Eclipsed: The Best of Klaus Nomi

• Artist: Klaus Nomi
• Rating:
• Release Date: August 24, 1999
• Type: Compilation (best of)
• Genre: Rock

Review

The image and legend of Klaus Nomi in many ways dominates over his music nearly 20 years after his death -- it's his appearance with David Bowie on TV or the way he wore his hair that most often seems to stand out in memory. Eclipsed: The Best of Klaus Nomi does an effective job of putting his music back first and foremost, though in many ways he's surprisingly conservative at a distance, or rather, his music is. There's a definite sense of creativity throughout, of course, and his swooping, multi-octave voice can't be resisted -- an Yma Sumac for a post-disco/new wave era, but just as capable of delivering merrily harsh German cabaret vocals as well. His more conversational English-language lyrics (check the verses to "Lightning Strikes"), in contrast, too often come across as Euro-trash sleaze, while his backing musicians don't summon up the sense of future shock that Marianne Faithfull did with such contemporary efforts as Broken English. Where Nomi's genius can be most fully seen is in his cover versions, resulting in often jaw-dropping reinterpretations of songs ranging from modern opera ("The Cold Song," a stately, affecting take on the Henry Purcell composition) to pop landmarks like "You Don't Own Me" and a merrily gooned-up prance through "Ding Dong (The Witch Is Dead)." "Can't Help Falling in Love" becomes a lovely, piano-synth-led composition for him to deliver a strong -- and notably non-falsetto -- and warm take on the Elvis Presley standard, while the mighty "I Feel Love" gets transformed into an orchestral synth pop aria like none other than Suicide or early Ultravox playing Carnegie Hall. As an overview, Eclipsed is excellent, though curiously not comprehensive (the brief but informative liner notes, for example, mention two songs that surfaced on a 1998 single, though neither are featured on the disc). ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Total Eclipse	Kristian Hoffman	Klaus Nomi	(3:30)
Lightning Strikes	Lou Christie, Twyla Herbert	Klaus Nomi	(3:00)
The Cold Song	Henry Purcell	Klaus Nomi	(4:04)
Wasting My Time	Scott Woody, Klaus Nomi	Klaus Nomi	(4:18)
You Don't Own Me (Lyrics)	Dave White Tricker, John Madara	Klaus Nomi	(3:42)
Keys of Life	Klaus Nomi	Klaus Nomi	(2:27)
Rubberband Lazer		Klaus Nomi	(4:22)
ICUROK	Jack Elliott	Klaus Nomi	(4:25)
After the Fall	Kristian Hoffman	Klaus Nomi	(4:45)
Just One Look	Doris Payne, Gregory Carrol	Klaus Nomi	(3:21)
Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead	Harold Arlen, E.Y. "Yip" Harburg	Klaus Nomi	(3:12)
Simple Man	Kristian Hoffman	Klaus Nomi	(4:19)
Three Wishes	Jack Elliott	Klaus Nomi	(3:19)
I Feel Love	Pete Bellotte, Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder	Klaus Nomi	(5:32)
Can't Help Falling in Love	Luigi Creatore, George David Weiss, Hugo Peretti	Klaus Nomi	(3:56)

Credits

Jon Cobert (Keyboards), Klaus Nomi (Producer), Michael Levine (Violin), Klaus Nomi (Vocals), Kristian Hoffman (Percussion), Jack Waldman (Synthesizer), Ron Johnsen (Producer), Robert Medici (Vocals (Background)), Man Parrish (Programming), Man Parrish (Synthesizer Programming), Elliott Federman (Mastering), Catherine Seligman (Coordination), David Richman (Compilation Producer), Kristian Hoffman (Synthesizer), Klaus Nomi (Vocals (Background)), John Kay (Bass), Julie Burger (Vocals (Background)), George Elliott (Guitar), Brian McEwan (?), Elizabeth Bouras (Photography), Daniel Elfassy (Percussion), Jimi Zhivago (Guitar), Scott Woody (Vocals (Background)), Michael Halsband (Photography), George Elliott (Percussion), Scott Woody (Guitar), Robert Medici (Drums), Daniel Elfassy (Drums), Tom Mandel (Synthesizer), Jon Cobert (Vocals (Background)), Harry Young (Liner Notes), Kristian Hoffman (Keyboards), Tom Mandel (Keyboards), Paul Rutner (Drums), Anthony De Luca (Concept), Jack Waldman (Sound Effects), Robert Mache (Bass), Robert Mache (Guitar), Kevin Tooley (Drums), Robin Manning (Coordination), Steve Elson (Saxophone)