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John9
Old Love
United Kingdom
2154 Posts |
 Posted - 16/02/2009 : 00:23:23
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When a few years ago, Legacy had a go at giving Laura Nyro's back catalogue the 'remastered with bonus tracks' treatment, they sadly got no further than Eli and the 13th Confession, New York Tenderberry and Gonna Take a Miracle. For some reason, they ignored her first album, but also....and more inexplicably, her 1970 masterpiece, Christmas and the Beads of Sweat. I was delighted to read ten days ago that Sony Japan have just put that right...and my imported copy of the said classic arrived yesterday. This afternoon I settled down to listen to it in all its remastered glory. Just at present I am hard pressed to think of a better album by any singer songwriter. It is difficult to separate the bleakness from the beauty on Poverty Train...whilst Laura's gently chiming piano on that one lulls you into a kind of trance. Upstairs By a Chinese Lamp, Map to the Treasure and Beads of Sweat follow one another in a suite of some of the most sublime music I've ever heard. It is though perhaps the lyrics of the title track that are as resonant today as they were in 1970:
"Now the time has come to fight
laws in the book of love burn bright
people you must win
for thee America
her dignity
for all the high court world to see
............Joy to this world"
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Edited by - John9 on 16/02/2009 00:30:19 |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9873 Posts |
Posted - 16/02/2009 : 00:48:43
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quote:
Originally posted by John9
When a few years ago, Legacy had a go at giving Laura Nyro's back catalogue the 'remastered with bonus tracks' treatment, they sadly got no further than Eli and the 13th Confession, New York Tenderberry and Gonna Take a Miracle. For some reason, they ignored her first album, but also....and more inexplicably, her 1970 masterpiece, Christmas and the Beads of Sweat. I was delighted to read ten days ago that Sony Japan have just put that right...and my imported copy of the said classic arrived yesterday. This afternoon I settled down to listen to it in all its remastered glory. Just at present I am hard pressed to think of a better album by any singer songwriter. It is difficult to separate the bleakness from the beauty on Poverty Train...whilst Laura's gently chiming piano on that one lulls you into a kind of trance. Upstairs By a Chinese Lamp, Map to the Treasure and Beads of Sweat follow one another in a suite of some of the most sublime music I've ever heard. It is though perhaps the lyrics of the title track that are as resonant today as they were in 1970:
"Now the time has come to fight
laws in the book of love burn bright
people you must win
for thee America
her dignity
for all the high court world to see
............Joy to this world"
For some reason that is considered her weakest of her great trilogy of albums(#2,3 &4). I love it too. Laura does a nice "Poverty Train" on the Monterey Pop DVD. "Brown Earth" is so good! I think "Christmas.." is my favorite. I have all the vinyl so I haven't been tempted, but are the extras worth it?'
I still get chills remembering when I saw her live in '70, just before her first retirement! Isn't "Eli" one of the most beautiful covers ever....it has to be seen full-size (on the LP cover) to really appreciate it!
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9873 Posts |
Posted - 16/02/2009 : 17:55:24
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John, have you got the Gonna Take A Miracle, Laura with Labelle LP?
One of the best cover albums I think ever....Dancing In the Street, Jimmy Mack, Spanish Harlem .... Laura has soul! 
Listening to "Been On A Train" from Christmas....now. 
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John9
Old Love
United Kingdom
2154 Posts |
Posted - 18/02/2009 : 15:06:19
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quote:
Originally posted by lemonade kid
John, have you got the Gonna Take A Miracle, Laura with Labelle LP?
One of the best cover albums I think ever....Dancing In the Street, Jimmy Mack, Spanish Harlem .... Laura has soul!
Listening to "Been On A Train" from Christmas....now.
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Hi Lemonadekid - sorry about the delay in replying - I've been up in Newcastle for a couple of days. Yes, I do have Laura's Gonna Take a Miracle. I think that it was quite a bold step to do a complete album of covers back in 1971. My personal favourite on that one is Nowhere To Run - along with I Met Him On A Sunday. The new Japanese remaster of Christmas And The Beads Of Sweat I mentioned, is unfortunately without bonus tracks - although I am sure that you will agree that if ever there was an album that doesn't actually need bonus tracks then it is that one. I notice that Laura's live album from 1976, Season of Lights is now available in its full length form from the same company that recently gave Nested its first CD release. I really envy you having seen Laura in concert....she very rarely performed in the UK....although she played Japan many times. |
Edited by - John9 on 18/02/2009 15:07:14 |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9873 Posts |
Posted - 18/02/2009 : 18:28:13
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quote:
Originally posted by John9
quote:
Originally posted by lemonade kid
John, have you got the Gonna Take A Miracle, Laura with Labelle LP?
One of the best cover albums I think ever....Dancing In the Street, Jimmy Mack, Spanish Harlem .... Laura has soul!
Listening to "Been On A Train" from Christmas....now.
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Hi Lemonadekid - sorry about the delay in replying - I've been up in Newcastle for a couple of days. Yes, I do have Laura's Gonna Take a Miracle. I think that it was quite a bold step to do a complete album of covers back in 1971. My personal favourite on that one is Nowhere To Run - along with I Met Him On A Sunday. The new Japanese remaster of Christmas And The Beads Of Sweat I mentioned, is unfortunately without bonus tracks - although I am sure that you will agree that if ever there was an album that doesn't actually need bonus tracks then it is that one. I notice that Laura's live album from 1976, Season of Lights is now available in its full length form from the same company that recently gave Nested its first CD release. I really envy you having seen Laura in concert....she very rarely performed in the UK....although she played Japan many times.
Ya, john. She was soloing that night, as was mostly usual, with just her grand piano!! It's nice that they finally released that whole Live show instead of the shortened LP version.
You're right about Christmas....a complete album in itself.
I actually am not that fond of bonus tracks tacked onto the end of an artist's "concept", as so many LPs are. I love those bonus tracks on Spirit, Pretties etc, but I often wish they would put them on a bonus CD.
Oh well. Not complaining. I just import the CD to my iTunes and burn a CD without the bonus tracks. That way I can take in the whole concept of (for instance) SF Sorrow right through "Loneliest Person"...that's genius. I love "Defecting Grey", but NOT immediately after the final, and beautiful coda of such a work genius. I'm also careful when sharing something like Sorrow to never include bonus tracks. I want them to experience the full force of such monumental achievements as they were meant to be.
(Same with Forever Changes. I never play it without playing it from start to finish...NO extras after!!)  
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Remastered Laura Nyro
