Search - Laura Nyro :: Walk the Dog & Light the Light

Not her best but I love it anyway

The Pete | Illinois | 10/02/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I've heard nothing that Laura Nyro did before her "Smile" CD, which probably makes me one of the wierdest Laura Nyro listeners in the world! Anyway, I find her work simply beautiful even though she's totally out of place on my CD player - sitting next to Goldie, Ultra Nate, Superstar DJ Keoki, Grooverider, and Bjork. While this CD doesn't hold a candle to "Mother's Spiritual" or "Nested", Nyro's trademarks are intact: jazzy, soul vibe paired with relaxed performances. Unlike her commercial counterparts (Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, Rickie Lee Jones), Laura Nyro never sounds forced, stilted, or self-conciously hip. Even when singing overtly political lyrics, she sounds like she's singing about what she feels. This sincerity allows you to swallow some of her stronger opinions without gagging too much. It's part of who she is.Much the credit goes to her sensitivity as producer and writer. Sonically, she gives these songs such intimate arrangements that you feel like she's sitting in your house playing the songs for you herself. Songs like "A Woman of the World" and "Louise's Church" straddle pop, jazz, and soul and yet are none of these. She covers some old style songs ("Dedicated to the One I Love") but makes them thoroughly her own.I don't mind that some of her CDs are short. If the quality is there, I'm not going to complain. This time out, though, I think there's some filler: "To A Child" was way better on Mother's Spiritual and "Lite a Flame" pales compared to the similarly-themed "Wild World". The other flaw I see is Gary Katz; I felt his presence a little too strongly for my taste. Some of the songs' endings ("Louise's Church" and "Luna Rose") have horn arrangements that get way too Steely Dan-ish and slick. Overall, though, I love this CD. The soul this woman puts into everything I've heard from her thus far is what makes her music worth the bucks you pay to buy it. Now how about getting "Nested" re-released on CD, huh?"

!! BEAUTIFUL AS ALWAYS !!

dcs | 06/23/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"! WELL THE LITTLE LADY HAS DONE IT AGAIN. Pruduced another AMAZING CD as MESMERIZING as always.the music on this cd seems to put me at peace with myself.The way she sings (A WOMAN OF THE WORLD) really shows off her very (GIFTED TALENTS) Plus the up tempo of (ART OF LOVE) seems to make you feel HAPPY ALL OVER,plus the talent of her (VOCALS) really comes thru on (LOUISE"S CHURCH). OVERALL the beauty of this CD,plus on most of her recordings is that you just turn it on RELAX,and let this wonderful WRITER,AND COMPOSER take you into another realm of !! PEACE AND SOLITUDE. PLUS you have to check out her version on (I"M SO PROUD, plus DEDICATED TO THE ONE I LOVE, ITS GREAT AS ALWAYS. SO for all you LAURA NYRO FANS, add this cd to your COLLECTION, YOU WONT BE DISAPPOINTED."

Solid, Mature Nyro

dcs | New York City | 12/23/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Released in 1993, this was Laura Nyro's final, fully constructed album released before her death in 1997.



It was produced by the famed Steely Dan producer Gary Katz (an old schoolmate of Nyro), and his attention to detail, tasteful touches and overall clean style mesh well with Laura's undiminished ability as a superb vocalist.



Laura was now 46 years old and no longer the fragile, black-gowned dramatist of the 1960s. While her songs of this late period generally lack the youthful "fire" of her early material, they now reveal a deeper, richer, more stable artist, secure in her legacy. Gone are the images of devils and heartbreaking lovers. In their place are songs about animal rights, the environment, the human condition, and a couple of rock / R& B oldies, which she performs with her marvelous trademark arrangements and chord changes. The title song is a sweet message to her son, who was 11 years old at the time. Oh yes, and there is one very amusing song about....well you'll find out.



A very, very respectable piece of work from one of America's great innovators in the autumn of her life."