more on the peripheral side (I won't be putting this on regular rotation, and am struggling to retain the content of this album after several listens), I'd never object to hearing it waft sleepily through the air. The parallels are clear with the oldest album in the 1001 catalogue, Frank Sinatra's "In the Wee Small Hours". Holiday actually set out to emulate its smoky, mellow and mournful mood, to the point that three standards from Sinatra's record also appear here ("Glad to be Unhappy", "I'll be Around" and "I Get Along Without You Very Well"). As assured as Holiday's performances are, I'd have to say I preferred Sinatra's versions on the whole. "Lady in Satin" suffers from a lack of Nelson Riddle (Holiday's initial choice of arranger, owing to his work on "In the Wee Small Hours"). While Ray Ellis still does a great job with his orchestra, the bedrock for Holiday's vocals could have been lusher or more varied. Where Holiday arguably has the edge over Sinatra, though, is in authenticity. She still sounds impeccable to my ears, but the mythos around her being a tarnished star, her voice a cracked and broken shadow of its former self, only enhances the appeal of "Lady in Satin". It's true that Holiday has a fragile timbre here, sometimes cracking and straining, but there's also a winning quiet assurance. She perfectly foreshadows the atmosphere of Bob Dylan or Leonard Cohen's latter-day recordings, fifty years early. Vocal jazz is never going to be a favourite style of mine - I first heard "Lady in Satin" a few years ago and couldn’t remember any of it - but I can appreciate its significance for the genre and as a sombre, bittersweet send-off for one of the greatest talents in the field.
3/5 It's Nice. Wouldn't see it out often though.
Ben toch wel echt een beginner in het luisteren van jazz. Desalniettemin bloeide ik op zodra ik de trompet hoorde.
Tangled up in schamltz.
Wonderful voice Beautiful album
It’s a vibe for sure, but something I’m rarely in the mood for. I can appreciate her iconic status, but it’s just not really my thing.
This made me feel elegant and calm and really fit the mood driving home from an event on a cold, rainy Monday night. Even so, it's not something I'd listen too regularly. Perhaps to fit a mood, but that's it.
Beautiful voice (if a little bit raspy), pretty love songs with a great range of emotion, and nice orchestral backing. The downside is, that it's all quite samey from a musical perspective - you can pick a lot of these songs individually, listening on their own, and they are great, but it's a bit too repetitive to make a great album. 3/5
Solid!
I'd heard the name Billie Holiday, but had no idea that her career was so long ago (1930s - 1950s), or that she had such a tragic life. Her struggles are apparent in her raspy voice as she soulfully sings this set of jazz standards with great emotion. Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: I'm a Fool to Want You Date listened: 24/02/23
this was decent, but the vocals left much to be desired. there's a lot that could be done on the production front, but the instrumentals are where the album shines the most! saccharine but not to the point of causing diabetes, subtle but not quiet - Lady in Satin would make for a great instrumental album.
This is way out of my wheelhouse, but I did get a kick out of it. Voice is just so expressive - it really is Billie + backing musicians, she shines. Very dated sounding though - it's a bit of an outlier in the 1001 list.
Great voice
class act. easy listening
This album is fine. Nice renditions of standards but shouldn’t Billie Holiday have a blues/jazz album on the list instead?
Not really for me, but you can’t deny the richness and quality of her voice. Though she died young her voice has a very aged/experienced texture.
jazz
great background music
It’s good.It washes over you.It’s all beautiful orchestral sounding music but I don’t love her voice.It conveys Deep sadness very well though.
Emotionaalisesti todella mahtava kokonaisuus muiden artistien biisejä. Osa 30-luvulta. Ääni uniikki alkoholin ja huumeiden takia. Tälle haluisi antaa viisi contentin takia. Ei voi.
It's good, not my favorite style of music though. I can see that she was probably one of Amy Winehouse's key influences. 3 stars.
Thought I would enjoy her more for how iconic she is. Don't love her style.
Sweet, sometime bordering on saccharine. Nevertheless, the undeniable emotive force of Ms Holiday's voice and phrasing wins over elegant but largely linear orchestration
She's great, and I really regret that I wasn't listening to this in ideal circumstances--slow dancing in a dimly-lit room
An Older Billie Holiday , with an iconic voice
Cool voice. Good jazz stuff here. Tragic story about her, though.
A little too meloncholy for my tastes
todo lo mismo pero bueno ya fue 7/10
Hmm
Billie with strings. OK, not great.
Lovely voice and tunes from our older days.
cute! comfy jazz tunes
Not exactly my type of tune. Can respect the standards, but not my cup of tea. 6/10.
Without a shadow of a doubt, she has a special and unique voice. However, the music is so generic/average easy listening jazz that it spoils all the emotion behind Billie Holiday's interpretation. So, I don't know... 5 stars for her, -2 stars for what's surrounding her.
Great voice, too bad I fell asleep.
beautiful voice, easy listening jazz, blend well with aretha, nina, etc.
