(2016) Laura Nyro - Eli and the Thirteenth Confession (1968, Audio Fidelity)  


Review:
Laura Nyro peaked early, and Eli and the Thirteenth Confession, just her second album, remains her best. It’s not only because it contains the original versions of no less than three songs that were big hits for other artists: “Sweet Blindness” (covered by the 5th Dimension), “Stoned Soul Picnic” (also covered by the 5th Dimension), and “Eli’s Comin'” (done by Three Dog Night). It’s not even just because those three songs are so outstanding. It’s because the album as a whole is so outstanding, with its invigorating blend of blue-eyed soul, New York pop, and early confessional singer/songwriting. Nyro sang of love, inscrutably enigmatic romantic daredevils, getting drunk, lonely women, and sensual desire with an infectious joie de vivre. The arrangements superbly complemented the material with lively brass, wailing counterpoint backup vocals, and Nyro’s own ebullient piano.





Track Listing:
1.Luckie
2.Lu
3.Sweet Blindness
4.Poverty Train
5.Lonely Women
6.Eli's Comin
7.Part 2
8.Timer
Stoned Soul Picnic
9.Emmie
10.Woman's Blues
11.Once It Was Alright Now (Farmer Joe)
12.December's Boudoir
13.The Confession


Media Report:
Genre: pop, soft rock
Country: USA
Format: FLAC
Format/Info: Free Lossless Audio Codec, 16-bit PCM
Bit rate mode: Variable
Channel(s): 2 channels
Sampling rate: 44.1 KHz
Bit depth: 16 bits