Nina's Choice
Nina Simone · 1963
38 min · 9 tracks · blues
A soulful blend of blues and jazz, showcasing Nina Simone's powerful voice and emotional depth.
Top tracks — play these first
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Trouble in Mind Start here — This opening track features Simone's emotive delivery paired with poignant instrumentation, setting the tone for the entire album's contemplative nature.
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Work Song — The somber arrangement combined with Simone's stirring vocals brings a haunting quality to this classic tune, highlighting her ability to convey deep emotional weight.
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Forbidden Fruit — Simone injects a sense of yearning into this track, showcasing her vocal prowess and ability to interpret complex emotions within a seemingly simple narrative.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
Nina's Choice showcases strong compositions and distinct vocal performances, though it lacks some cohesion in pacing.
What we noticed
- The album opens with 'Trouble in Mind', establishing a slow, reflective mood that persists through the first half.
- Each track features Simone's piano accompaniment, often using sparse arrangements that highlight her vocal delivery.
- Several songs incorporate traditional folk elements, such as call-and-response patterns and rhythmic variations, particularly evident in 'Cotton Eyed Joe'.
- The final track, 'Just Say I Love Him', shifts to a more upbeat tempo, providing a contrast to the preceding ballads.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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7/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady emotional storytelling arc
- haunting vocals for reflective moments
- soulful warmth for intimate spaces
- evocative narratives for quiet evenings
Maybe skip if you
- prefer upbeat, fast-paced tracks
- seek instant gratification in music
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Breakthrough — Further established Nina Simone's reputation with critical acclaim and emotional depth.
- Themes
- emotional resilience· forbidden love
- Moods
- Melancholy· Introspective
- Career context
- Released in early 1963, Nina's Choice followed Simone's breakthrough album, Little Girl Blue. At this point in her career, she was solidifying her reputation as a formidable artist capable of merging classical music with jazz and blues influences, moving towards greater artistic freedom.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Billie Holiday· Ella Fitzgerald· Aretha Franklin
Moments worth listening for
Where the writing does something specific.
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Just Say I Love Him
The shift from longing to hopefulness occurs when the narrator expresses desires directly to their love interest.
This transition captures the essence of vulnerability while embodying a nuanced shift in emotion that reflects the complexities of love.
Tracklist
- 1 Trouble in Mind Start here 5:41
- 2 Memphis in June 2:39
- 3 Cotton Eyed Joe 2:53
- 4 Work Song 2:36
- 5 Forbidden Fruit 3:50
- 6 Li’l Liza Jane 4:32
- 7 Rags and Old Iron 4:08
- 8 You Can Have Him 6:00
- 9 Just Say I Love Him 6:37
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Lady in Satin
Billie Holiday
Shares the same emotional depth and soulful delivery, focusing on love and loss.
I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
Aretha Franklin
Combines gospel roots with bluesy soul, expressing themes of love and resilience.
Killing Me Softly
Roberta Flack
Echoes the blend of jazz and soul with poignant storytelling about love and vulnerability.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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