Without a shadow of a doubt, she has a special and unique voice. However, the music is so generic/average easy listening jazz that it spoils all the emotion behind Billie Holiday's interpretation. So, I don't know... 5 stars for her, -2 stars for what's surrounding her.
Good
Pleasant enough. Ms. Holiday had a amazing voice. The problem is that so much of this just runs together. Maybe it needs more listens to detect the differences but it largely felt like the same song on repeat. A lesser talent wouldn't pull this album off at all.
9th December 2022 Listened across the weekend as I had too many podcasts to catch up on. Rugby and England on Saturday with Crofty and mums birthday lunch in Stroud. Sunday snow day! Didn’t give it the respect it deserves, her voice is magical and reminiscent of old Hollywood glamour.
Clearly a great voice and worthy of the list as it represents an entire genre/era. I don’t really like it though.
It was almost one in the morning, but I'm pretty sure that this is what made me almost fall asleep. It was just really slow and soothing in a way that would make me drowsy at almost any point in the day honestly. Definitely doesn't sound like the voice of someone who's gonna die of alcohol poisoning within the next year though.
Chill vibes. Not bad, but slightly too old for me. Good background music though.
I like Billie Holiday, but this album wasn't her best material.
Here's proof that jazz is better with vocals. Billie Holiday's voice has this character where she sounds like she can't sing, but it fits perfectly for a genre like jazz. It especially works here, with the music being more structured. The only problem is that the album gets weaker as it goes along, because there's not much variety. They found a sound that worked, and just stuck to that the whole way through. When you start the first few songs they're very interesting, but towards the latter half it gets a bit tiresome. Standout track is understandably, the first song - I'm a Fool to Want You.
It's a mostly passive listen from me, but that's doesn't mean it's not a good album, it's just more so that I'm not the biggest fan of this style of music, but I do appreciate the songs, and I do like her as a singer. It's a reasonable 40 minute listen. Not my favorite thing ever, but I did like it. 3.5/5
Sounds good. Reminds me of christmas music. I can't really tell the difference between the tracks, so had to stop listening about halfway through. Good for the right time/vibe. Don't want to critique, but this is not really for me.
This is definitely a mood. Not bad. I like the trill/vibrato in her voice. The kind of music I'd like to be on in the background at a cafe.
Great voice, I don't even mind the orchestra. But it did seem like she sang the same song 12 times.
This album should be called Lady Day Phones It In. It's obviously her, as there's none like her, and she has a great voice; but why is this over orchestrated mush on this list and not her greater jazz contributions?
Undeniably, a unique voice. I wasn't particularly in the mood for this style of music yesterday, songs felt quite dull. Still appreciate the musical arrangements. 2.5
Prefs: I'm a Fool to Want You, For Heavean's Sake, Violets for your Furs, You've Changed, But Beautiful Moins pref: I Get Along With You Very Well
Some beautiful Billie Holiday to put on over a fire with a nice drinky poo
Solid Billie Holiday album. Good vocal jazz album.
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yes, for the genre this is my favourite style. Very soothing and comforting Favourite song: Track 3 - You Don’t Know What Love is
If I try hard, I can see why my grandparents would have been moved by this. But its a stretch for me.
I've heard lots about her, and I'm certain I've heard her before, but nothing comes to mind. So far, I love her smoky voice. I do like the genre quite a bit, but it's not something I typically seek out. Interesting how some of the phrases are almost more spoken than sung. I just can't think of where I've heard these songs before. Movies, shows, commercials? Beside her voice, the music is also nothing to scoff at. The trumpet in the latter half of Violets for Your Furs is *chef's kiss.* Consuming this all at the same time as a continuous album might be too much, though.
Favourite track(s): I'm a Foolto Want You; I Get Along Without You Very Well I wonder if folks in '58 considered the sound of this album nostalgic as well. I wonder if they also thought the voice of Billie Holiday to be absolutely iconic. I wonder if they the music generated a longing for Christmas time in them, even when they listened to it in October. I wonder if it was considered flawless, since in my eyes it isn't - simply due to the lack in variety with regard to the instrumentals and vibes. For me, this results in a feeling of "having listened to one song, I have listened to most of them". But even so, I wonder how many artist since that time would name Holiday as a clear inspiration. Melody Gardot comes to mind among others.
Loads of songs that could soundtrack Sean Connery's James Bond shagging.
The strings on this are really nice, and (while she didn’t write any of them) the lyrics are so beautiful. Shame she’s not a brilliant singer 3/5.
Lush arrangements and wonderful voice, but not a particularly great song selection if you ask me. Not that anyone ever does.
Iconic voice, back lacking a bit of variety.
Much as I appreciate her as a famous vocalist I would never set out to listen to her. I’m happy to hear the occasion song on the radio. Having said that it wasn’t terrible, just not for me. I don’t know whether to go high 2 or low 3 ?