![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stoutfellowAlbum Title: Eli and the Thirteenth Confession
Why I Bought It: This was a "category" purchase; Nyro is in one of my mental categories, along with Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, Janis Ian, and Phoebe Snow. As usual, I can't justify the category; it's simply in there somewhere. I still don't have a Collins album, but this buy was a step towards completing the set.
What I Like (Creepy): "Eli's Coming". I was already familiar with Three Dog Night's cover of this song, which, though it begins well, is a little too... untroubled for the lyrics. Nyro's version, which is the original, is much better: the coming of Eli is definitely something to be afraid of - and, at the same time, something to anticipate. Shivery.
What I Like (Exuberant): "Sweet Blindness". A song about getting drunk. I think Chesterton (he of "I don't care where the water goes, if it doesn't get into the wine!") might have liked it. The Fifth Dimension also did this one, but, again, their version is a little too tame.
What I Like (Groovin'): "Stoned Soul Picnic". This was another song I first encountered in a Fifth Dimension version. This time, 5D's version was more energetic - but Nyro's version is langorous, one might even say stoned.
Overall: It may be symptomatic that the songs here that I like best are all songs I'd heard before, by other performers. Nyro's voice has a certain harshness to it, and I can't say I'm very fond of it. With the right song, I can appreciate it, but too often she wanders into places I can't follow. I'm glad I have the album, but I'm not really motivated to get any more of hers.
Why I Bought It: This was a "category" purchase; Nyro is in one of my mental categories, along with Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, Janis Ian, and Phoebe Snow. As usual, I can't justify the category; it's simply in there somewhere. I still don't have a Collins album, but this buy was a step towards completing the set.
What I Like (Creepy): "Eli's Coming". I was already familiar with Three Dog Night's cover of this song, which, though it begins well, is a little too... untroubled for the lyrics. Nyro's version, which is the original, is much better: the coming of Eli is definitely something to be afraid of - and, at the same time, something to anticipate. Shivery.
What I Like (Exuberant): "Sweet Blindness". A song about getting drunk. I think Chesterton (he of "I don't care where the water goes, if it doesn't get into the wine!") might have liked it. The Fifth Dimension also did this one, but, again, their version is a little too tame.
What I Like (Groovin'): "Stoned Soul Picnic". This was another song I first encountered in a Fifth Dimension version. This time, 5D's version was more energetic - but Nyro's version is langorous, one might even say stoned.
Overall: It may be symptomatic that the songs here that I like best are all songs I'd heard before, by other performers. Nyro's voice has a certain harshness to it, and I can't say I'm very fond of it. With the right song, I can appreciate it, but too often she wanders into places I can't follow. I'm glad I have the album, but I'm not really motivated to get any more of hers.
