First Songs

Laura Nyro - First Songs

First Songs
List Price: $6.99
Our Price: $2.59
You Save: $4.40 (63%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $2.58 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more CD details
Listen soundtracks from this album



(Click here)
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store

CD Details

Artist: Laura Nyro
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
CD Release Date: 2008-02-01
Music Label: Sbme Special Mkts.
Soundtracks:
  1. Wedding Bell Blues
  2. Billy's Blues
  3. California Shoeshine Boys
  4. Lazy Susan
  5. Goodbye Joe
  6. Flim Flam Man
  7. Stoney End
  8. I Never Meant to Hurt You
  9. He's a Runner
  10. Buy and Sell
  11. And When I Die
  12. Blowin' Away

Music reviews of First Songs

Music Review: Not Another "Singer-Songwriter"
Rating: 5 Stars

Why does everyone feel the need to so consistently throw Laura Nyro into a group with the blandness of 70s singer-songwriters and contemporary guitar strummers? Laura's miles and miles beyond anything Sarah McLachlan or Sheryl crow could do. A totally different ballpark. Joni Mitchell probably had as good a sense of harmony and was definitely Nyro's lyrical equal - but in her wildest dreams, Mitchell could never create catchy hooks and blood-heating rhythms the way that Laura did, it would seem, with one hand tied behind her back.

Anyway, this is Laura Nyro's first record, and from a certain standpoint, her best. She would go on to very successfully stretch the limits of pop song structure and arrangements on "Eli and the Thirteenth Confession" and go a bit nuts with "New York Tendaberry", a record on which it seems the jury is still very much out. But this record will appeal to both the Laura Nyro lover and the music fan in general. Never again would her singing be as disciplined, careful, and beautiful. Nyro always had a very nice voice - but later on the producers would give her enough creative freedom and proverbial rope to hang herself. Sometimes given to excessive experimentation, Nyro would later occasionally waste a very good song by reducing the vocal melody to high pitched and aimless screeching (see "Captain for Dark Mornings"). Here she is kept well in hand by the producers, and on track after track delivers a performance to stand toe-to-toe with Streisand, Springfield, or Warwick.

Another interesting aspect to this album is that it is the only one on which Laura does not accompany herself on the piano. Since Laura wasn't playing anything, the arrangements could be built from scratch, and so there's a little more variety in the orchestrations and production - you have a nice mix of folk rock, jazzy cabaret stylings, and pure, delicious girl-group pop, to which Nyro adds a lyrical intelligence not to be found elsewhere. Some VERY attractive backup vocals are provided by the High Fashions, and there's some very beautiful harmonica playing too. The diversity of the material prevents the record from ever stagnating - the folk-gospel of "And when I die" somehow sits very nicely with the nightclub jazz balladry of "Billy's Blues" and "Buy And Sell", while the pure pop punch of "Wedding Bell Blues" and "Flim Flam Man" will get even the staunchest of puritans up and dancing. "I Never Meant To Hurt You" could easily pass for a 60s broadway number out of "How to succeed in business without really trying" or "Sweet charity". We even get a taste of rootsy country music with "California Shoeshine Boys" - a side of Nyro that would not be seen again.

I highly reccomemend this album to anyone who loves Bob Dylan, Dusty Springfield, Barbra Streisand, girl group pop, R&B, and intelligent, beautiful, above-all CATCHY music in general. Paired with Eli, it makes a great introduction to the music of this wonderful lady. God bless her soul.
More First Songs free music reviews:
1 2

Description of First Songs

All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed.

Folk CDs

Music Genres
Bestsellers in Folk CDs
Another Place ImageMargie Adam - Another Place
Release date: 1994-07-26; Music CD
Best price: $16.99
Road of the Heart ImageAnn Reed - Road of the Heart
Release date: 1994-06-29; Music CD
Best price: $29.99
Back & Forth ImageAnn Reed - Back & Forth
Release date: 1994-07-26; Music CD
Best price: $2.00
Price in other shops: $9.98
Rainbow Path ImageKay Gardner - Rainbow Path
Release date: 1994-07-26; Music CD
Best price: $15.05
Price in other shops: $17.99
Grant Me Eyes ImageJoanne Rand - Grant Me Eyes
Release date: 2001-08-02; Music CD
Best price: $9.96
Price in other shops: $14.98
Hello Betty! ImageBetty - Hello Betty!
Release date: 1994-03-21; Music CD
Price in other shops: $11.98
Amazon ImageKay Gardner - Amazon
Release date: 1994-07-26; Music CD
Price in other shops: $9.98
Stage 2: Human Heart ImageStage 2: Human Heart
Release date: 1997-04-11; Music CD
Best price: $14.95
Price in other shops: $19.98
Heart Is the Only Nation ImageCyntia Smith, Ruth Barrett - Heart Is the Only Nation
Release date: 1996-07-17; Music CD
Best price: $3.99
Price in other shops: $16.98
Giants! A Colossal Collection of Tales and Tunes ImageGiants! A Colossal Collection of Tales and Tunes
Greathall Productions, Inc.; Release date: 2000-04-05; Published: 1996; Music CD
Best price: $8.68
Price in other shops: $14.95
Similar CDs
Original Album Classics ImageLaura Nyro - Original Album Classics
Sony; Release date: 2011-02-01; Music CD
Best price: $16.80
Price in other shops: $31.98
Nested ImageLaura Nyro - Nested
Release date: 2008-08-12; Published: 2008; Music CD
Best price: $12.78
Price in other shops: $13.98
Essential Laura Nyro ImageLaura Nyro - Essential Laura Nyro
Release date: 2011-09-13; Music CD
Best price: $11.43
Price in other shops: $13.94
Angel in the Dark ImageLaura Nyro - Angel in the Dark
NYRO,LAURA; Release date: 2001-03-27; Music CD
Best price: $12.36
Price in other shops: $18.98
Christmas & Beads of Sweat ImageLaura Nyro - Christmas & Beads of Sweat
Release date: 2008-03-01; Music CD
Best price: $3.98
Price in other shops: $6.99
Spread Your Wings & Fly: Filmore East May 30 1971 ImageLaura Nyro - Spread Your Wings & Fly: Filmore East May 30 1971
Release date: 2008-03-01; Music CD
Best price: $2.64
Price in other shops: $6.99
New York Tendaberry (Exp) ImageLaura Nyro - New York Tendaberry (Exp)
Release date: 2008-02-01; Music CD
Best price: $2.69
Price in other shops: $6.99
Time & Love: Essential Masters ImageLaura Nyro - Time & Love: Essential Masters
Release date: 2000-10-10; Music CD
Best price: $4.70
Price in other shops: $7.98
Eli & The Thirteenth Confession ImageLaura Nyro - Eli & The Thirteenth Confession
Release date: 2002-06-25; Music CD
Best price: $2.87
Price in other shops: $6.99
Gonna Take a Miracle ImageLabelle, Laura Nyro - Gonna Take a Miracle
Release date: 2002-06-25; Music CD
Best price: $2.87
Price in other shops: $6.99
Compare prices and find music notes for more than one million Music CD titles