![[nina-simone.jpeg|300]] ## Album Reviews ### Broadway-Blues-Ballads (1964) ### Nina Simone in Concert (1964) ![[in-concert.jpeg|200]] There's something about how Nina delivers her voice and the instrumentation that I sometimes find annoying. And this is the case here. I found this album a little bit difficult to listen to. She's at her best on this one when she's doing the slow numbers from the best tracks list below. [[3/10]] - [[2024-07-26]] **Best tracks:** - "I Loves You Porgy" - "Don't Smoke In Bed" ### Folksy Nina (1964) ![[folksy-nina.jpeg|200]] It's *mildly* folky and massively dull. [[3/10]] - [[2024-07-26]] **Best tracks:** - "The Twelveth of Never" ### Nina Simone at Carnegie Hall (1963) ![[Nina Simone at Carnegie Hall.jpeg|200]] A simple and lovely little album. It's mostly just her and the piano. "If You Knew" is a stunning song and all of a sudden one my favourites by her. [[6/10]] - [[2024-07-26]] **Best tracks:** - "Theme from "Samson and Delilah": a beautifully simple piano piece. - "If You Knew" - "The Twelfth of Never" - "The Other Woman / Cotton Eyed Joe" ### Nina Simone Sings Ellington (1962) ![[Screenshot 2024-07-26 at 12.05.38.png|200]] A short, pedestrian album that doesn't grab your attention. [[4/10]] - [[2024-07-26]] **Best tracks:** - "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" ### At the Village Gate (1962) ![[Screenshot 2024-07-26 at 11.22.45.png|200]] [[2024-07-26]]. A melancholic album that felt fairly low energy. She tries to end it on a positive note with "Children Go Where I Send You", but there's no escaping the sadness of this album. I got excited to here her announce a version of "The House of the Rising Sun". But I'm unsure what I think of it. It lacks some energy and anger. It's a more melancholic version. I should listen to that track again again. It's pleasant enough, but not outstanding. Aside from the best tracks below I wouldn't rush back to listen to it again. [[5/10]] - [[2024-07-26]] **Best tracks**: - "He Was Too Good To Me" - "Bye Bye Blackbird": a nice, fairly fast jazz number. - "Brown Baby": a slow, incredibly sad number. ### Forbidden Fruit (1961) ![[forbidden-fruit.jpeg|200]] I listened to this bad sadly can't remember what I thought of it. ### Nina Simone at Newport (1960) ![[nina-simone-at-newport.jpeg|200]] https://open.spotify.com/album/4Ds7zZYzM5rtaemaVOfFOs?si=K-TSpwRxRqGGRH2EkKBbpw ### Little Girl Blue (1959) ![[little-girl-blue.jpeg|200]] Listened whilst playing [[Battlefield 1]] and I was weirdly annoyed by the album. I think the beat of the songs disagreed with me. So I can't really give it an honest view. I'm sure if I listened again I wouldn't have an issue. [[6/10]] ([[2024-07-16]]) **Best tracks**: - "He Needs Me"