Eli And The Thirteenth Confession

Very interesting album and great voice by Laura Nyro. I have never heard of this person before, but after listening to this album I can tell that plenty of artists have been influenced by her. It reminds me the most of Barbra Streisand and her music, if she was a better vocalist and songwriter. Very pleasant album, she should be much more recognisable than she is at the moment.

Nice

good album, surprising, sounds like Adele before her.

What a lovely surprise! A wonderful piece of soul from an artist I'd never heard of. The album weaves jazz, soul and motown arrangements with psychedelic lyrics and Nyro's impressive vocal range. While the album is full of high energy songs Nyro's vocals and piano excel in the quiet bits. The songs all take full advantage of this, with regular tempo changes and unaccompanied solos. This is used to excellent effect in Poverty Train, where they accentuate the psychedelic peaks created by Jope Farrell's flute. The album is dense with ideas and the songs don't really conform to traditional pop structures, but the seams don't really show and you are left with the impression of cohesive songs and themes across the album. The back half of the album is the highlight with the strong rythym section in Woman's Blues accentuating its sophisticated songwriting.

Best Song: Poverty Train. Soulful and powerfully sung. Really great. Worst Song: December's Boudoir. Too theatrical and campy for the end of what had felt like an otherwise rooted album. Overall: This unequivocally rocks. She has a brilliant voice and she's not afraid to stretch it in interesting directions. Her voice is, to me, the perfect combination of powerful and emotive. Strangely, I feel like I can hear many of the artists she's clearly influenced, and yet I'd never even heard of her before.

I kept expecting her to break into "Wedding Bell Blues" at any moment. Beautiful voice, and the melodies are haunting at times.

Loved it.

Powerful voice and great retro energy.

I think this album broke me. I had no idea who Laura Nyro was prior to this. She gave the 5th Dimension a hit, but it wasn’t Aquarius, so that didn’t help. Going through it, I went through a roller coaster of feelings. Here was this wonderful voice singing some nice 60’s pop. The slow songs were wonderfully smooth and elicit the best of the decade. But then, some of the songs got annoying, especially the first two with her practically repeating the song titles over and over. For the entire duration, it kept going back and forth between these two moods. In hindsight, this was a bit frustrating. I think if the album was more focused and a lot of the big-Broadway elements were axed, it would be perfect. As is, I mentally bounced between a 4 and a 3 for this. In the end, I leaned generously toward a 4. I think ultimately Laura’s singing saves the album, even when the songs get annoying. It was more pleasant than aggravating, but this has to be the most frustrating 4 I ever gave. It could have been more, but I don’t hate what it was. Favorite track: Lonely Woman Other hits: Timer, December’s Boudoir, Emmie, Sweet Blindness (I’m not putting Stoned Soul Picnic here. That was one of the annoying ones)

Overall: 8/10 After reading about how influential and important this album was, I was surprised to see that not many people have actually listened to it (or Nyro in general). It's a very soulful album and Nyro has the perfect voice for this type of music. It also mixes fast and slow paced songs in a way that keeps the album interesting and fresh throughout. I'm very thankful for this discovery. Fav Song: Poverty Train Least Fav Song:

This is an album that’s on my playlist of my favorite albums, and I have seven songs from it “liked” on Spotify. Those are signs of a five star. But today it didn’t hit me that hard, which speaks to how subjective these things are. I’m calling it four stars today, but anyone who reads this should know at one point it was a 5 and it may be a 5 again in the right circumstances.

какой то соул/поп/джаз/рок оч вайбовый

Didn't actually hate this 4/5

not something i ever would have discovered on my own, intelligent and provocative vocals in each song back by a fun swing beat. always random aswell when you discover a song that is the sample of one you love

It was really good tbh, very dense need another listen. Love stone souled picnic

When her voice is on, it’s great. But when it’s off, it’s hard to enjoy. You can clearly see where she fits in the pantheon of popular music. Her influence is everywhere from Joni Mitchell to Patti Smith, Excene Cervenka and Donna Summer to Tori Amos and Fiona Apple. The music is well composed and the whole project is very well produced. It feels very much like a Broadway soundtrack. It’s not always easy to enjoy or listen to. But I can appreciate what’s happening. Stoned Soul Picnic is rad af. Get into it.

Surprisingly good! I had no idea this existed.

Very unexpected! I checked the cover and the Wikipedia page expecting some forgettable album, but now I'm astonished by her voice and music. Awesome hidden gem on the 1001 list

She has a beautiful voice and musically this was very pleasing to listen to. It's a bit crooning so not something I'd want to listen to frequently, but I liked it a good deal.

Wow!

honestly this is sooo good also did i just find the cover art of the century lmk sarah is staring at me weird and sticking her tongue out will somebody make her a rabies Vaccine about it can we get undiseasedplease its that time of peee

Never heard her, never heard of her. Wish I had.

4(?)

Classy, tuneful, emotional

Хороший альбом

It was very interesting hearing such a classic 60's sound with more complex feelings and lyrics. A very interesting artist.

Feels much more recent than 1968

Shorty sung her heart out at most points, I gotta rate it high. She was spectacular enough to warrant it!

I'd never heard of this artist before, but really loved this album. Super good and had no idea what I was expecting. Looks like Kanye and J Dilla have sampled her songs before, gotta check those out.

This was a cool album. I really liked the lyrics, and the music overall felt very intricate and polished. I can tell a lot of work went into this, and I appreciate that; it didn’t feel like anything was just thrown together. Overall, it reminded me of a jazzier Joni Mitchell. However, I wasn't the biggest fan of certain parts that sounded more show-tunish, and some of the tonal and time signature changes felt a bit jarring to me. As a result, it’s not something I could see myself casually listening to often. Favorite songs were: 2. Lu 11. Once It Was Alright Now (Farmer Joe) 13. The Confession 7/10

I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't this. The album cover looked really modern for how old it is. Really liked her sound.

This was a really fun album. I listened to it a little distractedly so don't have a ton to say. "Sweet Blindness", "Women's Blues" and "Timer" were my favorite songs. This was a lot more lively than I was expecting. 7/10

instead of simply building one of the most vivid smoky candlelight atmospheres thats ever been on a singer songwriter record, nyro somehow Starts there and just keeps adding on top. in that way it reminds me weirdly of pet sounds? and is a similarly impressive and ofc even more adventurous splitting of the difference between classic proven musical modes and intricate hyper-expressive songwriting experiments. some choices in vocal delivery here will always take my breath away. the longer my good streak goes on the more anxious i get FHJSHFDJFS

Beautiful singing, definitely feeling the horns on this album as well. Love some good belting.

