Priestess

Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
Butterfly Messiah began officially in the summer of 1998 as the product of two frustrated people who had been in bands together since 1995. Robert was making dark electronic music on the side and Shannon was creating ethereal songs. With the dissipation of their first full time band, these side projects combined and have evolved into music that, in the words of The Plague's Dan Hinds, is "unfailingly unique", seeming to range between and seamlessly combined elements of Synthpop, Ethereal, and Industrial Dance/EBM.

Shannon's lush, otherworldly, voice bewilders and captivates as it soars over pounding beats and powerful synths. Shannon writes most of the rhythm and bass as well as a fair amount of poetry. Robert writes intricate, ritualistic chants, poetry and percussion with interwoven bass and synth sounds. Josh Harrington, the newest member, contributes keyboards and synths to enhance and embolden the overall sound.

Unlike so many artists today, Butterfly Messiah's lyrics are very intelligent, combining social commentary with mystical insights, symbolism and deeply powerful personal references. Every song is laden with double, triple, and quadruple meanings. The lyrics are worthy of reading along with the music and contemplation afterward. Shannon's occasional lyricless singing comes from a purely intuitive place where words sometimes fail to express spirit. Various aspects of Butterfly Messiah's sound have been compared to Front 242, Dead Can Dance, New Order, Miranda Sex Garden and Loreena McKennitt.

Album Description
Lush and otherworldly, the debut album from Butterfly Messiah is poetry you can dance to...a unique blend of gothic, synthpop, and ambient with haunting atmospheres that reflect a realm of magic and the pagan past. Stunning full color booklet in a jewel case with reflective aluminum tray.

Tracks:

I Am The Right. Colour Me Black
Lay Down
Run Home
Two Kids
Talk To Her
Time Will Cut You Down
Everything That You Are
The Shakes
Performance
Living Like A Dog
No Real Pain
Blood

Amazon.com

This riff-heavy, Montreal-based retro stoner pop quartet is one of the more pop-oriented bands to come out of the mid-ought's metal resurgence. Their appealing music is proof that at least a few hipsters wearing '80s metal tees actually listened to the music made by bands who got Frank Frazetta to draw their record covers. This remixed and remastered version of the group's debut proves that while the dudes may not yet be masters of their genre, they're certainly adept students. Priestess are willing to mix and match from some of the best: Zeppelin, Priest, Leppard, Lizzy, even Heep. Take "Everything That You Are": its fuzz distortion solo starts out all early '70s (melodic and slow) then it goes into overdrive and gets early '80s on you in an instant (flashy arpeggios and screaming licks). The group has strong songs and all, but they could use either more self-consciousness, or less. Right now, that tongue-in-cheek business is kind of harshing all of our buzzes. --Mike McGonigal

Customer Reviews:

Stole the show..........2007-04-30

Priestess was the second warmer for Mastodon at a small theater in Portland OR where I heard them for the first time. A small pudgy filthy guy with a gibson sg strapped on him thanked Mastodon for a great tour and told us all how lucky we were to see them in such a small venue right as Blood Mountain was breaking loose.
I honestly didn't know what to expect from them as Mouth for an Architect had opened up so the tone was set for some serious post-metal noise when all of a sudden these four guys cracked open "Lay Down" and lit the place on fire. The response from the crowd was deafening and certain, they had just made 600 of their biggest fans.
You could say "riff-rock" or make comparisons to Sabbath, Thin Lizzy, or what have you but they deliver fist pumping, wind in your hair rock, plain and simple.
It is also worth a mention that they brought homage to Spinal Tap as well. These guys are un-abashedly rock n' roll from their riff and solo rides to the wrap around mutton chop mustache, they are the package, the real deal. Everything about them reels you in and then before you know it you just threw a full beer across the crowd.
The truth of the matter is that I feel lucky I got to see Priestess in such a small venue. These guys will (or should) be headliners on a huge stage someday.
I have to echoe that their album is great but it PALES in comparison to seeing them live.

