Audio CD review:
Nico - The End

Nico - The End

Band: Nico Title: The End Rating: Release Date: 01 March, 1994 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: It Has Not Taken Long 2: Secret Side 3: You Forgot To Answer 4: Innocent And Vain 5: Valley Of The Kings 6: We've Got The Gold 7: The End 8: Das Lied Der Deutschen

Customer Reviews different. when i got it, i was surprised. after the marble index and desertshore, i was eager for more Nico, and all the reviews promised this to be some of her darkest, most caustic work. if you aren't a big fan of synthesizers, this is SO not for you - - Nico must be lauded for her use of them, tho, years before they came into prominence with New Wave. she's brave to do it, but it made me miss the sparseness and timeless sounds of her second two solos. toward the end of the album it got to where i wanted it to be: gone were the fairy-tale-theatre synth flourishes, and it was dark, jarring, abrasive, raw. i loved it. four stars because i felt it was not her best work, but a powerful album by virtue of the last few songs. Nico ueber alles! Together they create a bleak and chilling musical landscape for Nico's funereal vocals. Nico on voice and harmonium is assisted by Phil Manzanera on guitar, Eno on synths and producer John Cale on a range of instruments including bass, xylophone, organ, glockenspiel and piano. All compositions are by Nico, except The End by The Doors and Das Lied Der Deutschen by German romantic composer August Heinrich von Fallersleben. If her contributions to the Velvet Underground were melancholy, this music is way beyond lugubrious, but quite listenable on account of the great arrangements. Of her own songs, the atmospheric You Forget To Answer, the frightening Innocent And Vain with its terrifying sound efects and the morbid Valley Of The Kings stand out; they all fall within the realm of the art song. Nico's accented pronunciation contributes to the almost classical feel. The End and Das Lied Der Deutschen are something else. The first is well-produced, as awesome as the original and serves as a suitable introduction to the second, which is the highlight, or lowlight, of the album. Scary stuff, not for the faint of heart. To hear Nico rocking out, I recommend the album Drama Of Exile. [[ASIN:0747544115 Nico, Songs They Never Play on the Radio]] [[ASIN:B000001JMR Drama of Exile (Remixed)]] [[ASIN:B000002G7C The Velvet Underground & Nico]]. You will know me again Nico's music is still minimal, cold, full of fine synth textures and her spectral harmonica sounding in the middle of it all. One of Nico's best albums to date, ''The End'' was again produced by Cale, with help from mate Brian Eno and Roxy Music's Manzanera. The songwriting is among her strongest (''Secret Side'', ''You Forget The Answer''), and her take on the German anthem is a true reconstruction of the song, scary yet beautiful. Her cover version of the Doors-penned title track is a little bit too long, but the overall results of the record are impressive. Among the best and most innovative things I've heard in pop music, ever. . You can see a complete list of all Nico discography, or go back to the Nico tabs