Great voice and a legend. Not my cup of tea but undeniably good.

Never heard of this before. What a breath of fresh air after The Killers and RHCP! This is Laurel Canyon suffused with Van Dyke Parks, Nick Drake, Harry Nilsson, Randy Newman, and just... the Bronx. It's much closer to Melanie (Safka) than it is to Joni. The jazziness is there, the soul is there, the fun and poetry. I didn't know what to expect but I listened to it twice.

Some old pop. Was very good nice voice super enjoyed it. 8/10

It was cool to learn about a slightly-off-the-beat female singer-songwriter putting out great music in the late 60s. This does remind me of Kate Bush, Patti Smith, others that aren't coming to mind right now. She has a great voice. I'd listen through this again!

interesting. artistic

This was definitely an album that won me over as it went along. The vocal harmonies are great, as is the music. It feels a bit like Tapestry by Carol King, but with a fuller sound. Really beautiful album that manages to be both big and forceful, but subtle at the same time 4/5

Kinda like a female Tim Buckley. I like it!

Very surprisingly good

Just wanna start off by saying there are pictures of her in which she looks hauntingly like Clairo??? Anyways, I respect this record a lot, her performances are full of life. Sweet Blindness probably the favorite for me. Will I go back to this album often? Probably not, but I still respect it. I wonder why Laura never got the mass legacy appeal someone like Carol King did. These songs have a pretty similar standard quality

Sounds like it could've been released yesterday, ultra timeless

Some classic songs. Enjoyable.

Later on July 10th... HL: "Lu", “Poverty Train”, “Eli’s Coming”, "Stoned Soul Picnic", "Emmie" Too bad this didn't pop up earlier, delightful listen

When I first saw the cover, my initial impressions were that this album was probably newer. I guess I didn’t pay attention to the date, because I was surprised to see 1968 as the year. My surprise was furthered after hearing it. This album is a lot of things. Progressive pop and soul mixed with jazz isn’t necessarily anything I haven’t heard before. But I don’t think anybody had done it to this level of complexity and pulled it off as well up until this point. The weather was weird today. Gray and overcast, but humid and sticky. I think the sound of this reflects that feeling pretty well. It’s not completely lifeless and sad. It’s actually kind of upbeat at some points. But it’s still very beautiful, serene and at many times solemn. This woman single-handedly reminds me of multiple other people. She’s like a 60s infused PJ Harvey combined with Joni Mitchell and Nina Simone backed by a jazz band. Her vocal variety especially makes me think about the latter two. The actual music here is pretty awesome though. This mix of jazz and pop kind of feels ahead of its time. Again, I can’t think of another artist that was pulling this off back then. Joni was around, but her career had literally just started. And I like the way this progresses and how the time signatures, rhythms, and melodies are constantly switching. Although the transition between said passages are a little too jarring and not as fluid as I would hope they’d be. But this is still an engaging album. It won me over very quickly, and was interesting from beginning to end. Rating: 7/10

It is an entertaining album. Not a special one to be honest, but it’s one of those that gives depth to a movement. I loved Laura’s voice. She seems quite a character. I can picture her with Joni and Judee. I will definitely go back to these songs. Note: this was written following a “stream of conscience” approach. Apologies for the vagueness and non apparent connection between ideas

Great mix of soul, jazz, pop brought together by a legend in her youth

Has some nice songs, but is a little bit forgettable. It's a 3.5 but I'll bump it up to 4.

I only knew Laura from a reference in an indie punk album, so I kinda assumed she was an underground modern singer songwriter, not knowing this was from the 60s. It’s really good! Catchy, interesting voice, some of the songs are really fun. I think it’s a little too smothered in 1960s styling that’s distracting.

Had never heard of this, has some Tapestry vibes at times. Pretty cool, might come back to this.

This album is full of soft music like you'd hear as live music while enjoying a drink. I enjoyed this album quite a lot.

A wonderful album of soulful, jazzy, doo-wop influenced songs. I love these midsong tempo and time signature changes. And her voice is stunning. Powerful and strong and beautiful. She has some moments where she reminds me of Joni Mitchell. How has Laura Nyro not been a name I’ve been hearing for years? This is great.

A mix of soul, pop, jazz - it's like a weirder Carol King Tapestry. Sounds like a 70's album but made in the late 60's. It's just great! Best Tracks: Luckie; Lu; Stoned Soul Picnic

Enjoyed this one from start to finish. She has one of those classic 60's voices that is easy on the ears. The backing instrumentals were also well performed. No individual song really stood out to me but none also made me want it to end. Nit sure how much I will come back to this one but happy we got to heat it.

Really nice voice and eclectic musical style. I can see how she influenced a lot of other artisits.

Really cool album, blends a lot of influences seamlessly - nice listen

This one caught me off guard. It's pretty weird. Part soul, part folk, part show tunes. It's hard for me to score it because I'm not sure how often I'll go back to it. But it was pretty cool overall, and I liked a lot of it. Plus, I like that it felt like a big swing.

The fact that this album was overlooked by most of the contemporaries tells me everything I need to know about the late '60s. Actually, the music is quite nice. Nothing stellar, or groundbreakting, but a couple of good, jazz informed songs where the piano and rhythm section are - apart from Nyro's singing - the most prominent instruments. So.... what's not to like?!? 3.5/5

Never heard her before, I like it. Solid, powerful vocals and having a good time it sounds like. One to revisit

What a great voice. Really solid arrangements too. This album sounds very modern and forward thinking for something that came out in the 60s honestly

4.0

This was a really good album but like To Pimp a Butterfly, or Nina Simone, I think it was difficult to listen to. While it was not easy, it was a very good album there was a cool mix of folk and jazz. I really liked the vocal harmonies, the horn parts. and the acoustic guitar picking. Listening to this I could hear the influence on people like Carol King, Joni Mitchell, and even Brittany Howard's first solo album. I’m not sure I would ever truly just throw this album for fun on but it was clearly really good, really interesting, and like nothing I’ve ever heard before. This is also the first album we heard where I would say there was a music theater vibe sometimes but NOT in a bad way like on the other albums.

Minnir á Carole King, en er eldri en Tapestry. Mér finnst þetta bæði töff og skemmtilegt, og mjög næs hljóðheimur.

This was a decade before Kate Bush. A better voice than what Carol King would do in the seventies too. About what Joni Mitchell was doing on the West Coast but on the east Coast and, again, a better voice too. The songs are challenging for a first listen. They don't jump off the page. But the voice is unique and interesting. Its not always enjoyable but its a very interesting record.