Break Out Those Denim Bell Bottoms.......2007-04-22

Priestess Rawks!!! There, I feel better. After the sucess of Wolfmother, The White Stripes, etc. I suppose it was inevitable that a wave of "retro" music was coming our way. One things is for sure, Priestess have what it takes to make this idea work. Much like Wolfmother's latest release, this album could have been in the charts circa 1974. Think Jethro Tull by way of Deep Purple and Thin Lizzy. Is it cool? Hell yeah! this disc is actually the most fun I've had with a rock album in a long time...

What I love about this band is the fact that they seem to pay homage to this style of music, although sometimes with the tongue firmly planted in cheek. Not too serious or stiff, but not an asinine parody like The Darkness. This music is meant to be listened to with beer in hand. Fun stuff, recommended.

Great CD, but it pales in comparison to live show.......2007-03-31

I bought this CD at a Priestess show in Seattle. They wrecked it that night, the band is amazing. I don't think I have ever been as disappointed to see a group stop playing. There's a lot of dynamics on stage. The drummer is a show by himself and the rest of the group emits the stoner metal image to a t.

This album, though? It's kind of like buying a postcard to something that's a visual spectacle. The picture on the postcard reminds you of how amazing your vacation was, and you get a taste of how gorgeous, say, the Grand Canyon was, but it's just not like being there. Their record is under-produced, sadly, to the point where it comes off as a good 4-track recording. Much like when you see a band set up for TV, the vocals come through louder and independent of the instruments, and the music is all leveled the same so you don't get the virtuoso elements from any of the musicians.

I might not like this whole CD as much if I didn't see the show, but there are some good songs that rank highly in their genre. They're more 70's soul metal than they are 4/4 Mastodon technical metal, which is awesome for me.

Again, this is an amazing band that underproduced themselves on this album. They tore up the club where I saw them. I said to my friend after their first song: "I wouldn't mind if they just played that same song another 5 times, this is awesome", because it was. If you like their record, look on YouTube for live shows and you'll be way impressed.

Guilt free hair metal.......2007-03-29

This is classic American rock. The only way I can describe this band is if you take a hair metal band and take away the oversinging, Aqua Net, cod pieces, and masturbatory guitar solos. Has great hooks and big fist pumping sing along choruses but none of the songs are overplayed. In fact it seems like they intentionally restrain some of the guitar parts so as NOT to be labelled hair metal. If you were a fan of early 90's hair metal you're going to be like "Oh yeah I remember this!" then fire up your Camaro, grab a sixer, and go drink in the woods with yer buds by the power lines. Party on Garth!

Awesome CD.......2007-03-08

Great cd! Anyone who wants to listen to what rock is, buy this cd. Song after song of nothing but quality, Priestess is the future of the radio, just wait.

New Hope for the Wretched/Metal Priestess

Average customer rating:

Sometimes I feel it when you're down on your knees.
Butcher Baby...They're gonna put you away!!
Nowhere Else on Earth
finally!

New Hope for the Wretched/Metal Priestess
Plasmatics
Manufacturer: Plasmatics Media
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00005ALHY
Release Date: 2001-04-10

Tracks:

Tight Black Pants
Monkey Suit
Living Dead
Test Tube Babies
Won't You
Concrete Shoes
Squirm [Live]
Want You Baby
Dream Lover
Sometimes I
Corruption
Butcher Baby
Tight Black Pants [Live][*]
Living Dead [Live][*]
Sometimes I [Live][*]
Lunacy
Doom Song
Sex Junkie [Live]
Black Leather Monster
12 Noon
Masterplan [Live]

Customer Reviews:

