Customer Reviews

Klaus Nomi - The Essential

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Klaus Nomi was a rare and special being. He made the world a little less drab.

This CD is a strange and happy mix of songs from all sides of Nomi. This is important in understanding Nomi - a strange and happy artist. Nomi was equally comfortable in many styles and equally proficient at all of them. He was at home in pop, opera, and new wave.

He shows off his classical side in a Saint-Saens aria, Der Nussbaum, and the Cold Song, among others. He surprises with a
cover of 'Can't Help Falling in Love' that wisely resisted the temptation to go soprano.

Any collection of Nomi is incomplete without the 'Nomi Song,' 'Total Eclipse,' and 'After the Fall,' and these are here, along with the Rush-Limbaugh-Favorite 'You Don't Own Me.'
This does not have any of the 'hard-to-find' tracks, but it's an excellent introduction to Klaus Nomi.

Incidental note - liner notes are in french.

Hopefully, with the movie out, people will begin to look at Nomi again, and we may even see a revival of interest in his music.

It may be cliche, but it's true: Nomi was an artist who lived before his time.

This compilation contains tracks from all Nomi's solo albums plus a stunning live version of the magnificent Samson And Delilah Aria, composed by Saint Saens. The material is an interesting blend of catchy synth-pop, like Just One Look and Falling In Love Again (sung partly in German) and serious choral pieces like From Beyond. Rubberband Lazer, an addictive pop song with weird country infusions and effusive synth textures, and the theatrical Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead with its singalong chorus are amazing tracks.

Nomi's most famous tracks like Cold Song, an impressive operatic number and Total Eclipse, a magical marriage of rock and classical from the first album, still sound awesome. My only complaint is that I think the studio version of Samson And Delilah ought also to have been included. Klaus Nomi was part of the late 70s/early 80s synth explosion, but his operatic angle was unique. His music remains highly original and inspiring. The Essential Klaus Nomi is definitely the best album to investigate this obscure genius.

I bought this CD just to try something different and I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. I would recommend this to anyone with an open mind, and is hungry for something that might be generally considered out of the ordinary.

Never again will there be such a mesmerizing artist as Klaus Nomi. This CD is only so close to capturing the wonder of him. Can't stop listening.

If you've got a great sense of humor and love all genres of music, you will really enjoy the brilliance of Klaus Nomi.

The one comment up there says Klaus was a happy fellow, he was not, nearing that last few years of his life he felt lonely, he was looking for a boyfriend. He thought no one would love him, and he died of AIDS. This man will return, someday when the world is ready for him, then the world will really see Klaus Nomi, the man from outter space!