Never heard any of this album but dug it and thought it had a great vibe. Funky and upbeat. Really fun.

4.5

It was pretty soothing, I'd listen to it again

Det här är fan riktigt bra alltså. Vilket sväng och vilken röst

Blue-eyed soul. Qué voz tan bonita.

Enjoyed this one.

4+/5

Although this was not her first album, Eli and the Thirteenth Confession often feels like Laura Nyro's introduction to the world. Her compositional style and otherworldly vocalization become the backbone to an album that often changes up genres on the whim while keeping to the jazz and soul template at hand. It may not be for most but there are plenty of gems that's just waiting to be found. Favorites: Luckie, Lu, Poverty Train, Eli's Coming, Stoned Soul Picnic, Emmie, Woman's Blues, Once It Was Alright Now (Farmer Joe).

I liked this more than I thought I would from the first couple of songs. I like the way that the songs jump around a bit, the rhythmic & lyrical structure was a bit unpredictable and I enjoyed that.

This is really cool. I dig the time changes and movement going on. The singing too. This one of those that I’m going to go 4 because while I need to spend more time with it I can feel how amazing it is. Felt like Todd Rundgren’s Wizard. But it predates that, along with a lot of stuff that is obviously inspired by it. Gonna have to come back to this one.

Excellent, really holds up after decades.

Never heard of this. The album cover is wild because I can’t place the year by looking at it. Could have been last year, could have been the 70s, but instead 1968. I’m expecting Americana singer-songwriter. Let’s see what we got. Luckie - Well, hello soul. Burt Bacharach style noodlings. Didn’t see that coming. That hits it outta the park. 4/5 Lu - this song is kinda a mess. It just kinda flies apart. 1/5 Sweet Blindness - some real strange time signatures here. It’s very intriguing. It’s like a twisted version of bubble gum for weird hippies. 4/5 Poverty Train - oh I thought this was gonna be a blues song. The lyrics are kinda dark, aren’t they? This album is like Mr Bungle’s lost soul album, the songs flip through so many time signatures. Talk about experimental. 3/5 Lonely Women - it’s like she wants to be a blues singer. I wonder how much of this album is just some serious stoned noodling caught on tape. And suddenly it’s a completely different song. 3/5 Eli’s Comin’ - fuck please keep Eli away from me. Just kidding. This song is some serious soul power. 4/5 Timer - it’s about here where the schizophrenia is wearing thin. 2/5 Stoned Soul Picnic - is this pulling together as a normal song? Yes … yes … nope. Man is this a great song though. Is this a 5/5? Umm, yes, I’m committing to 5/5. Emmie - there’s a thin line between a genius song and something that seems to just chase its own tail. I guess you can’t make an omelette without some cracked eggs. 1/5 Woman’s Blues - another soul banger 3/5 Once It Was Alright Now - well this was going somewhere and then the ol’ switcheroo. It goes back and forth. It’s like 2 songs stitched together. 3/5 December’s Boulder - another song that just keeps spinning and goes no where. 1/5 The Confession - is that a Donna Summer lyric? This is a good ending to the album. I thought it was gonna just peter out, but instead she nails it here at the end. 4/5 Boy this was an exciting listen. I’m never getting that experience back again. I’ve literally never heard anything quite like this. It’s exhilarating to hear something so fearlessly creative. Can I even rate this accurately? It cries out for several re-listens before I can even evaluate it well. Honestly I wanna give it a 4/5 just because of how wild it is. It could honestly become a 5/5, or it could wear thin and go as low as a 2/5. 4/5 it is!

Quite good.

Blue-eyed soul. Qué voz tan bonita.

Pretty chill. Jazzy.

Very interesting listen. Doesn't sound too dissimilar to me to other artists on the stranger end of the folk/soul spectrum (like Bobbie Gentry, who we're not getting to on this list) but you can also see the seeds being planted for today's singer-songwriters (especially LDR to my ears?) too.

Gives immediate Carol King as a lounge singer vibes. Lu and Sweet Blindness are fun little bops. Eli's Coming is pretty great too. Overall, an upbeat album with string and horn arrangments under piano-led tunes.

Really interesting mix of tempos and moods that probably wouldn't work as well for a less gifted singer

So impressed at the production quality, I never would have guessed this was more than half a century old. Beautiful, strong and yet sultry singing voice.

Never heard of this artist beforehand but really enjoyed this! Will be revisiting a lot in the future

Gotta love women. Lu, luckie, and timer are my fav

Amazing to see how many artists found huge success with her work. She must have been a captivating performer.

Improv Jazz club vibe

Amazing voice. Not overly produced, just piano and great singing.

4.0 - This sounds like Van Morrison's jazz-inspired works, mixed with some Carole King-like songwriting, and moody asides à la Joni Mitchell. So, overall a tasteful blend of influences. Standouts: "Eli's Comin'", "Poverty Train."

First listen - completely disoriented by this work, found myself unable to formulate a clear opinion. On this list, overwhelmingly populated with bland and predictable albums, finding myself disoriented and perplexed is a good thing. Second listen - the show tunes-y motifs are a bit more familiar now, and the song structures reveal themselves to be quite original. Based on my admiration of this work, it's a 5, based on my enjoyment, it's a weak 3, let's split the difference and say 4 circus tents out of 5, because I haven't heard anything like it before. 🎪🎪🎪🎪

75/100

Really good, but a bloated album

Might be the hardest album I've had to rate. Kept jumping between annoying and awesome. When I was much younger I was a huge Three Dog Night fan and thought they wrote all their own songs. I found out I was mistaken a while back, but I still had never heard the original "Eli's Comin'" until this and it's just as good, if not better, than Three Dog Night's version. Also didn't know she did the original "Stoned Soul Picnic". I guess there are enough high points to give it a 4, but there are enough low points that it's more like a very high 3.

A surprise to me. I had never heard of her and the songs were very high quality. I’m going to listen to her entire catalog.

I actually really liked this one

Almost a broadway rocker. this band is tight. it's crazy how much the craft of songwriting used to be about arrangement AND rehearsal. now everything's electronic. the human element in these pre-80s songwriter albums is just superb.

Loved the fact that you seem to start the album in the middle of a song.

Flavourful Kate Bush

Strong range and a beautiful voice make this a great track to listen to with very little involvement.

Wow, this is very cool

Very good

I've actually heard this album before via my partner getting it probably nearly a year ago now. I do remember liking it more then, as a lot of songs here do blend into each other for me into one homogenised "album", never feeling a drive to listen to a single song, but that isn't a bad thing, right? That's sort of the point of an album, at least in 1968 it was. I still like this quite a bit, with her voice being a standout point of the album for me, and musically it is very pretty too. It's a lighter four than expected, but it has that same melancholic enjoyment as something like a Simon and Garfunkel album.

