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Desertshore

Nico Format: Audio CD
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 50 ratings
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Track Listings

1 Janitor Of Lunacy
2 The Falconer
3 My Only Child
4 Le Petit Chevalier
5 Abschied
6 Afraid
7 Mütterlein
8 All That Is My Own

Editorial Reviews

Highly recommended rewarding & rich third album from 1970 produced & arranged by John Cale. Incl Janitor Of Lunacy

Product details

  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 5.75 x 0.35 inches; 3.24 ounces
  • Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Reprise / Ada
  • Item model number ‏ : ‎ Desertshore
  • Date First Available ‏ : ‎ October 21, 2006
  • Label ‏ : ‎ Reprise / Ada
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000005JAD
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 50 ratings

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
50 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

geneseo_rick
5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful music
Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2001
Verified Purchase
An absolutely beautiful album, gothic, haunting, but at the same time uplifting. "Janitor of Lunacy", "The Falconer", and "All That is My Own" are especially powerful. The first of these, Luncay, makes one wonder of the possible influence on Nico of being a child in the ashes of wartorn Germany. The second, The Falconer, pulls one back almost literally into the Middle Ages. The third, All That is My Own, from which the title of the album comes ("Meet me on the Desert Shore"), also harkens back to the Middle Ages, with a hint of Middle Eastern influence. "Mutterlein" is also a hauntingly beautiful song (in German). And then, to this, you add the uplifting and positive (despite the title) "Afraid". Truly, a landmark album.
11 people found this helpful
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J S Freemont
5.0 out of 5 stars Nico, 1970.
Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2022
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Seminal. Brilliant.
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subpop200
5.0 out of 5 stars GIVE IT A CHANCE IF YOU ARE DIVING INTO REAL ART
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2015
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This is a massively pretty darn good constructed piece of art. Period. Especeally love the second piece, with that magic interlude pairing vocals and piano, driving a dramatic change on the song theme, a great message for an uforgiven soul.
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Laurie W
5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous ...Nico is totally under rated.
Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2014
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Nico was wonderful...very original....a pioneer in using the harmonium in a rock pop setting...Totally under-rated.

Thank god for John Cale.....
4 people found this helpful
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Gregor von Kallahann
5.0 out of 5 stars A Life Changing Album
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2005
A local newspaper recently ran a poll (and published a follow-up article) on the albums that readers found had "changed their lives." It didn't even occur to me to submit an entry. I have many albums that changed my life in some sense, just as there have been a number of books and movies that I could also describe in such terms. But for the most part, I find that if they really did change me, it probably has to do more with the cumulative effect of exposing myself to a variety of musical (or literary, or cinematic) works over the course of my life.

In other words, to put it bluntly, my first reaction was that the entire poll was pretty stupid. But then, well after the results had been tallied and the article had appeared, it occurred to me that there really was at least ONE album that had a direct bearing on my life choices, and in effect, literally changed the course of my life.

I was a Freshman in college and already a serious Nico fan when DESERTSHORE was released. I had been kind of shopping around for a major--although it appeared that I would probably end up yielding to pretty much the prediction that everyone I knew seemed to hold regarding my academic career. They all had me pegged as a typical English lit major. Out of sheer contrariness, I felt I had to find something else to specialize in.

Then I heard Nico singing in German--two tracks from DESERTSHORE that apparently came from the soundtrack of a French avant-garde film (by Philippe Garrel) called LA CICATRICE INTERIEURE (the inner scar). Of course, I had heard pop songs and folk songs sung in German before, and there was always something I liked about the sound and the feel of the language, but hearing Nico sing "Abschied" and "Muetterlein" for the first time was just one of those moments. I decided then and there that I MUST learn the German language. Even though, I had already completed my language requirements with French, I signed up for a German course as soon as I possibly could, was completely taken by its sound and structure, went to Germany to study and ultimately got a Masters degree in German language and literature.

Seemed like a pretty good deal at the time...I mean, I got to read books...and learned another language in the process. What could be better? (The fact that I feel like I've been spending the greater part of my adult life trying to play catch-up on English language literature nothwithstanding).

I can't really explain the pull that the entire album (and those two songs in particular) had over me. Nico's English language compositions and vocals had always held a certain allure. They were still fundamentally "foreign" even when sung in my mother tongue. Those mournful vocals with their stretched out vowels, the jagged and sometimes bizarre imagery. No native English speaker would sing like that--or WRITE like that. Cynics--and there were many--might point out that some of the images were almost comically off (e.g. "janitor of lunacy") and there were a number out-and-out mispronuniciations rather than intentional distortions "fal-con-eer" for "falconer." Such things were part of the package--you either bought 'em or you didn't. The self-appointed "dean" of rock critics (you know the guy) once wrote that while he had first thought Nico had charisma, her own compositions convinced him that she was "a fool."

