Customer Reviews

Encore

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Klaus Nomi was literally in a league of his own creatively in the music world of the 80s. It's not likely we'll ever see his unique style and presentation either on the stage or in the recording studio. Sadly, he passed years ago, thus, we have this wonderful collection of his "greatest" hits to enjoy for many years into the future.

I first saw him on Saturday Night Live with David Bowie, and his look totally intrigued me. I first owned ENCORE on vinyl when I was all of 16 years old. This actually is my second CD copy, the first was stolen!

His voice is haunting, elegiac, and romantic depending on how you listen to the songs and what mood you're in at the time. There's even humor in some pieces, like Total Eclipse, The Twist and You Don't Own Me (made famous by Leslie Gore in the 60s.) Sometimes a song like his aria from Samson and Delilah will make you profoundly sad, and other times you will marvel at the power and artistry he was capable of in so many styles of music, from rock n' roll to opera.

Every track is a keeper but especially these gems: Total Eclipse (you can see a live performance clip in the movie URGH!), Cold Song, A Simple Man, Wasting My Time, You Don't Own Me, and of course, the magnificent aria from Samson and Delilah (which I believe is from the Massenet version, likely available in its entirety, with other soloists, on several CD recordings.)

If you own only one NOMI collection, this is THE ONE.

My wife and I were Dj's in Iowa in the early-80's and believe it or not, Klaus was very popular. Great music to dance to and very 80's. Some faves, Lighting Strikes" and our Number One reguest "You Don't Know Me". I remember these songs as being very popular in France, too! It is too bad that Klaus died of AIDS in the prime of his career.

This is the third and last of Nomi's albums made while he was still alive.

It is mostly a Best Of, but it also contains new tracks such as "Der Nussbaum" (Schuman), a live track of "Total Eclipse", and "I Can't Help Falling in Love" in a little strange version.
That CD also includes older songs: "Lightning Strikes", "The Twist", "Samson and Delilah", "The Witch is Dead"...

Even if there is no really new song, "ENCORE" is still worthy.

Try it and you will love it. END

Throw all your genres out the window and break out the black lipstick, and be sure and either rent or buy a balcony to stand on and lipsynch... Klaus's distinct ability to transport people to places they've never even dreamed about is in the air on this album, and double plus good, it's a cosmic smattering of all things nomi...

I'm selling a copy of Klaus Nomi's "Encore" I think I got as a novelty gift, probably just like talk show host Rush Limbaugh did. A problem I have with Nomi is that his natural rage of voice (which could reach into the countertenor rage) was way far better than the awful falsetto he uses in a number of his songs. He ends up just mulitating an otherwise beautiful German song as, "Der Nissanbaum", and almost sounds like a screeching chicken. Also how was it that he could sing better in English than in his native German? I can see why so much of his music became more popular in America than in Germany and Europe because we Americans of German heritage were raised with German that is practically as poor as what he presented on his records. On the other hand, British singers as David Bowie and Peter Gabriel are able to sing German with superior pronunciation and flow.