Sometimes I feel it when you're down on your knees........2004-01-07

Released in 1980, "New Hope for the Wretched" is an anti-rock album that's intended to assault the senses, leaving listeners bruised and battered. Emerging from the New York punk circuit in the late 70's, the Plasmatics were a loud, uncompromising ensemble that cracked the status quo of the music industry and collapsed the foundation of mainstream America. And of course, the band was fronted by the one-of-a-kind Metal Priestess herself, Wendy O. Williams, a former stripper who uttered every album's lyrics with furious, gutteral snarls. A true icon in the music industry, she carved a bleeding trail for other hardcore, female-fronted acts, including The Lunachicks, My Ruin, and Otep.
This CD is an amplified masterpiece of dynamitic metal TNT. With its frantic drumming and raw guitars, "New Hope" features extremely loud and simplified anthems of violence, sex, and non-conformity. Although most of the songs were recorded in a studio, the sound was given as little buffering as possible, so it oozes the blood and sweat of an untamed stage performance. Some of the album's tracks, such as "Tight Black Pants," "Test Tube Babies," "Corruption," and the psychotic "Won't You" are spontaneous metal tunes that will melt your eardrums and leave your brain completely hemorrhaged! "Concrete Shoes" is a brutal and blistering song that's somewhat inspired by 1930's gangster flicks; with her incredibly angry growls, Wendy portrays a Mafia boss who tosses a corpse into the Lower East River. The album also features the single, "Butcher Baby," a hostile war anthem that conquered the Top 40 charts in the United Kingdom. "Dreamlover" is a romantic rock track that includes the over-the-top "noise jam," where the band members turned their headphones off and isolated themselves in different parts of the studio. By doing that, no one could hear what notes the other members were playing. This results in a 2-minute cacophany of beautiful chaos; the Plasmatics might as well have played their instruments while riding in a truck at 90MPH, only to skid off the road and tumble down a hill in a ball of flames! And, of course, don't forget the Plasmatics' underground classic, "Living Dead," a rebel song that addresses the damaging, 9-to-5 pressure society inflicts on its citizens. In addition to "New Hope from the Wretched," this CD package provides the entire tracklist from the band's EP, "Metal Priestess," a record that contains a slightly more polished rock sound. Skull-bashing tunes like "Doom Song," "Lunacy," and "12 Noon" are the first ones to dive into the cult bucket of sci-fi movies, festering zombies, blood rituals, and the coming apocalypse. Also, Wendy O. William's live rendition of "Sex Junkie" is as sleazy as the pages of a Hustler magazine. As a whole, this CD is a violent labor of love from a group of anti-art pioneers; it's a album that no death metal group has been able to imitate since.
While being the first stage act to fuse punk anarchy and speed metal, the Plasmatics became well-known for their dangerous theatrics: they sliced guitars in half with a chainsaw, smashed television sets with a sledgehammer, and detonated cars in front of a gawking audience. If that's not obscene enough for you, the lovely Wendy often performed topless onstage, displaying as much raunchy behavior as in one of her a XXX videos. She was a shock rocker who could have brought Marilyn Manson to his knees! Purchase this album when you can, freaks! While American buyers are slowly sinking into the artificial mud of Barbie doll clones, Wendy O. Williams's memory must be kept alive and well! The Plasmatics will live forever!

Butcher Baby...They're gonna put you away!!.......2002-08-24

This 2-in-one Plasmatics package contains the loudest, fastest and most hardcore rock music I've ever heard. When you press the play button on your CD player and hear the very first track, you will feel like you've been hit by a runaway train! Personally, my favorite track is "Dreamlover," because of its 2-minute long noise jam where the band members are isolated from one another and randomly play their instruments however they wanted...it's chaos at its best! Another favorite is "Living Dead," which is an absolute classic. Most of the tracks are raw enough that you almost can't tell whether they were recorded in the studio or if they were performed live on stage. "New Hope/Metal" is worth the money; get it while you can.

Nowhere Else on Earth.......2002-03-16

Competing with Styx and Reo Speedwagon in the late 70's, kept the Plasmatics off the radio, yet they sold out venues and were banned from England for provoking anarchy. This marvelous first album is everything the cover says it is. If one can put music to a cadillac in a pool, with a topless chick, and a guy in a tu-tu, the Plasmatics surely did. Songs on New Hope capture a political image of New York City, and political inconsistencies which exist across the United States. Unforgettable tracks include "Concrete Shoes" (images of executed corpses being draw from the East River in New York), "Sometimes I", "Butcher Baby", make me stand up and cheer at the Plasmatics blatent commentary of our wildly inconsistent American system, and are generally, well...just DAMN FUN to listen too. Nothing like the Plasmatics has come to be. If anything, it is worth anthropologic value, and should be played in GRADE SCHOOLS! "Metal Priestess", a later recording signals a transition towards heavy metal. One does not have to think much to thier lyrical message on this one (lots about chemical toxins, power hungry political hypocrites), yet the musicianship and Wendy's evolving vocal play remain inticing and leave the listener wishing their were more tracks on this album. The live cut of "Masterplan" show exactly how tight this group was. They are sorely missed.