I could go on and on about, say, the cultural difference between a German "Hausmeister" and the faintly comic American figure of the "janitor." But that would be pointless. You either love "Janitor of Lunacy" for what it is and is not, or it means nothing to you. You either allow for the "falconeer" pronunciation and then immerse yourself in the song--or you find it ridiculous and pass it by.

The inclusion of the sweet French children's song "Le Petit Chevalier" sung by her son, Ari, and the two German language tracks should have at least humbled the wiseacre American naysayers a little bit. John Cale has long argued that Nico (and to a large degree, Cale himself) came from a completely different tradition, a European high art tradition, that was in many ways the antithesis of American rock 'n'roll. Hooking up with Lou Reed, changed all that for both Cale and--to a lesser extent--Nico, but once they embarked on establishing Nico's trademark sound for her post-Reed solo albums, they instinctively went back to their avant-garde/medieval European roots. Lou who? Andy who?

And it worked brilliantly on its own terms. THE MARBLE INDEX and DESERTSHORE remain utterly unique in the history of, uh, rock'n'roll. It took a Germanic warrior princess to put the Goth in Gothic. Which is what made INDEX so monumental. It was imperious. Someone below pointed out that DESERTSHORE is a bit warmer than its predecessor, and there's some truth in that. Both albums contain songs dedicated to her son, but DESERTSHORE actually follows "My Only Child" with the chanson actually sung by the young Christian Aaron Paeffgen Delon. But then the mood shifts dramatically from French airiness to Teutonic austerity with "Abschied." Of course, once you know that "Muetterlein" is translated as "Dear Little Mother," you get a hint of the Schmaltz behind the Weltschmerz. But that's part of Nico's appeal. Just when you're sure that she was a ghostly apparition, it turns out that she was someone's mother--and someone's daughter. And an eternal enigma.

Capable of changing someone's life--a little anyway.
67 people found this helpful
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Mike B.
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, Mesmerizing
Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2009
When it comes to Nico, those words describe both the woman and her music. She's a unique individual in rock history. From European supermodel to avant-film actress and participation in the Velvet Underground (first album only) - Nico stood out from the crowd.

After leaving the Velvets, her album "Chelsea Girl" (1967) showcased her laconic German accent in the service of more-or-less conventional songs written by others. That all changed two years later with the release of "The Marble Index" (1969). She wrote all the words and music herself, with arrangements by fellow VU'er John Cale. Cale plugged in his electric viola while Nico pumped her harmonium, and they unleashed an avant-cacophony that hadn't been heard since the Cale-dominated second VU record "White Light/White Heat".

Not on all of it, however. He knew when to give her space, and there's plenty of beautiful airy passages where they both exhibit restraint. It must be said though that at times it sounds pretty "busy". His point/counterpoint arrangements can occasionally make a composition seem like two different songs struggling to co-exist.

On "Desertshore" (1970) Cale stepped back and allowed greater simplicity. There's still some welcome weirdness, but generally the whole affair is lower-key. "My Only Child" is basically sung acappella. The result is the most gorgeous, stunning album in her repertoire.

Years ago I read an article about the actress Joan Crawford that bemoaned what she had become. The film critic said she had once been so natural in early movies like "Rain", and now had to widen her eyes and jerk her whole head around to try to convey what used to come so easy to her. By the time Nico issued "The End" (1974), she had sort of turned into the older Crawford. I blame it on her increasingly heavy drug addiction. Nico was always gothic, but "Desertshore" and "Marble Index" had a lightness about them. "The End" was an un-relentingly heavy, almost cartoonish self-parody of what she had been a mere 4 years earlier.

Don't get me wrong - I love "The End". I also enjoy watching older Joan Crawford! I'm just saying that "Desertshore" was the last of her "natural" records. She later put out "Drama Of Exile" (1981), which featured a rock band slogging it out behind her. No tasteful, clever Cale arrangements. I still like it, especially her version of "I'm Waiting For My Man" and Bowie's "Heroes", which he supposedly wrote for her before deciding it was too good to give away. Her 6th and final solo album "Camera Obscura" (1985) is the only one I don't like. Robotic drum beats, repetitive keyboards, and sub-standard material. Only her song "Konig" shines, and the old chestnut "My Funny Valentine". In 1988 Nico had a minor heart attack while riding a bicycle in Ibiza, Spain, but hit her head on a curb. She died just short of turning 50. A very good documentary, "Nico Icon", came out in 1995.

If you'd like to hear someone who's really different, check out "Chelsea Girl", "Marble Index", and "The End". But whatever you do - don't overlook the exquisite "Desertshore".
14 people found this helpful
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Blaze Girl
5.0 out of 5 stars Playing this one might become a ritual for music fans!
Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2017
I wish I had heard this record sooner. Like most I discovered NICO through the VELVET UNDERGROUND but her solo work has come to be very cherished to me; I even turn to it in crucial times of my life. DESERTSHORE is a masterpiece. John Cale said NICO's career is more of a continuation of classical and baroque music, over the pop and urban folk and rock n roll that was prevalent in DESERTSHORE's creation.

