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Music : Baltimore
Rating: 
- Nina swamped with strings
Nina Simone was displaced by the mid-1970's,both as an artist and a poltical activist: Rejecting the USA, and living in Liberia, then Europe, spending years without management or agent, sometimes without a record deal, 1977 -1978 saw Nina at her lowest ebb. Then Jazz label CTI agreed a one off deal: Prime studio musicians, backing singers were drafted in. The result was this 1978 album 'Baltimore'. Even the CD sleeve notes concede that Nina didn't like the final result and later she claimed to have had no choice of the songs that were selected. Some fans however rate this release highly. Sadly the over-production -particularly the orchestral overdubs added later to the original work- nearly stifles the whole release.
Randy Newman's `Baltimore' opens the set, a fine version, with a slight reggae beat ; Nina's voice is great, draws out Newman's sharp lyrics, but string arrangements begin to dangerously encroach. `Everything Must Change' follows, Nina sounds on tip top form, and the orchestra has been kept at bay so one can hear Nina's intricate piano arrangement and poignant interpretation of this track. But sadly the lush string arrangements return with a vengeance to suffocate her version of Judy Collins' `My Father' and the old standard `Music for Lovers', and 'That's All I Want From You'. There a couple of quirky upbeat cuts ` The Family' and `Rich Girl' ( the Hall/Oates hit) which are a little odd. `Forget' is a Soul ballad with a subtle reggae tinge, then two uplifting Gospel numbers `Balm in Gilead' and `If You Pray Right' which really are charming. `Baltimore' has its moments but hardly ranks along side classic Nina. Its tracks haven't found their way on to the countless Nina Simone compilations, so worth checking out if you are after some lesser known material.
Rating:
- Achingly beautiful
With her mellifluous voice, Nina had the ability to transform any lyric into a moving poem. Here again she proves her worth as a highly skilled interpreter of many different styles of music: ballads, gospel, folk, pop and soul. The title track is fairly lightweight compared to what follows, like the brooding Everything Must Change. There is a funky beat to the heartbreaking The Family, a tale of tragedy and hope. My favourites include the rousing Balm in Gilead and the uplifting ballad That's All I Want From You with its simple and haunting lyrics. Her version of My Father is elegant and atmospheric, with a particularly brilliant arrangement, whilst Music For Lovers is dreamy and romantic. The album concludes with the buoyant gospel sounds of If You Pray Right. The varied material permits her unique voice to reveal more of its subtle hues. Baltimore is a gripping album of beautiful songs that will richly reward the listener.
Rating:
- Sublime & poetic
Nina has the ability to transform any lyric into a poem. Here again she proves her worth as a highly skilled interpreter of many different styles of music: ballads, gospel, folk, pop and soul. My favorites include the funky but heartbreaking The Family, the rousing Balm in Gilead and the uplifting ballad That’s All I Want From You with its haunting lyrics: “A sunny day/with hopes up to the sky/Not a day that comes and dies/That’s all I want from you”. Her version of My Father is elegant and atmospheric, with a particularly brilliant arrangement. The varied material permits her unique voice to reveal more of its subtle hues. Baltimore is a gripping album of beautiful songs that will richly reward the listener.
Rating: - An album containing some of Simone's best vocals
This critically acclaimed album contains some of the best singing of Simone's career - hence the four star rating. There are some beautiful songs here, too: "Everything Must Change" is a clear highlight in my eyes and the CD is a must-have for that track alone. "My Father" is also beautifully delivered - seven years after Simone's aborted first attempt, eventually released on "Sugar In My Bowl" 2CD set by RCA.
If these are highlights, then what of the rest? Well, the last two numbers on the album are gospel tinged, but Simone has done better. They are not bad, but just important in comparison the two songs I have already described. Of the remaing six numbers, three are reggae influenced, and Simone's voice fits this material like a glove. They are remarkably well sung, although anyone used to hearing Simone's earlier recordings may bawk at the sudden change in style. In fact, nothing that Nina Simone had previously recorded prepares us for this album. It leads her into new directions, it's just a pity that there was no follow-up.
The whole is not a masterpiece, but some of the tracks are when standing alone from the more minor elements of the album.
