Grade: 98/100
Annie Lennox is a Scottish singer-songwriter whose work spans every genre from soulful jazz to electronica. Her name may be unfamiliar to many college students, but she once was half of the new-wave duo Eurythmics, the band that wrote and performed “Love Is a Stranger” and “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).”
Lennox independently made “Into The West,” which is in the end credits of “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.” The song won her a Golden Globe and an Academy Award, only two of her many achievements.
This week, Lennox released a new album, “Nostalgia.” To summarize its quality in the simplest way possible: So far, only six out of 159 iTunes reviewers rated it lower than four stars.
In “Nostalgia,” Lennox covers 12 of her favorite childhood hits, from soft songs like “Georgia on My Mind” to powerhouse hits like “I Put a Spell on You,” and the songs’ quality never wavers.
Throughout the album, no matter the pace or theatricality, the vocals are a joy to hear. Her voice proves to be strong and flexible after performing songs that detracted from its quality for decades. Without techno sounds and collaborations with famous faces, listeners can hear Lennox as the powerful singer she’s been all along.
Maybe most importantly, Annie Lennox sells what she sings. In “Memphis in June,” listeners can understand exactly how and why Memphis in June is lovely enough to inspire a song. In her rendition of “Strange Fruit,” originally made popular by Billie Holiday, Lennox illustrates the horror of racism in the South and how heavily plantation culture — and Southern culture in general — is romanticized.
Her take on George Gershwin’s “Summertime” can calm any listener with her smooth tones. No matter the track, Lennox is convincing in her performance.
These songs have had innumerable covers since they were written — including Ray Charles’ performance of “Georgia on My Mind” and Louis Armstrong’s rendition of “I Cover the Waterfront” — but Lennox’s take stands out among the best. Each one of her tracks renews the songs. The hits are dramatically different from previous covers.
Overall, “Nostalgia” is worth a listen, even if just to bring variety to a playlist. It’s calming, but it keeps your attention. The album sheds light on classics that can get stuck in anyone’s head for days, and it motivates listeners to look up her work in Eurythmics for comparison. The biggest issue with “Nostalgia” is that it doesn’t last long enough.