Laura Nyro is very much an acquired taste. The first LN album that I heard was Christmas & The Beads Of Sweat. I still listen to her music every year.

Talented singing. A little old-fashioned.

I actually do own one of her albums- New York Tendaberry- but I’m not very experienced with Laura Nyro otherwise. Should really fix that, this is great, like an even more experimental Joni Mitchell. I’m surprised that she isn’t namedropped more often. B

I need to listen to this album again. At first I thought I was hearing something similar to Dusty Springfield, but the blue eyed soul gives way to more jazzy and experimental music. The rhythmic and instrumental changes throughout lend the music a suite like feel that is more indebted to classical and jazz than popular music. Nyro's voice is similarly dynamic. It doesn't always sound quite in tune, but it always fits the music. This album was surprising in both its breadth and its depth.

I think this album is so cool. I love her voice and style, and the music sounds rich. Definitely feels like a classic album and I can definitely see myself returning to it.

Great 60s soul happy pop

This was hard to describe in my head but it’s absolutely wonderful. A perfect album for a rainy Sunday afternoon with a quiet beer.

this was really good. the beat changes and her ability to nail the vocal switches over them were SO good

I could not get the phrase "surry down" out of my head after hearing this album. She has such a powerful, unique voice and her delivery of that line in Stoned Soul Picnic has a way of sticking in your head. You could tell she really put her all into each one of these songs and they all work well.

Started off not feeling it, but it really develops as it goes on and is far more interesting than it first appears.

I was dreading this reading some reviews beforehand, but this is great. I had a Cornershop album come up yesterday, and I was thinking how even if I liked it, there’s absolutely no reason it should be on this list. But here we have an album with much more specific sounds, and while it may turn some people off, it’s the kind of album this project was designed for. Like other jazz or jazz-adjacent albums, my limited knowledge makes it hard to compare or even totally understand this album. But I really liked it a lot.

Really enjoyed this! Not every track worked for me, but the ones that really leaned into the "60s/70s showtune" style were fantastic! Also boasts some INCREDIBLE production for 1968--probably the best from any album I've listened to from that year--and Nyro proves herself to be a fantastic singer in any range or style. Absolutely will revisit this in the near-future! (Favorite tracks: Luckie, Lonely Women, Emmie, Woman's Blues, December's Boudoir)

I like her

Had no idea what to expect here and it still surprised me. enjoyable swinging music. 4

To-del-la voimakas! Vai voimallinen? Kummin vain, todella nautin

Laura Nyro is hard to rate, I think. I think she’s great, but sometimes an individual tune just misses me. This album is pretty great. It coalesces into something like an over-arching narrative by the end or feels like one to me.

PREFS : Luckie, Lu, Sweet Blindness, Poverty Train, Eli's Comin', Stoned Soul Picnic, Emmie, Once It Was Alright Now (Farmer Joe), The Confession MOINS PREF : December's Boudoir

Un disco que muy bueno. Jn songer songwritter que trata temas adultos desde una sencillez y caracteristicas que parecen contadas para un niño. Por eso llega y llega más. La voz de laura es hermosa y potenta, ostenta de eso y se ve comoda y acompañadaen las instrumentales. 8/10.

This was fun and boppin, and every song had such interesting structure and writing to it. Not something I'd throw on every day, but this was excellently done.

I wasn't expecting it to sound like this. I always thought that Laura Nyro was a female Bob Dylan. So I was wrong, she is so much more than that. I almost felt like I was listening to a motown girl group at some stages and the Carpenters without the saccharine at others. I need to explore more of her work

Had a bit of trouble with this one at first, a bit too showy. For some reason the cover had convinced me this was something more contemporary and probably a bit darker, it's 60s sheen and her voice were a little distracting, but after a while I found some things to like withing. It has a beautiful oddness.

Very nice sound from a 60s folky singer-song writer kind of woman but with an injection of plenty of funk soul and jazz, what a combo! Great voice, great style, some unusual Joni Mitchell style musical gymnastics almost. I really like the lyrics from the bits I've heard too. I'm on my second listen because I'm listening while working and it feels like a great discovery for me having never heard her before. Love it! Exciting and varied, loaded with plenty of feeling and emotion with the soulful jazzy vibes too. I want to give a 4.5!

Had no idea what to expect but really enjoyed it. Had Carol King and Joni Mitchell vibes

Catchy music

The production and the talent here is beautiful. It’s neither soul or show tunes but a strange combination. The influence that it will have on female artists moving forward is immeasurable. It’s nothing I heard of. I am positive Kate Bush knew it. Not sure that it would be on repeat rotation for me and can’t give it a 5 star. I do think it is important for sure

Exvellent! Ça me rappelle du vieux Nanette Workman, ça tombe (étrangement) dans mes cordes!

This is an interesting album. On the first listen I was really fired up about it, as she does things I wasn't quite expecting from 1968. However, it is a bit too out there for the sake of being out there. Especially towards the latter tracks, where she seems to be writing vocal cheques that her voice can't cash. The lean towards ostentation makes me want to give this a 3. Her voice, when in its lane, is superb. Which makes me want to go 5. The compromise has to be 4, hasn't it?

Wow! What a voice. Sweet Blindness was the highlight for me.

Fully behind this. GLorious

Very mystical

Can’t believe I had never heard of her? I can tell she’s been an important influence!

A pleasant album, a few tracks stand out. A good example of the genre

Great instrumentation and voice. Writing and arrangements were also phenomenal and original. It’s difficult to believe she didn’t become more popular. 4/5

Doesn't look like anything I'd want to listen to. But from the first note I'm immediately schooled on why you don't judge a book by the cover. I love what this album is going for. Although now that I look closer I see it isn't old-timey it is old old-timey. Instrumentation, style, lyrics and vaguely bonkers nature of the songs taken all together really speaks to me. Slightly more power and control in the voice and this would be 5 stars. I already had one song, Eli's Comin', marked with a heart even though I have no idea who this is or how I would have run into her music before. Fun: Luckie, Lu, Eli's Comin', Once it Was Alright Now Not great: Sweet Blindness, December's Boudoir (there's bonkers and then there's *bonkers*)

24th August 2022 Listened in the morning on the journey in to the office. Had leaving drinks in the evening with the FT lot. I loved this album, it felt very bohemian and soft. What a lovely voice.

