Nichole Nordeman: Recollection
Review: Recollection:The Best of Nichole Nordeman
If there was ever Christian singer/songwriter who truly deserved a retrospective, it has to be poet laureate Nichole Nordeman. "Recollection" is worthy of her great gift.
For my money, there is no other artist penetrating and articulating the human soul with the fierce accuracy of Nichole Nordeman. Her incisive, thoughtful prose, her majestic piano playing, and her gorgeous vocals make her a triple threat. You would think it would be difficult for a best of collection to truly bear witness to the scope of her talent and her music, but amazingly, “Recollection: The Best of Nichole Nordeman” does just that.
From the early years of fearless questioning come the nuanced “To Know You,” “Is It Any Wonder?” eclectic and dreamy,” and the quietly mesmerizing “River God.” One of Nordeman’s signature songs, “Holy,” kicks off the album nicely, from her breakout album, 2002’s “Woven and Spun.” Others from that disc include ethereal worship song, “I Am” and one of my Nordeman favorites, “Legacy,” intimate yet lyrically sharp. 2000’s “This Mystery” is well represented by the rollicking, powerful title track and the deeply stirring “Every Season.” As is her last album, “Brave” of 2005. Its title track is here, with that amazing sultry bridge, and the haunting “What If,” gently challenging the doubter. All in all, every album is well represented, making “Recollection” unusual in its scope. And of course, the requisite new songs are here: “Sunrise” is blissfully Nordeman, a stirring rocker, with those signature insightful lyrics and nuanced arrangements. “Finally Free” is also Nordeman at her best: mesmerizing, moving and melodic.
It’s not often that a best of collection does it as well as “Recollection” has. Equally satisfying as an introduction to Nichole Nordeman and as an eloquent collection for her many long-time fans, “Recollection” scores all the way around.
