Nostalgia

Annie Lennox's Nostalgia is yet another example of the Scottish singer's immense talent of song interpretation. For most of her career, she's written her songs, both as a solo artist and as one-half of the legendary Eurythmics. But when she takes on the songs of others, she's in equally rare and dignified form. Medusa, her second solo album, in fact was all covers, as is this album, her eighth solo project, if you count her brilliant A Christmas Cornucopia and her greatest hits, The Annie Lennox Collection. Nostalgia is not what most fans would have expected from her -- dipping far into the Great American Songbook. The first single, Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put A Spell On You," is rollicking fine performance (for which she received a standing ovation at the Grammys in 2015). Never shying away from racial and social injustice, Lennox's cover of "Strange Fruit" is as appropriately disturbing as it should be. The album does have lighter moments, none better than the dreamy "September In the Rain," delivered simply and beautifully.

The only thing worse than having to endure this pathetically horrible album (yes Annie Lennox is still pretending to be talented) would be having to endure a Taylor Swift album

Media reviews of this album seem to regard it as Annie visiting golden classics, as if she was reprising Dusty Springfield’s or Nat King Cole’s hits. They completely miss is that this is a dark, disturbing trip through America’s history of racial violence. The inclusion of Billie Holiday’s Strange Fruit — about bodies hanging from trees after lynchings — is not a day-brightener, and not an accidental inclusion. Annie is literally bringing a dead, disfigured corpse to the party. Here somber treatment of all the other songs on this collection is also distinct from the exultance Annie typically brings to her songs, and honors the dead. The album’s first song, Memphis in June would seem to be a quaint, idyllic look at summer blooming. Yet one detects an ironic edge. A quick look into history reveals that just after the Civil War ended, Memphis was the scene of vicious attacks, killings, rapings and arson of the black community — many returning veterans from the war. This riot occurred over three days in May, 1866, finally quelled by federal troops. In the few years after, an exodus of blacks reduced their population in Memphis by 25%. A laconic weekend in June, indeed. I Put A Spell On You follows. It is a song about owning and abusing another person. Other “love songs” on this album specifically talk about owning the other person. There is no joy in the album. Annie Lennox is an artist of stunning ability. She does not intend for you to boogie to these light-hearted tunes. They are funeral dirges.

Queen

Lennox has the perfect voice to carry these classics. You will not be disappointed

Can’t play this album enough. Hope she continues to release more music like this.