Wow -- some frenetic ballads and effusive singing. So many of the songs undulate between soft and loud, slurred and staccato, theatrical to moody, fast and slow. The variety and energy feels innovative :D

I loved this album! the vocals were great. I thought the songs were good. and I liked

She's got a lovely voice. Interesting lyrics

These are some truly incredible songs, and Laura Nyro is a wonderful singer to boot. Not only is her voice sweet, but she's full of personality that brings each song to life. Is it perhaps a little long and over-indulgent? Sure, but it can be forgiven for the level of quality on display here. Nyro can really play with the best of them, easily at the same level as Sgt. Pepper's or Pet Sounds. These are not simple singer/songwriter songs, no sir.

I can't really explain why but I've been looking forward to this album for a long time. I've never heard it before, never knew about this album or artist, but something about seeing it among albums on the list, or perhaps it was seeing it on the shelf at a record store, just intrigued me so much. It's all over the place in mostly good ways, spanning so many genres. For an album from the late '60s it's extremely impressive. A lot on here I will return to, including "Once It Was Alright Now" which, upon hearing for the first time, I immediately recognized as sampled by the 1975. This is a very quirky album, jazzy and full of life, especially for a singer-songwriter type project. I can imagine how many artists have been influenced by this one. I dig it. Favorite tracks: Once It Was Alright Now, Lu, Lonely Women, Emmie, Eli's Comin. Album art: Again, just seeing this one so many times intrigued me to the point of being excited about it without knowing anything about the artist or music, so that's huge. It's a portrait, but the contrast is strong. The facial expression and angle is intriguing, and I really love the font. 4/5

I feel like I've heard a song or two by Laura Nyro and never knew who it was. Or maybe I'm confusing some of her songs with Carole King's. Great voice and even though it sounds like it's from a different era it doesn't sound dated. More than listening to the album I appreciated the prompt to learn about her and her massive influence on the industry (lot of songwriting credits and remakes of her work). For sure a 3, feels like a coin flip after that. Not quite my thing but I think I'm going up because I compared her to Carole King.

Well, this was different! I’ve heard the name Lauro Nyro before, but today was the first time that I’ve listened to any of her albums. There’s some really imaginative songwriting on here. “Poverty Train” was a stand out and my favorite track the first time through. It had a great intro, interesting tempo changes throughout the song and a complex song structure. The mood shift at the end “Eli’s Comin’ ” was a good hook as well. The rest of the songs on here are well crafted and well thought-out and the lyrics are quite good. This is the kind of album that will take a few listens to really get to know well due to the depth of the songwriting, but it was enjoyable enough the first time through to make that journey again.

Mooi album, zonder franjes

Amazing voice. Stone Cold Picnic is a classic.

Never heard of her before, but very much enjoyed the album - will be definitely added to the list of ones I will be listening to again.

A really lovely surprise.

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Lonely women, Eli’s comin

Wow. What an album. Captivating from beginning to end. Many familiar tunes that I had no idea were hers; Eli's Coming and Stone Soul Picnic in particular. On first listen my favorite song is the blues burner The Poverty Train. This album is an important discovery for me and I expect it to be an important addition to my regular listening. 4.5 🌟

first listen timeless sound, gonna listen to whole discography

Solide en vrai

This was really enjoyable. Never heard of this cat… so nice little discover!

spectacular voice, didn't expect such a great experience

It's a shame that with a voice and songs like hers that I have never heard of Laura Nyro. This was a pretty great album and though it seems a lot of artists knew that, I think it deserved more love from the general public. "Lonely Women" caught my ear as something even beyond really good, late 60s singer-songwriter material. I love the range of her voice in it. And then it goes right into the energetic "Eli's Comin'." This is when the album really stood out for me. "Stoned Soul Picnic" is a crazy cool song, and it's hard not to think of the 5th Dimension as I always associated them with this song. So much of what I thought was their sound is Nyro's sound. The song that really has everything I love about Laura Nyro is "Once It Was Alright Now (Farmer Joe)." I really wish I could figure out what the story is, but I sure like hearing it. I didn't fall in love with every song, but I am so happy I got to listen to this, and I look forward to listening to more of her as well as being aware of her influence on so many other artists.

I have heard of Laura Nyro in reference as an influence of other artists, but don’t recall ever hearing her work before. I will admit that it was not love at first listen…and I was surprised. The voice is beautiful, but the multiple changes within a single track did not set well with some listlessness that I was experiencing yesterday. I was aware that it was not her, it was me. So, I came back to it today and have enjoyed the experience much more.

Laura Nyro is one of those names I know but completely missed out on her music somehow. Quick review: if you're partial to early 70s complex singer/songwriter artists like Carole King, Elton John, Todd Rundgren ... you will love this. There's definitely a strong and immediate Carole King comparison to be made in songs like "Stoned Soul Picnic" both in voice and melody; it's a high compliment yet I find Nyro in parts to be more complex in her arrangements. For example - the amount of tempo changes within songs isn't quite jarring but it is eminently noticeable in a way that forces you to listen to these songs. Heck you could almost call it progressive 70s AM gold. Summing up -> I enjoy nearly every minute of this album... but what makes me drop it just south of a 5 is the mix. It's a very clear recording but boy the voice is too hot/loud and I just can't get by it after many listens. The music itself is everything I'd want though - a preponderance of major 7th chords amidst jazz+pop progressions, gorgeous harmony, dynamics, varying melodies constantly in motion, variety in songs... giddyup. 8/10 4 stars.

This album is so full of life, and what a voice!

A great selection from 60s pop. Favorites: Sweet Blindness, Poverty Train, Eli's Comin'

For a stretch - the first three songs, say - I felt that this was pleasant jazz-pop, but nothing to write home about. Sure, there are gestures at character, but the effect is that of one color of paint. But the rest of Eli convinced me that the paint was higher quality and the technique more subtle than I thought. The richness comes out as the songs are layered, and my perspective on the beginning of the record is very different now that I have heard the end.

Great singer/songwriter vibe. She reminds me of Carole King. Songs like "Sweet Blindness" are very indicative of their time. Horns, tambourine, vocalized "ba ba ba bas," like classic Dylan. These songs are well produced. I like that she has something to say. She's definitely a budding activist and she uses her music to entertain but also inform. She's as confident as they come, willing to intimately feature her voice with minimal accompaniment, which is raw, bluesy, and beautiful. I had heard Eli's Comin' and I always attributed it to some 70s band (3 Dog Night?), but I guess it was Laura Nyro. Good song! Stoned Soul Picnic is awesome! I am a Laura Nyro fan - she's an inspiration and a talent.

Very good.

