October 17, 1996
Most people are familiar with Nina Simone's music, if at all, through the movie "Point of No Return." This is a shame, as Simone's voice is equal to Billie Holiday's or Aretha Franklin's. Her work ranges from tough and bluesy to sweet and loving, and all is sung with unparalleled passion. Simone's lighter fare can be a bit heavy on the strings and a bit saccharine, but her blues are as lowdown as Bessie Smith's. This compilation culls the cream from her impressive body of work, and it is an emotional powerhouse from start to finish.
"I Want a Little Sugar in my Bowl" and "In the Dark" show Simone celebrating the longing aspect of love, and "My Man's Gone Now" deeply moving, heart-rending lament that Simone tears out of her tortured soul. Whether solo on piano or backed by stellar studio musicians, Simone knows how to tease every emotional nuance out of a song.
She turns Steppenwolf's "The Pusher" into a fierce, scathing diatribe against heroin, and "The House of the Rising Sun" aches with self-loathing. She rocks the "Gin House Blues" with alcoholic fervor, and assumes the role of a languorous lover in "Turn Me On."
Simone has a fine sense of drama coupled with exquisite timing that powers her covers and original songs, and both benefit from her uniquely gifted vocals. Her voice is low, almost masculine; heavy with pain and rage, or murky with lust and fervor. If you have never heard her sing, you are in for a treat; Simone is one of those rare performers whose commanding presence speaks from experience wrought from pain, immediately drawing you into her world. It's an experience you won't soon forget.
- Jared O'Connor
emotional powerhouse