finally!.......2001-06-09

While the Plasmatics' output has been recently made avialable I was sorely disappointed that Plasmatics Media had seemingly overlooked the METAL PRIESTESS ep from way back in 1981. Now I can complain no more as this ep has been added to NEW HOPE FOR THE WRETCHED (which has been fairly easy to find on disc). Wendy and company are in fine form here both in songwriting and hard rock attack. LUNACY, DOOM SONG and BLACK LEATHER MONSTER are probably the most well rounded and articulate songs the Plasmatics ever attempted. The tunes from WRETCHED are fun energetic punk but I prefer the metal/punk hybrid of METAL PRIESTESS and this is definitely a high point of this genre.

Average customer rating:

happiness takes place in small piano tunes
Cacaphonic Harmonious

Gurdjieff's Music for the Movements

Manufacturer: Channel Crossings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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Sacred Hymns
Heart without Measure: Gurdjieff Work with Madame de Salzmann

ASIN: B00003CK7L
Release Date: 1999-12-14

Customer Reviews:

happiness takes place in small piano tunes.......2001-07-24

these short piano pieces are simple, but absolutely not boring. gurdjieff and de hartmann wrote some of the most thoughtful and sincere music you'll ever hear. I found this CD over a year ago and it's one I return to over and over again.

Cacaphonic Harmonious.......2001-07-15

Truly an exposition of beautiful "objective" listening. This music will not put you to sleep. Transitions are abrupt and engaging throughout the score's entirity. I play the music whenever I find myself searching for something to do or am bored. This music will consume all negativity and poke the listner to begin a stirring sensation in their own mentation. The music is not sophisticated or eligant by no means, but has a way about it which will intrige one to listen again and again.

Average customer rating:

High Priestess Soul Goddess

High Priestess of Soul
Nina Simone
Manufacturer: Verve
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000AXZCV4
Release Date: 2006-02-14

Tracks:

Don't You Pay Them No Mind
I'm Gonna Leave You
Brown Eyed Handsome Man
Keeper Of The Flame
The Gal From Joe's
Take Me To The Water
I'm Going Back Home
I Hold No Grudge
Come Ye
He Ain't Comin' Home No More
Work Song
I Love My Baby

Customer Reviews:

High Priestess Soul Goddess .......2007-02-05

When Simone sings Keeper of the Flame, you know why the pyramids are still there and the sun still sets. Simply fabulous, even the string arrangements which are usually annoying or overdone work here. Nothing can undermine her voice and the beautiful selection of songs here. If you have never heard Simone you could start here, or at the Live at the Village Gate disc. If you know her work already and you have not heard this disc buy it now, and let Ms Simone Take you to the Water.

Average customer rating:

She's got balls.
Great Rock Record

Hello Master

Manufacturer: Indica Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000BQVS18
Release Date: 2005-11-15

Customer Reviews:

She's got balls........2006-01-16

Each time we enter a new year at Peacedogman.com,one of our albums fights against the MASTODONS and MARS VOLTAS of the world to make the top ten strictly for highway speedin' crankability. As you may have guessed, I'm pretty sure this PRIESTESS disc wins the prize.

Think THE CULT's "Electric" swirled with LEPPARD's "High & Dry" and you're in the correct vicinity. Buy it!

Great Rock Record.......2005-12-16

If you like rock music, you will love this album. It's a massive, classic sounding record. Big drums, thick guitars, great songs.

Priestess are from Montreal, Canada and "Hello Master" is their debut which currently is only released in Canada. Priestess usually get compared to Motorhead (who they've toured with) and Queens Of The Stone Age.