This is a style of music that has never quite done it for me, though somehow Joni Mitchell gets a pass for it with me. This one grew on me though as it went on. Still not really my thing but it's clearly hugely influential and objectively good.

Wasn't the worst.

Bit too musical theatre at times but the good stuff is spectacular

Cool

Anything from 1968 makes me wary, this little project seems to insult me more often than not with absolute garbage from this period, but this doesn't strike me immediately as folk rock or psychedelic shit, looks more like it'll be jazz. Cover gives me jazz vibes. Ok it's pretty jazzy, but also kinda like the Supremes as well? Songs are upbeat for the most part and catchy. She can sing, too. And wrote all the songs according to wiki!! I'm honestly surprised I've never heard of her before. This is a really nice surprise, and a welcome change from groaning as I slog my way through the day's album haha. An actual worthy entry for 1968, who'd a thunk it? Lost a bit of steam towards the end but still gonna give it 4/5.

I really liked this one a lot. Great vocals, the instrumentation is weird and super fits within the work. I added quite a few of the songs to one of my playlists.

N I C E

Powerful performances, incredible voice. A lot of clever gems hidden inside these recordings.

Beautiful voice, amazed that I never heard of her before.

Love this album. 60 sounding, but very good.

So good! Retro math rock

Норм деваха исполняет

Sounds like the link between Carole King and Joni Mitchell. Lovely voice, soul meets jazz and pop. His did I miss this all these years?

Una voz envolvente, que hace disfrutar el álbum (casi) completo. Para deleitarse.

Ok Laura, go off! I’ve never heard of Laura Nyro and was not expecting to like this as much as I do. What a great voice.

Quite liked this...

Very good! And so nice to have a woman on here, finally! This is vibey! And the album cover is nice.

Right up my alley

Beautiful vocals

Never heard of Laura Nyro, but 2.5 tracks in I think this is GREAT! What a voice! Excellent record. Catchy, toe tapping, range of styles. Really nice songs that her voice elevates.

Pretty good pop album, with catchy songs

Solid album

Quite enjoyable. a bit long but i really liked it

A pleasant surprise of an album. Excellent singing by Nyro over an eclectic collection of sounds from diverse genres.

old school New York singer. She influenced Elton John. This album was in Rolling Stone's top 500 albums of all time (somewhere in mid-400s).

Can’t believe I never heard of her, had a Joni Mitchell vibe mixed with Sheena Easton, I really liked it.

Good good not bad

Beautiful and brilliant album! Loved it. Never heard of Laura Nyro before this and definitely going on my daily listening list.

Great voice, great album.

Why had I never heard of her? Part big band swing part jazz part pop part soul & moving seamlessly between them with her Carpenter voice (or did Karen have a Nyro voice?). Here’s the foundation of so much of the 70s.

Picture yourself wearing a white jacket tuxedo drinking a Negroni while smoking a pack of cigarettes at a booth table in a tacky gentleman's club adorned with the poor fashion sense of Donald Trump's gold obsession and dimly lit lights keeping everyone only visable from the nose on down. The grand piano centre stage has an extremely revealing sparkling red dressed lady jumping all over it's polished surface in her shiny spiked high heels with the microphone somehow both being gripped hard yet being on the verge of falling from her hand as she bounces from crooner to belting out that powerful voice. As she moves through the crowd with the elegance of silk in a breeze and blows a random kiss that just happens to motion in your general vicinity, your eye balls pop out of your head at a distance of 50cm and increase to the size of basketballs as your tongue rolls out like a firefighter unravels a fire hose like some 1940's cartoon wolf with a severe case of high blood pressure steam blowing out of your ears. You howl like that cartoon wolf, because you're a heckling perv... congrats, you've ruined the show for everyone else and you look like a drooling, twitching, sweating mess as you are about to receive your first of 4 fatal heart attacks due to your unhealthy lifestyle of smoking and drinking and womanizing. Thank the dashing Cuban cardiologist in the audience for saving your life. Or maybe this album is completely different than that?

I really enjoyed big chunks of this album, the lead singers voice is interesting and there's a decent variety within each song. The album also paces itself well, with arguably the most "upbeat" or "exciting" segment running slap bang through the middle. Despite that something just didnt quite hit for me, maybe it was the production, but i just found myself losing interest as the project went on. Defiantly worth a listen even if just for the once over.

I have no idea what to do with this one. She's talented as hell, but also sometimes annoying as hell. The entire album feels like it was improvised, possibly while on a lot of drugs. I'm calling it 3 stars, but I don't feel great about that.

Hard one here. Sometimes I think I hate it, other times I love it. Probably going to round it to a 3 to give a fair shake. Also, it looks like she was influential for later artists.

New artist for me. Mix of styles kept things . Certainly a smoke filled bar relaxing, enjoying the show type of vibe.

The first full Laura Nyro album I’ve heard. Clearly an impressive talent…but I found a lot of the songs repetitive. Even wondering sometimes what it would sound like if her frequent collaborators the 5th Dimension took on the same songs. Overall I think I’d prefer to listen to her contemporary Judee Sill. Album standouts: Sweet Blindness, Elis Coming, Timer, Stoned Soul Picnic, Emmie and Woman’s Blues. Loved the lyrics on Lonely Women, would be interested in hearing another artist’s interpretation.

Lot going on with this, constantly switching genres, very enjoyable and never boring, particularly liked Lonely Women. Voice is occasionally a little pitchy

Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it

I had never heard of her. It feels very 60s, but it is enjoyable.

I only had time for ine pass through this but thought it was good. The 60's soynd was very strong, im not sure if it was the songwriting, instumentation or production but it sounded good. The voice was strong bit not as smooth as other i associate with this era. A fun listen without being memorable.

Interesting music not my favorite

Joyful

En realidad 2.75

Laura has a beautiful voice but this was kinda forgettable

Really enjoyable late 60’s soulful pop with shades of carol king nearly a 4 will listen again it was a surprise unknown

I'm sure it's great, just not for me

I don’t know much Laura Nyro. I know at one time she was supposed to be the next big thing. I know she was booed at the Monterey Pop Festival. Piano main instrument. Sounds like 50s Frank Sinatra music. Voice fine. Good songwriter. Stoned Soul Music: good song. It is an average album. Three stars.

Never heard of her. Maybe one of her tracks will sound familiar. Not for me. I respect it but nothing I'd go out of my way for

another new one there's some jams in here big sound, lots of funk feels very 60s 💥eli's comin' 💥stoned soul picnic 💥once it was alright now (farmer joe)

An odd song writer and a strange career. What's a teenager doing writing about getting blind on the booze, or And When I Die? The songs on this classic record are fantastic, she helped launch some pretty big careers with her tunes. Not so good as a performer though.

