Every time a middle-aged singer turns to American songbook repertoire, there is a public outcry about cul-de-sac and lack of original ideas (or even worse, selling out to mainstream) and to be honest, I was cynical myself upon seeing that Annie Lennox turned that route. But for the sake of old affection towards "Eurythmics" and genuine curiosity about dramatic photo cover that presented singer unadorned of make up or any frills, I decided to give it a go.
It turned into surprisingly good album - its all about pre-WW2 material, but its decidedly not a Jazz album. Just like Autumnal photo on its cover, "Nostalgia" is a serious, all-ballad collection, backed by impeccable orchestration and all is held together with wondrous voice that still amazes with its sonorous sound - Lennox was always a strangely haunting singer completely distinguished from anybody else in pop music and I dare to say that limits of the media (and its constant strive towards commercial aspects of the business) probably tired the singer long time ago. So instead of suspecting her intentions about going all Gershwin, I hear artist singing what she truly loves and enjoying being theatrical and authoritative in genre that allows it.
We have actually heard Lennox in this type of music long ago on Cole Porter's tribute ("Every Time We Say Goodbye") so its surprising that it took her decades to get here. Perhaps she overdosed a bit on Billie Holiday (four songs associated with her!) and at the times her intense approach leans more towards Gospel, but than we get something like "You Belong To Me" that truly amazes with beauty and she sounds like modern-day incarnation of Jo Stafford, which is a high praise indeed since original was so perfect. For an artists that is pushing 60 in pop arena it actually looks like a perfectly dignified and natural step, just give it a listen. Kids probably won't care but "Eurythmics" fans are now all older and we will enjoy it. This is almost unplugged Annie Lennox without any electronic gadgets or synthesizers, its a pure singing for the joy of it.
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