Brooklyn’s LAURA NYRO (who died tragically early in 1997) is righty considered one of THE great female singer/songwriters of the 20th. The music connoisseurs’ singer/songwriter of choice, she’s right up there with people like Carole King and Joni Mitchell. Oddly, maybe, given that status, she’s not that well-known in the mainstream with Joe Public knowing her name only via her songs that became hits for artists like The 5th Dimension, Three Dog Night and Barbra Streisand.
If you fall into either camp – a knowing connoisseur or an intrigued parvenu, may we point you to this absolutely magnificent upcoming 19 CD limited edition deluxe box set, ‘HEAR MY SONG: THE COLLECTION, 1966 – 1995’. Curated by Madfish Records, it offers Laura’s 10 original studio albums (all freshly remastered), 6 live albums including 2 previously unreleased live concerts, Laura’s original demo tape from 1966 and a bonus disc of rarities including mono versions, alternative versions and live tracks.
It’s a veritable Aladdin’s Cave of exotic treasures. All the big songs are there of course – indeed you can hear several versions of many of them – the known versions, the demos and the live renditions. Thus wallow again in the beauty of things like ‘Eli’s Comin’, ‘Save The Country’, ‘And When I Die’, ‘Stoned Soul Picnic’, ‘Map To The Treasure’, ‘Sweet Blindness’, ‘Stoney End’ and ‘Wedding Bell Blues’ – and has there ever been a more joyous pop song than that one? Guaranteed to raise a knowing smile.
As ever, though, in collections like these, it’s the lesser known items that shine brightly (‘Billy’s Blues’ anyone?) and don’t forget Ms. Nyro wasn’t too precious about her oeuvre. She covered countless other writers’ songs – pop and soul classics like ‘Let It Be Me’, ‘Ooh Child’, Smokey’s ‘Ooh Baby, Baby’ and even Carole King’s ‘You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman’ and ‘Up On The Roof’, all delivering a unique, fresh perspective. And I don’t know too many genuine soul fans who don’t revere Laura’s collaborative album with Labelle, ‘Gonna Take A Miracle’. That LP’s covers of songs like ‘The Monkey Time’, ‘Jimmy Mack’ and the gorgeous title track show just where she was coming from – and if you’re a deep soul lover, then you’ll know the spine-tingling version of the Originals’ The Bells’.
‘Hear My Song’ supersedes 2021’s vinyl only ‘American Dreamer’ Box Set which reintroduced the music world to the talents of Laura Nyro. And if the included music isn’t enough, then may we remind you that this lavish box comes with a 90-page coffee-table book with in-depth liner notes by Vivien Goldman and a foreword from Elton John who sums up Laura’s art thus: “She wrote songs that had no kind of fixed compass point. They remain as unique and absolutely spellbinding to this day as when I first heard them in the ‘60s.” Amen brother!
‘Hear My Song’ is released by Madfish Music on December 6th and you can pre-order here… https://LauraNyro.lnk.to/Hear_My_Song_Box. A lovely Christmas present for a significant other… or maybe yourself?
(BB) 5/5
