Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's about time! , April 10, 2008
Getting Laura's early albums on CD, plus her final one, Angel In The Dark, was easy. With some difficulty, I was able to get Smile and Walk The Dog And Light The Light. Those two are out of print, as is Mother's Spiritual. I have Mother's Spiritual on LP, but unfortunately the CD is now going for over $100 for a USED copy. But I have never seen Nested on CD, except once on Ebay where it was an ultra rare and costly Japanese import that went out of print years ago. So I had to settle for my 8-track tape.
Now, thanks to Iconoclassic Records, Nested is finally available on CD for the first time here in the US. The sound quality is excellent. Nested is the first release for this new record label. Look for Laura's 1977 live album Seasons Of Light to be the label's second release later this year. Right now, it's only available as a costly Japanese import.
This Iconoclassic version of Nested is not the "Japanese import in a miniature LP sleeve" as Amazon states above. It's in a standard jewel box.
Laura was pregnant with her son Gil when she recorded this album in 1978, hence the name Nested. It's a laid back, melodic album. It continues in a similar vein to the previous Smile album from 1976. This isn't like her first four albums. The sudden tempo changes of Eli And The Thirteenth Confession and New York Tendaberry are long gone and her voice no longer sounds forced, as it did on those early albums.
My favorite track on this album is "Crazy Love", which is just Laura and her piano. Like the Smile album, there are a couple of slow, acoustic guitar-based tracks, such as "Mr. Blue" and "Springblown". More upbeat songs include "Rhythm And Blues", "My Innocence", "American Dreamer", "Sweet Sky", and "Light (Pop's Principle)". "Child In A Universe" starts off with a slow piano/synthesizer duet. Then the synth fades out, and the song picks up from there. Finally, "The Nest" is classic sounding Laura and her piano with acoustic guitar backing her.
News: October 30, 2008
On Iconoclassic Records website, it says Mother's Spiritual will be coming soon on CD!
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Pregnant with the knowledge and the flame of your true love", June 1, 2008
"Nested" was released 2 years after the volcanic
"Smile" and yet, though I am very familiar with "Smile," I was not very familiar with "Nested" except for having heard my mother play the vinyl recording over and over a number of years ago.
I am one of those who, because my Moms was such a fan, heard Laura beginning at a very early age.
But "Nested" is a revelation: equal to "Smile" and sometimes even surpassing it. "Nested" begins quietly with "Mr. Blue": "I've been studying the radar in the Sky...listen like the animals do...yes I am ready for you...I've been a Gypsy fire, warm desire...this is the song of communications..."
And then "My Innocence": "...my innocence comes from my warm earth mother..." This song features terrific guitar work from John Troppea a carry over band member from "Smile."
The best song on the CD follows, "Crazy Love." Listen to it and marvel at the emotional commitment with which Laura imbues this song: "...my name is in your blood and what your true love's done to me...walk soft, talk soft like an animal on silent feet on a block of snow...I was looking for a true love to right the way...pregnant with the knowledge and the flame of your true love..." Who writes much less sings like this anymore?
Say what you will about Nyro's voice and mannerisms but the one thing that can never be taken away from her is her total, unparalleled emotionality. There is/never was any doubt that she means and feels every single word she sings. She is her music and her music is her.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
SPECTACULAR SOUND QUALITY, April 19, 2008
I have to admit that I hadn't played this Nyro title for years. It still sounds as fresh as it did when I first had it on vinyl. Apart from the faithful repackaging, the one thing to note is that the sound quality is absolutely incredible. Vic Anesini did an amazing job in bringing out the full fidelity of this classic. This title is #5084 on Amazon's best selling list at the moment, and I'm sure it would be even higher if they actually stocked it themselves.
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Interact With Your Music: Discover, listen to, and buy new music, all from the pages of SPIN's digital edition, free to Amazon customers.
by Laura Nyro 