Unfortunately amazon.com doesn't have any audio samples of the songs, but you can hear a few of the tracks at Priestess' website: www.priestessband.com

Key tracks on the album are: Talk To Her, Run Home, Lay Down, The Shakes, Time Will Cut You Down, No Real Pain.

Average customer rating:

Gorgeous Goth, Ethereally Beautiful...
This Butterfly is an awesome ride!
One of the Freshest Otherworldly Acts Around!
For the ethereal corner of the dancefloor
Exquisite Gothic/Ethereal Album

Priestess
Butterfly Messiah
Manufacturer: The Fossil Dungeon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00006341P
Release Date: 2002-02-24

Tracks:

Land Beneath the Waves
The Wicked
Introspections
Serpentine
Visitor
Ring the Bells
Eternal Undone
When Autumn to Winter Resigns
Reverie

Album Description

Lush and otherworldly, the debut album from Butterfly Messiah is poetry you can dance to...a unique blend of gothic, synthpop, and ambient with haunting atmospheres that reflect a realm of magic and the pagan past. Stunning full color booklet in a jewel case with reflective aluminum tray.

Customer Reviews:

Gorgeous Goth, Ethereally Beautiful..........2003-12-11

Gorgeous Goth, Ethereally Beautiful...

I love this cd from begin to end...

"Serpentine" is my favorite track... Though I love all of them...

It goes from Goth Ethereal to Goth Dance and everything inbetween...

I'm glad to have found Butterfly Messiah... and I can't wait for their next one - "Eternal" I believe...

So if you're a Goth DJ or want some excellent Goth music for your set - get this cd - I guarantee you won't be disappointed... - DJ Dakini-NYC

This Butterfly is an awesome ride!.......2003-10-23

This is my first venture into the world of Gothic Music, and I have to say I am not disappointed!
There are few songs out there than can calm me and yet inspire me at the same time and Priestess is full of them.

From the first dramatic notes of "Land Beneath the Waves" I knew there was something totally different about this group. I am blown away at how everything flows together in this album!

My all time fave has got to be "Reverie." In just listening to it I feel like I am in a mystical forest, surrounded by ever falling leaves, spinning... I can almost feel the cool autumn air all around me. Shannon's vocals are captivating...

One of the Freshest Otherworldly Acts Around!.......2003-10-10

The Butterfly Messiah trio are one of the freshest otherworldly acts I have come across to date. With each new composition, the quality of their art work only gets better and better!

I have to say I am so very much anxiously awaiting the release of the new CD "Eternal." Butterfly Messiah are true poets of the new millennium, I'm only sorry that I hadn't heard them sooner!

From the Priestess CD:
I am absolutely in love with the entire Priestess ensemble but my true favorites from the Priestess CD are:

"Land Beneath The Waves" is a very beautiful composition. The hauntingly ethereal female vocals compliment the mono-style male vocals. When combined with a Gothic style synth-beat, you are surrounded with a warm magickal tapestry. Like a cloak of plush, ambient atmosphere. Breathe it in deep, savor it...wonderfully moving!

"Serpentine" really makes my body and soul move in unison! The combination of synth-dance beat and captivating female vocals are refreshingly vibrant! True poetry in motion...a wonderful Butterfly Messiah masterpiece! I absolutely adore it!

"Reverie" Once again, the hauntingly beautiful voice of Shannon Garson combined with mystically enchanting music generates a dark ambient atmosphere that I have longed to lose myself in for many years! Truly enchanting!

MP3 Samples: From The Upcoming "Eternal" Release

"Grey" seems to speak, almost whisper to you in a powerfully solemn voice. When I hear this sample, I really feel that I'm drifting...drifting on an otherworldly plane...or in another dimension. Truly mesmerizing!

"Falling Stars" has a wonderfully fresh, moving beat. When combined with the enchantingly beautiful female vocals, you are swept into an atmosphere of pure-white electricity!

