By Gregor von Kallahann
I’m not at all astonished by the occasional negative reviews of this release. Nico have a tendancy to polarize people. Even persons who would never use the “can’t sing a lick” argument versus such contemporaries (and friends) of Nico such as Dylan, Leonard Cohen and (the possibly less than friendly) Lou Reed feel free to use it versus her.
Ah, you say, but THEY wrote their own material. Well, so did Nico (almost altogether after this album). And contrary to what a lot of have written, Nico in truth begun writing on this record (forgive me for using old-fashioned terms like “record” and “album”). “It Was A Pleasure Then” was authored by Nico, John Cale and Lou Reed. Lyrically, it’s a patent Nico song; the feedback accompaniment is classic Reed/Cale.
People may argue with regards to the merits of Nico as a chanteuse, but that was only a role she played for a very short time. I occur to like her Sprechstimme vocals and do not consider them Warhol-esque camp (since she sounded the same on her earliest, pre-Velvets recordings “The Last Mile,” and “I’m Not Sayin’”–yes the Gordon Lightfoot song–long before she ever met Andy and Co.)
The songs on this record, as well as the occasional cabaret-style foray into Dietrich territory in her later career (“My Funny Valentine” from “Camera Obscura”) suggest that Nico could have been the heir to a German (not French) tradition antecedently represented by Lotte Lenya, Marlene Dietrich and Hildegard Knef (aka Hildegarde Neff). She embraced that tradition only briefly and more or less ironically, and then moved beyond it, crossing the “frozen borderline” represented by her second solo lp “The Marble Index.” That record is a world beyond “Chelsea Girl” and as far got rid of from Warhol campiness as is humanly possible.
Regardless of whether you find “Chelsea Girl” charming or whether you wonder how this “non-singer” ever landed a recording contract, you ought to realize that Nico went on to compose and carry out (in collaboration with John Cale) a great deal of of the most provocative and downright scary music of the 60s, 70s and early 80s.
If you’re intrigued at all by Nico, you may want to check out the video “Nico Icon” or one of the two books when it comes to her “Nico: the Life and Lies of an Icon” (the author’s name escapes me at the moment) and/or “Nico: the End” by James Young.
22 of 22 persons found the following review helpful.
A classic
By PERFECT PILLOW
Nico’s affect may still be heard and felt today. The fact that this album was freed in 1967 baffles me when you consider the sound of frequent music of that time. Nico was a true original, and perhaps one of the original authentic “alternative” artists of our time. This album is beautiful, string-laden and passionate. Nico may make you feel blue without completely bringing you down. Her voice is what it is: imperfect, childlike and yet (most importantly) VERY MUCH HER OWN. Listen with an open mind, don’t listen to the Nico nay sayers, and cut the girl a break: she was only attempting to infuse numerous beauty into this ugly little world.
36 of 42 people found the following review helpful.
One of the most under-rated albums in history!
By an English major
Okay, it is a sad fact that most persons in this world are not musically knowledgable or appreciative on a deep level. This is illustrated by the fact that, as reviewers have cited before, not almost sufficient people have ever heard of Nico.
I will state this very plainly:
This album is the classic Nico album. It also holds the single most gorgeous set of songs I have ever heard in my life. And this comes from someone who prides themself on having a wide and obscure musical taste. There is a sure Zen in this album that I just can’t express. Especially on the understated “These Days”. This song gives you the sentiment that Nico is singing to you the exhausted lament of an individual who has come back from the dead. Its haunting and priceless. As for Nico’s voice being unusual, I would have to protest. People devour the albums of artists like Bjork and PJ Harvey, and to me their voices have a much more unnatural tonal quality.
I urge you to at least listen to this album. I know the Royal Tenenbaums genuinely got Nico’s music back out there, so I hope a lot of humans may portion in this rare experience.
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Not the definitive Nico CD, but an intriguing beginning