Not my style, but good for what it is.

Unique and creative. No two songs sounded the same

Genre bending and easy to listen to but also seems to be missing real value outside of historic influence

Pretty good

She keeps alternating between good and kinda annoying, as do the songs themselves. It feels a little halfbaked, like if someone tried to write an album that wasn't truly authentic to themselves to be more interesting.

C'est la première fois que j'entends parler de cette chanteuse. J'ai un peu lu l'article de Wikipédia au sujet de cet album. Si j'ai bien compris, c'est un album qui a beaucoup influencé la pop de façon générale et notamment des chanteuses comme Kate Bush (en tout cas, c'est ce que dit l'article). Son influence fait que cet album a tout a fait sa place dans la liste. Cela dit, ça ne m'accroche pas plus que ça. Il faut bien dire qu'elle a une sacrée voix et y'a de jolis arrangements. Mais ça ne me suffit pas, je reste encore sur ma faim quand c'est terminé. Je crois que c'est tout simplement pas un album pour moi.

Nice :) nice voice, songs don’t grab me too much.

I wouldn't want to listen to this all the time, but there was something charming about it?

I didn't mind this one. Lots of genre-mixing and her voice is decent.

This was a nice find, some talented soulful pop from the Class of ‘68. Favorites: “Poverty Train” and “Eli’s Coming.”

Laura Nyro has a great voice, however, I believe she is custom made for singles played on soft rock/easy listening stations rather than in album doses.

You can hear Nyro's influence on others, but a lot of sameness.

Listening without reading a bio, I think I initially confused her with Laura Marling, and assumed it was a 60s pastiche - but no, original 60s with what now feels a very modern production. Its a bit music hall / cabaret - the vocals are a bit rough in places and the regular tempo shifts throw me off a little, but I enjoyed it. Can see a through line to something like the Dresden Dolls. A decent 3.

Lovely voice Thumbs Up Emoji

Gorgeous

Good album. Not really my style or something I see as very interesting. But it's a good listen. Nice voice and great musicians. I particularly liked "Poverty Train", "Lonely Women", or "Stoned Soul Picnic" or "Woman's Blues". Between 3 and 4 stars.

3. Love her voice.

It's alright. She has a nice voice and the songs are grand but just nothing here of interest to revisit.

É tipo a avó da amy winehouse né

There were definite cringe moments, but also some bangers. Especially for 1968. 3.2.

Yes, this is a classic; but somehow Nyro's voice starts to grate after a while.

Het eerste nummer is een soort radio-soul. Zeer toegankelijk. Het smaakt best naar meer. Het is blijkbaar slechts een opwarmertje. Laura heeft nog heel wat voor ons in petto. Ze gaat er vol voor. Maar tegelijk lijkt ze zichzelf wat te overschatten. Met name de uithalen zijn niet per se denderend. Af en toe komt er een erg geinig nummer voorbij, gewoon lekker swingend, zoals Eli's Coming' (al moet je even door een intro heen). Snap niet waarom dit in het boek moet, er zijn toch wel betere artiesten in het genre. Maar ach, het is best geinig eens te horen.

Ik zat vanmorgen toevallig weer eens in het grote boek te bladeren, om oa even te kijken waarom dat waanzinnige (in de negatieve zin van het woord) album van Kate Bush erin stond. Er stond helaas (wederom) niks zinnigs over in. Ook over dit album hadden ze weinig boeiends te melden en ik kreeg de indruk dat het vrij saaie en rustige muziek zou zijn. En als ik naar de albumhoes kijk, lijkt het me ook niet echt vrolijk te worden. Maar het blijkt best swingend en uptempo te zijn. En daar word ik wel vrolijk van. Je hoort wel dat het eind 60s is, en ik moet heel erg denken aan the supremes of dat soort vrouwengroepen uit die periode. Er zit af en toe wel een rustiger intermezzo in, zoals the poverty train. Ik moet wel zeggen dat ik niet per se een grote fan van haar stem ben. Ze zingt soms vooral heel erg hard, te hard voor de rest van de muziek. Het valt me op zich erg mee en als er af en toe een nummer van langskomt op een playlist of radio/stream, dan luister ik het wel uit. Een heel album is wat veel, maar er is verder weinig mis mee. Ik stoor me er althans niet aan. Lijkt me een degelijke 3 sterren waard.

Good not my cup of tea but worth a relisten

no idea and tiny ass Wikipedia intro gives me nothing! But New York! I admittedly didn’t feel pulled in until Eli’s Coming and then I’m grinning. Really lovely. Insane voice. Poems. This rating may go up when I listen to the album in one sitting.

Beautiful and deserves a re-listen or two. 7/10.

First listen

classic pop from a very loud and dramatic female vocalist. i expected a very different sound when i turned it on. despite some genre descriptors, these songs sound like showtunes, mostly. this is the kind of loud, swinging pop music that liza minnelli might dig. it's outrageous, it's peppy... but a lot of it is kinda irritating. it's a... it's a lot. these songs would probably be a bit more interesting if she didn't hoot and holler all the damn time.

Het ene moment erg cool, dan weer kut, dus een prima 3 sterren

A good album, I liked Luckie, Sweet Blindness and Lonely Women the most.

The song writing is incredible. As are the arrangements. I just don't connect with the voice on an emotional level. I can't fault her as an artist - her influence is undeniable. And maybe if I spend more time with this my feelings will change.

realmente fui nesse aqui esperando X e veio CZY consideravelmente melhor do que eu tava esperando mas ainda assim, não é tão interessante pro meu bico

Help! Carole King got replaced by an alien who sounds just like a cat in heat! What ever shall we do? (you could take a couple stars away from the rating) Okay we'll take a couple stars away from the rating!

6/10 I enjoyed the vibes quite a bit. May see myself coming back.

Guy who has only heard Carole King's Tapestry, listening to his second album: Getting a lot of Carole King's Tapestry vibes from this...

I like this

An interesting and captivating album from the late 60s.

Confession 13: Eli Manning doesn't deserve to make the NFL Hall Of Fame.

With a good editor, she could be Carole King.

Quite pleasant. 3/5

I like the way she explores and blends several genres of music, but her voice gets annoying over the long running time and the songs don't really click with me.

I didn't completely hate it; I just mostly hated it. It's actually good for the songs that veer away from "folk jazz" and more towards R&B.

Lots of potential but needs a stronger voice.

I was gonna put a 2 cause I guess I was still in my hater era but this can break the streak and get a 3 Also what's with all the songs about named people

Interesting. Similar vibe to Joni Mitchell.