"The Circle" is absolutely magnetic and seems to manipulate my psyche, bringing it to an undeniably natural state of mind. The eluring voice of Shannon Garson not only enhances, but dominates the mystifyingly magickal sound this composition produces. Riveting, the sample leaves me yearning for the entire composition, truly a sound I need to hear and feel!

For the ethereal corner of the dancefloor.......2002-11-03

(Sentimentalist review)

This is the third release since Butterfly Messiah's 1998 inception. Robert Nightshade's dancefloor beats and unadorned vocals mesh seamlessly with Shannon Garson's keyboard melodies. Her vocals sometimes harken to the free-form style of Lisa Gerrard (Dead Can Dance). Josh Harrington fleshes out the synth backdrop.

The lyrics support the premise that goth is a haven for genuine poetry. The simplicity of the singing and instrumentation also suggests the lasting influences of Alien Sex Fiend and Die Form. Janet Garson's exceptional art and photography are equal to that of Chad Michael Ward and Clovis IV.

Songs such as "Land Beneath The Waves" and "Introspections" cater to the dance floor without resorting to aggro menace. "When Autumn to Winter Resigns" is an excellent, albeit brief a cappella piece reminiscent of Faith and Disease. Adding a guitar would expand the band's overall sound, but isn't required for continued appeal. This is music for motion.

Exquisite Gothic/Ethereal Album.......2002-10-02

Priestess is a beautiful album, inside and out. My favorite songs are Serpentine and When Autumn to Winter Resigns. I can't wait to get my hands on the new single, "It's Time". From what I heard on MP3.com it sounds like it's going to be even more incredible!

Average customer rating:

Priestess Return to Atlantis
Medwyn Goodall
Manufacturer: New World Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | New Age | Styles | Music

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Release Date: 2000-06-26

Tracks:

Return To Atlantis
Temple Of Prophecy
Wisdom Of The Ancients
Crystal Alignment
Symbols Of Peace
Chamber Of Mysteries

Average customer rating:

absolutely fantastic
Great band -fantastic solos!.
Priestess is great

Priestess
Gil Evans
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tracks:

Priestess
Short Visit
Lunar Eclipse
Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress Then Silk Blue

Customer Reviews:

absolutely fantastic.......2005-08-01

I bought this after having seen gil evans in montreux, with RMS i think. This is a fantastic record.

Great band -fantastic solos!........1999-06-09

This is some band.And ther is some real good stuff here.Just listen to the title track,19 minutes of Priestess by Billy Harper recorded live in May 1977 in St.George Church ,New York. The group starts to build a groove very early on,all the instruments contributing to a build up.In comes David Sanborn (alto) over a very restrained supporting group,most reeds sitting out early on.His solo is brilliant and well driven along by Gil Evans arrangement.This is a great example of the excitement a big band can generate. Lew Soloff follows immediately on trumpet-his solo is both searching and scorching.Another piece of exciting playing which he keeps up for several minutes. He hands over to Arthur Blythe on alto.He is more considered and reflective in his solo but just as intense as Sanborn. The wonderful thing about all 3 solos is listening to the support given by the band-reduced to only 2 or 3 instruments from time to time. This gives the soloists, particularly Blythe, room to shine.The whole piece is a showcase for the 3 magnificent solos.I never tire of playing this track-at full volume it is a dramatic and lovely piece which shows what a big band is cpable of without resorting to stiff and dull chart music.The other 3 tracks are equally good,"Short Visit" ( another Sanborn showcase) in particulr. I have seen opinions to the contrary but I personally find this to be one of Gil Evans most enjoyable recordings.

Priestess is great.......1999-01-07

The track priestess is great, it has one of the best trumpet solos i have ever heard in my life. Don't be confused this is not big band jazz at all and it is very exciting. Don't forget this joe did a lot of arrangements for miles in the 50's and 60's. The title track is 5 stars while the rest is a 3.5 in my opinion.

Wild is the Wind / High Priestess of Soul

Average customer rating:

The Most High Priestess of Soul -- and then some
Why I Love Nina Simone
High Priestess of Soul
Two Nina albums for the price of one. A must have! 4.5 stars
Earth Goddess, High Priestess, and Down Home Church Girl...

