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Xiu Xiu's Nina Simone Covers Miss the Mark
7 Oct
Summary
- Xiu Xiu's new album covers Nina Simone songs like "Don't Explain".
- The album fails to illuminate Simone's artistry or enhance the songs.
- Jamie Stewart's vocals are criticized for being a pinched, trembling whisper.
Xiu Xiu has released 'Nina', an album featuring covers of songs made famous by Nina Simone, such as "Don't Explain" and "Wild Is the Wind". The project, while conceptually exciting due to the perceived artistic connection between Xiu Xiu and Nina Simone, ultimately falls short in its execution.
The core criticism of 'Nina' centers on the vocal delivery by Jamie Stewart. Instead of channeling the powerful emotions associated with Nina Simone, Stewart opts for a consistently hushed, trembling whisper. This vocal choice renders the melodies almost irrelevant and fails to provide compensatory emotional depth.
Despite the vocal shortcomings, the album does feature some praiseworthy elements. The song selection itself is strong, including iconic tracks like "Wild Is the Wind" and "The Other Woman". Additionally, the arrangements by drummer Ches Smith offer variety, shifting between delicate music-box sounds, junkyard jazz, and atonal textures, though they ultimately lack substantial material to support.