Decent Jazz album. Was pleasantly surprised.

This really seems like something I would like - jazzy, soul, female singer - and it very nearly is, but for some reason I can’t pinpoint, it doesn’t land right. While there are moments (and occasionally, full tracks) I enjoyed, there were many that even felt grating. Maybe it’s too theatrical, or maybe it’s her voice, or maybe it’s just something about the specific style - I wish I knew. Whatever it is, unfortunately, I didn’t love it (or hate it, for that matter). Favorite: Eli’s Comin’ 3

#881. Is she a good singer? Yes, she is. Does that make her music interesting? No, not really. I've mentioned a few times that some of the pop music seems outdated, but this one seems not just outdated now, but that it would have also already been at the time. I know this came out in 1968, but if I didn't and you told me it came out in 1951, I would have believed you. 3/5: it's fine, I guess

Can’t believe this was the first time I heard of Laura Nyro. Very interesting and engaging songwriting.

Lovely voice and lovely songs, though all a similar style and arrangement and mostly rather inane lyrics. Best voice of someone I've never heard of. Reminded me a little of Carole King's singing, though not her songwriting.

Definitely would have been a headliner for the 1968 Lilith Fair. I do wish the album was called Eli Sunday and the Thirteenth Confession.

Best Song: Stoned Soul Picnic This was a tough listen for me. Not because Nyro is a bad singer/performer, quite the opposite, but it is a bit of a two-face. One song will be really solid and then the next would be pretty mid. I think I can say that without the work of Laura Nyro, the sound of Tori Amos, Kate Bush, and endless other singers would be vastly different. I wish the songs had a bit more consistency and this would be a 4/5 but too many of the mid songs seemed to win out. 3/5.

Mixed bag, but I'm glad I had the chance to listen to something completely new to me.

Interesting. Nice voice, somewhere close to Joni Mitchell. Songs are mostly folk ballads but some are a bit more entertaining, feeling like a late 60's vibe like in Buffalo Springfield. Will revisit this as I might enjoy it more in a couple of years. 3.5

That was a new one on me and surprised by it. Definitely of its time but aged well.

If I was at a café or over at someone's place and this was playing, I would have mad respect for their music taste. But simultaneously, I wouldn't go as far as to Shazam it. Incredibly cool if you listen to this (and I could definitely hear where Kate Bush got her inspiration, of whom I am a massive fan. Her music has just that extra whimsy and fantastical feel that makes it so extraordinary), and I will probably think you're a very cool person if you put this on.

Very nice sound but sometimes felt like it could use a breather in the first couple of songs. Wouldn't mind this at all if I came across it in a cafe but not a lot of stuff I would revisit.

I quite enjoyed this. Perhaps got a bit samey towards the end but I think this would be even more enjoyable on future listens.

When the singing is more melancholic and wistful it is more enjoyable. Where it ramps up and becomes pact and 'jazz hands' then it's less my vibe. Clearly a great voice and surely a huge influence to many despite personally never having heard of her.

Damn, this album cover is straight out of 2010. Classic 60's powerful but fucking annoying voice. Deserves its roses but man, I can't stand this carry on - for the same reasons I don't like hard rock. Boomer shit.

Pretty nice :D

Did I just listen to 46 minutes of on hold music..?

Something of an odd album. I had never heard of Laura Nyro before, and after three listens I'm still not sure I have a clear grasp on this record. On the one hand, she is clearly a gifted songwriter. The arrangements are often quite sophisticated - and you can hear the influence in artists like Carole King and Todd Rundgren. But some of the songs feel meandering and the melodies underdeveloped. There is also a Tin Pan Alley or show tunes cheesiness to some of it. And the array of different genre influences often don't feel like they fit together well. Overall, an album I find more interesting than enjoyable.

Cool vibe

I can’t help but draw the Carole King, Joni Mitchell parallel - but I like this more! It’s more soulful and adventurous. A surprising find!

I know this caused a raucous in 1968

A sort of Female Van Morrison whose overindulgence leaves me feeling intrigued and exhausted.

Yep, liked it. Interesting vocals, great, varied songwriting, really nice.

Nunca me había enterado de la existencia de Laura Nyro. El disco me gustó y me agarró por sorpresa. La voz de Nyro de pronto suele ser muy aguda, pero me gustaron mucho sus arreglos que consiguen fusionar jazz ligero y balada de finales de los sesenta. Tal vez no se convierta en mi disco favorito, pero sí creo que Nyro es una artista que hay que explorar un poco más.

just fine

3.25

3.5/5

# Album Name: Eli And The Thirteenth Confession # Artist: Laura Nyro # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Not bad. Good voice. Just average tunes. # Top Tunes: # Would I listen to it again? Maybe

3,5/5

Had never heard of her before. Some nice work, peppy stuff about misbeheving

7/10 some songs were intriguing

Fun! ★★★

I might’ve liked this better if the production wasn’t as harsh, but a lot of the time it sounded a bit distorted. She’s very technically good and has a great voice but it sounded a bit chaotic at times

An amazing, emotive voice really drives home this record

Schönes Album mit interessanten Kompositionen, dass mich zu keinem Zeitpunkt vom Hocker gerissen hat, mir aber insgesamt gut gefallen hat. Gegen Ende insbesondere mit "December's Boudoir" baut es dann mMn massiv ab, da wurde der sehr intensive und gar nicht dezente Einsatz der Stimme irgendwann doch sehr anstrengend. Trotzdem immer noch verdiente 3 Punkte.

Das Album klingt auf jeden Fall deutlich weniger alt als es ist, Probs an Produktion und Stimme. Allgemein die Stimme... Teilweise wirklich beeindruckend. Teilweise aber auch für mich ins Nervige abgedriftet. Daher in Summe 3 Sterne für mich, bei sowas kann ich die Aufnahme in diese Liste aber total verstehen.

It wasn't bad it just wasn't for me

Undoubtedly a talented songwriter and performer, but this one didn't quite land for me. You can hear the immense influence she had on artists like Todd Rundgren and Elton John, but the style drifts a little too close to jazz and musical theatre for my personal preference. I can appreciate the artistry and the vocal range, but it lacks the driving structure and consistency I usually look for in an album. A classic of its genre, just not my genre.

Jolie voix mais un peu ennuyeux a la longue

3⭐️/5 01.22.2026

Although I feel this upbeat down beat tempo change must have been a wow thing for many back when it came out. It didnt age well. Sounds like any 1970/1980 ballard. Pretty generic but deffinitivelt would have popped out when it came out. All songs sound the same. Naice voice