Wild is the Wind / High Priestess of Soul
Nina Simone
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000047BB
Release Date: 1990-10-05

Tracks:

I Love Your Lovin' Ways
Four Women
What More Can I Say
Lilac Wine
That's All I Ask
Break Down And Let It All Out
Why Keep On Breaking My Heart
Wild Is The Wind
Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair
If I Should Lose You
Either Way I Lose
Don't You Pay Them No Mind
I'm Gonna Leave You
Brown Eyed Handsome Man
Keeper Of The Flame
The Gal From Joe's
Take Me To The Water
I'm Going Back Home
I Hold No Grudge
Come Ye
He Ain't Comin' Home No More
Work Song
I Love My Baby

Amazon.com

Nina Simone has long been notorious for her eclecticism, and this set of two 1966 LPs provides ample evidence of her disinterest with strict segmentation. Wild is the Wind is culled from five separate '64 and '65 sessions and finds the mercurial madam backed by an orchestra and small ensembles. Most striking is Simone's own "Four Women," an early indication of her always-near-boil rage. High Priestess finds Simone essaying everything from Chuck Berry to Duke Ellington to the accompaniment of a big band directed by Hal Mooney. The boisterous arrangements aren't particularly flattering, but Simone is engaged and engaging throughout. --Steven Stolder

Customer Reviews:

The Most High Priestess of Soul -- and then some.......2001-11-27

Aside from her composition "Four Women" -- introduced to me via pre-video-age teleplay, on PBS, I think -- I knew little about Nina Simone or her work before 2001. I knew who she was and understood that she'd earned some significant recognition in popular music, but for whatever reason I was unable to appreciate her or her talent. For instance, I didn't know that she often accompanied herself on piano and is quite an accomplished pianist. I didn't know that, apparently, the best way to appreciate Nina Simone is live. Then I read a short bio on her included in David Nathan's "The Soulful Divas." Her autobiography, "I Put A Spell On You," had been recommended to me for years, but I couldn't get it up for her music, let alone her life. She just didn't move me -- Until I read the "Divas" profile, which made me want to hear from this eclectic talent.

This dual-LP CD is a pretty good intro to Nina Simone. Few artists are as adventurous and successful with diverse music styles. Everything from pop to R&B to jazz to blues to show tunes to folk songs can be found in Simone's catalog. In "Wild/High Priestess." I tend to like her slower, mellower offerings. My favorite here is "That's All That I Ask." From the seriously sensual a capella intro (Don't try to blow out the sun for me, baby/I don't ask for what I know can't be) listeners are treated to a knee-buckling, emotionally wrenching appeal that cannot be ignored. Simone's incredible phrasing and diction makes you hang onto every word. My only complaint is that the song is way too short. I'm similarly moved by "What More Can I Say," "Lilac Wine," "Wild Is the Wind" (a live version), "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair" (also live) and "Keeper of the Flame."

I want to include "Don't You Pay Them No Mind" in that group, but here Simone opts for a gritty delivery that slightly wrecks the flow of the vibe established in the mellow tunes. But I still like the soulful performance.

Speaking of soulful performances, some memorable ones can be found on "Why Keep on Breaking My Heart," "If I Should Lose You" and "He Ain't Comin' Home No More." But "Either Way I Lose" and "I Love My Baby" confirm why the "High Priestess of Soul" moniker is so apropos. "I Hold No Grudge" is a nice piece, but Simone isn't in particularly good voice here.

Some defiantly category-defying entries would have to include the compelling and theatrical "Four Women," "Come Ye" -- spiritual and optimistic yet seductive, featuring simply Simone on richly textured, soothing vocal with percussion accompaniment -- and "Work Song," delivered in powerful, never-say-die fashion.

As for the rest of the stuff offered here, there's really nothing wrong with them, they just don't move me. But in my own defense, I gotta say that "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" is just a dumb (...) song. Lyrically, anyway.

Eighteen out of 23 cuts ain't bad.