- Nina swamped with stringsNina Simone was displaced by the mid-1970's,both as an artist and a poltical activist: Rejecting the USA, and living in Liberia, then Europe, spending years without management or agent, sometimes without a record deal, 1977 -1978 saw Nina at her lowest ebb. Then Jazz label CTI agreed a one off deal: Prime studio musicians, backing singers were drafted in. The result was this 1978 album 'Baltimore'. Even the CD sleeve notes concede that Nina didn't like the final result and later she claimed to have had no choice of the songs that were selected. Some fans however rate this release highly. Sadly the over-production -particularly the orchestral overdubs added later to the original work- nearly stifles the whole release.
Randy Newman's `Baltimore' opens the set, a fine version, with a slight reggae beat ; Nina's voice is great, draws out Newman's sharp lyrics, but string arrangements begin to dangerously encroach. `Everything Must Change' follows, Nina sounds on tip top form, and the orchestra has been kept at bay so one can hear Nina's intricate piano arrangement and poignant interpretation of this track. But sadly the lush string arrangements return with a vengeance to suffocate her version of Judy Collins' `My Father' and the old standard `Music for Lovers', and 'That's All I Want From You'. There a couple of quirky upbeat cuts ` The Family' and `Rich Girl' ( the Hall/Oates hit) which are a little odd. `Forget' is a Soul ballad with a subtle reggae tinge, then two uplifting Gospel numbers `Balm in Gilead' and `If You Pray Right' which really are charming. `Baltimore' has its moments but hardly ranks along side classic Nina. Its tracks haven't found their way on to the countless Nina Simone compilations, so worth checking out if you are after some lesser known material.
Rating:
- Achingly beautifulWith her mellifluous voice, Nina had the ability to transform any lyric into a moving poem. Here again she proves her worth as a highly skilled interpreter of many different styles of music: ballads, gospel, folk, pop and soul. The title track is fairly lightweight compared to what follows, like the brooding Everything Must Change. There is a funky beat to the heartbreaking The Family, a tale of tragedy and hope. My favourites include the rousing Balm in Gilead and the uplifting ballad That's All I Want From You with its simple and haunting lyrics. Her version of My Father is elegant and atmospheric, with a particularly brilliant arrangement, whilst Music For Lovers is dreamy and romantic. The album concludes with the buoyant gospel sounds of If You Pray Right. The varied material permits her unique voice to reveal more of its subtle hues. Baltimore is a gripping album of beautiful songs that will richly reward the listener.
Rating:
- Sublime & poeticNina has the ability to transform any lyric into a poem. Here again she proves her worth as a highly skilled interpreter of many different styles of music: ballads, gospel, folk, pop and soul. My favorites include the funky but heartbreaking The Family, the rousing Balm in Gilead and the uplifting ballad That’s All I Want From You with its haunting lyrics: “A sunny day/with hopes up to the sky/Not a day that comes and dies/That’s all I want from you”. Her version of My Father is elegant and atmospheric, with a particularly brilliant arrangement. The varied material permits her unique voice to reveal more of its subtle hues. Baltimore is a gripping album of beautiful songs that will richly reward the listener.
Rating:
- An album containing some of Simone's best vocalsThis critically acclaimed album contains some of the best singing of Simone's career - hence the four star rating. There are some beautiful songs here, too: "Everything Must Change" is a clear highlight in my eyes and the CD is a must-have for that track alone. "My Father" is also beautifully delivered - seven years after Simone's aborted first attempt, eventually released on "Sugar In My Bowl" 2CD set by RCA.
If these are highlights, then what of the rest? Well, the last two numbers on the album are gospel tinged, but Simone has done better. They are not bad, but just important in comparison the two songs I have already described. Of the remaing six numbers, three are reggae influenced, and Simone's voice fits this material like a glove. They are remarkably well sung, although anyone used to hearing Simone's earlier recordings may bawk at the sudden change in style. In fact, nothing that Nina Simone had previously recorded prepares us for this album. It leads her into new directions, it's just a pity that there was no follow-up.
The whole is not a masterpiece, but some of the tracks are when standing alone from the more minor elements of the album.