''Nina'' is a
Nina Simone tribute album by
Xiu Xiu. It was released on
Graveface Records on December 3, 2013, to generally favorable reviews.
Recording
The idea for the album came while band leader
Jamie Stewart was on tour with
Swans.
''Nina'' was recorded in a day.
The album features Stewart's voice,
Ches Smith on drums, Tim Berne and Tony Malaby on saxophones, Andrea Parkins on accordion, and
Mary Halvorson on guitar.
The latter four had experience in avant jazz.
The album reimagines rather than recreates Nina Simone's songs.
It was released on
Graveface Records on December 3, 2013.
Reception
''Nina'' received a score of 65 (out of 100) from the ratings aggregator
Metacritic
Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
, which indicates "generally favorable" reviews.
Nate Chinen from ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' described the album as accentuating Simone's "spooky, unsettling side".
He adds that Stewart's vocals add to the "psychodrama" in "Four Women" and "the wildness" in "Wild Is the Wind". Chinen thought the
art rock
Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that generally reflects a challenging or avant-garde approach to rock, or which makes use of modernist, experimental, or unconventional elements. Art rock aspires to elevate rock from entertainment to an ar ...
Nina Simone covers field was already crowded before ''Nina''.
Heather Phares of
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
considered Stewart's stylistic choices "provocative" and the album Stewart's "most avant-garde ... in years".
She added that the album considered the "more progressive aspects" of Simone's music.
Kyle Fowle of ''
Slant Magazine
''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New Yor ...
'' thought the album to be Xiu Xiu's "most ambitious ... in years".
He thought Stewart's vocal style was out of place on "Don't Explain" and "Just Say I Love Him".
Billy Hamilton of ''
Under the Radar'' wrote that Simone would approve of the album.
Mark Richardson of ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials.
The term is also applie ...
'' noted a mystical connection between Xiu Xiu and Simone as artists who perform raw emotions, but described the album as a "wasted opportunity" and "weirdly conservative".
For this, he blamed Stewart's vocals for being "theatrical" and insincere.
Richardson praised the album's selection of songs covered.
Track listing
Personnel
*
Jamie Stewart – vocals, writer, producer
*
Ches Smith – drums, producer, arrangements
Additional personnel
* Andrea Parker – accordion, electronics, piano,
Moog
*
Mary Halvorson – guitar
*
Tim Berne – alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
*
Tony Malaby – tenor saxophone
* Aaron Nevezie – recording engineer
*
Chris Koltay – mixing
* Collin Jordan – mastering engineer
References
{{Authority control
2013 albums
Xiu Xiu albums
2010s tribute albums