Why I Love Nina Simone.......2001-10-11

This is the album(s) that led to me falling in love with Nina Simone. I was browsing through a local music store and saw this CD. I had no idea who she was but it looked "interesting." At first I only listened to Four Women over and over again. I suppose she is an acquired taste...now I love the whole CD and own many many more of her albums. Even some on vinyl. This album shows her talents from traditional songs to pop songs to jazz songs and she's equally wonderful no matter what she sings and plays piano on.

High Priestess of Soul.......2001-03-12

You... kiss me... With your kiss my life begins You're spring to me All things to me

Don't you know you're life itself Like a leaf clings to a tree Oh my darling, cling to me For we're creatures of the wind And wild is the wind So wild is the wind

Wild is the wind Wild is the wind

This woman's voice will bring your soul out of hiding - her songs are heart-wrenching, tumultuous, joyful, awe-inspiring. Poetic. Gospel. You will need wings because it will make you want to fly.

It makes me so anxious, so not content to just sit and wait for emotion. You feel her push it out of her voice at you and you'll want take it up and be full of hope and love.

Her music has made it's way into movies too. Try the 'Point of No Return' and 'The Thomas Crown Affair'. Her music is on the soundtracks and brings sultriness to the screen.

Two Nina albums for the price of one. A must have! 4.5 stars.......2000-10-31

Wild is the wind/ High priestess of soul; two albums by Nina simone relaesed in the late 1960. (1966 Wild is the wind and 1967 high priestess of soul) Thanks to the good (or just plain greedy) people at Polygram they've decided to re-relaese these albums together. A deal that shouldn't be passed up by any Nina fan. The Wild is the wind album is the stronger of the two albums. It begins with a swinging version of I love your lovin' ways. After which follows the powerhouse four woman, which is reason enough to buy this CD. The rest of Wild is the wind is chock full of bluesy, lonely woman blues ballads which are the staple of Ninia Simone's music. Standout cuts are what more can I say, Lilac wine, That's all i ask, wild as the wind and of course four women. 5 stars The high priestess of soul is the weaker of the two albums. It contains more swing and pop tunes and less ballads. it's more experimental and Nina uses more varied influences than wild... That doesn't mean that high preistess.. isn't good. it contains several strong songs. The high powered i'm gonna leave you and the brown eyed hansome man are two uptempo songs that start out the high preistess portion. The keeper of the flame is the lone ballad and one of the strongest songs on this portion of the CD. There are also a couple of gospel songs that nina sings as well. She sings the traditional Take me to the river and her gospel roots are claerly evident I'm going back home which and I love my baby. There's even an african influenced song Come ye. Overall a strong album from Nina but not a classic. 4 stars Together both albums average out to 4.5 stars. For the price this is an absolute steal. You get two very good albums for one from one of americas brillian and most misunderstood singers of the 20th century. A must have for Simone fans.

Earth Goddess, High Priestess, and Down Home Church Girl..........2000-07-27

...I can see why it would be hard to categorise Ms. Simone's music, it is all of everything coming from the deepest of her emotions. What angers me is that as fabulous as she is in all sorts of music, even Amazon.com doesn't allow her props by putting her in an accessible category--ie Classic Soul, along with the Marvin Gaye and Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles CDs.

Of this CD, you are in for a true gift, if you have not heard her work. And for that I am envious of you.

This is a CD of two 60s albums put out on the defunct Philips Label. "Wild is the Wind" has a superb cut--"Four Women" that is, too, too--ummmph! Awesome. "Lilac Wind", "Black is the Color..." done in an intimate small combo style. If Ro Flack sez she was inspired by Nina early in her own career, you can surely tell. Also the timeline for current neo-soulsters Macy Grey, Angie Stone and Erikah Badu goes via Cassandra Wilson back to Nina. Soul composers Oscar Brown, Jr. and Van McCoy authored some great tunes in which Nina put her indelegible stamp on. And like I said she runs the gamet of styles. A true artist. Discover Nina Simone.

High Priestess
Average customer rating:
High Priestess
Aisha
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Reggae | International | Styles | Music
General | Reggae | Compilations | International | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000FMQW0K
Release Date: 2007-06-19