"My Only Child," is angelic, a musical ray of light. Her voice has more faucets than any philharmonic orchestra.
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Top reviews from other countries

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jsmak84
5.0 out of 5 stars Capolavoro malinconico, funereo e straziante.
Reviewed in Italy on November 3, 2020
Verified Purchase
Capolavoro malinconico, funereo e straziante della leggendaria Nico, che con quest'opera raggiunge uno dei suoi apici compositivi più commoventi e toccanti.
Un'opera non facile da assimilare e comprendere, ma di qualità eccelsa.

Imperdibile e struggente frammento della carriera di una artista unica.
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Darker Scratcher
5.0 out of 5 stars DESERTSHORE released 1970
Reviewed in Germany on January 3, 2018
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Das dritte Album von "Nico" (RIP) wurde in den "Vanguard Studios" in "New York" mit weiteren Aufnahmesessions in den "Sound Techniques" Studios in London von "Nico" und "John Cale" aufgenommen.
Dieses Album unterscheidet sich stark vom Vorgänger "The Marble Index" und überzeugt sowohl die Hörer wie auch die Kritiker deutlicher von Nicos Talent als Songwriterin und Sängerin.
Die Songs war ursprünglich als Soundtrack für einen Film gedacht : "Philippe Garrel`s" "La Cicatrice Interieure" und "John Cale"
versah die Stücke mit großartigen. gefühlvollen Arrangements, die meist durch geschmackvolle Pianomelodien umgesetzt wurden.
Er steuerte auch "backing vocals" bei und ebenso "Adam Miller", der mit ihm auf "Church of Antrax" arbeitete. "John Cale" lässt die dominante Rolle von Nicos "Harmonium" bei einem Großteil des Albums zu wie bei dem gothic track "Janitor of Lunacy", das wohl
"Brian Jones" (RIP) zum Thema hat.
"The Falconer" ist über "Andy Warhol (RIP)" und es gibt zwei Stücke über Nicos Sohn :
"My Only Son" mit den tollen mulit-tracked a-capella vocals und "Le Petit Chevalier" gesungen vom jungen "Ari"selbst.
Zwei Stücke sind ihrer Mutter gewidmet : "Mütterlein" und "Abschied", die beide auf deutsch gesungen werden.
Düster wirken beide auch durch die musiklaische Begleitung beispielsweise durch Cales Viola auf "Mütterlein".
Die gefühlvolle Ballde "Afraid" ist wohl eins der Highlights des Albums und der letzte track "All That Is My Own" erinnert an
"Brecht und Weil" mit orientalischen Einflüssen "Arabian Nights".
Nico war hier auf dem Höhepunkt ihrer Schaffenskraft sowohl stimmlich als auch was die Kompositionen anging.
( Q : "Rough Guide to The Velvet Underground" Peter Hogan)
PS :Eine der letzten "Throbbing Gristle" Veröffentlichungen von "Peter Christopherson" (RIP) "Chris Carter" und "Cosey Fanni Tutti"
als "X-TG" covert dieses Album auf Wunsch von "Christopherson" in sehr eindruckvollerweise Form mit Gästen wie "Blixa Bargeld", "Antony" und "Marc Almond". Diese CD erschein in einem Doppepack mit dem "Final Report" des Trios.
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kirimiumau
5.0 out of 5 stars Voyage
Reviewed in Italy on May 23, 2015
Verified Purchase
Nico is still underrated, and this is a nice thing. Good things are often not well known, like this masterpiece of her mystical word made by music. A rare treasure that will make you sail away to the Desertshore. Nice package.
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tuktuk
5.0 out of 5 stars 自分探しの旅を続けているあなたへ
Reviewed in Japan on February 4, 2007
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とにかく、このヒリヒリとした、圧倒的な存在感のある声に完全に引き込まれてしまった私にとって、２０年以上前に初めて聴いた時からずっと聴き続けている音です。例え幸せな人生を歩んでいようが、愛する子供がいようが、人生は孤独であると、それが唯一の真実であると確信しているあなた（私）にのみ、届く声。好き嫌いがハッキリ別れる音楽です。出だしの数秒でわかります。このアルバムはJ.ケールのアレンジもすばらしくユニークでニコのアルバムの中でもベストだと思います。どんなジャンルにも属さないニコの音は時を超えて私の心の耳に響き続けています。
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esoteric
4.0 out of 5 stars ottimo
Reviewed in Italy on June 23, 2016
Verified Purchase
terzo album di nico uno dei migliori da lei incisi.la musica di questo album ti porta in un clima spettrale.con un uso maggiore del basso potrebbe essere definito funeral doom disco consigliato agli estimatori della cantante
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