Search - Patty Waters :: Complete Esp-Disk Recordings

No One Else Sounds Like This

tasbjorn | Urbana, IL United States | 09/08/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Though I suppose Yoko would take exception to that statement. I owned Patty Waters first (I think) ESP lp in the 1970s when I was buying lots of stuff on the fringe. The version of Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair sounded like she was having a breakdown and might finish it with a blade. It was long (maybe 13 minutes), and utterly compelling. You wouldn't listen to it much, but it put Alice Cooper in perspective. He was not as deep in as she was. Later, Ute Lemper came close to this on that Sondheim song on City of Strangers, "Losing My Mind." But Patty could just suddenly leave the room, psychically speaking. She could be screaming seconds later, and then go into a whisper. And she had a great voice, too. I am an aficionado of cool jazz vocalists, so I am not exactly sure how she came into my playlist, but brother she is one of the true artists of jazz. Although hard to listen to she is a much easier than Nico, and much more sincere in the goth dark vibe than Nico, or Marianne Faithful or Rasputina. She is somewhere else again. If you are adventurous and love great fem vocals this is worth having. Absolutely unique."