Laura Nyro - The First Songs (1966)

Laura Nyro recorded this beast at 19; that's so wild to think about. The songwriting and themes are already so mature. Hot damn, I just love albums that when you fire them up you know it's like opening this huge box of random goodies and it's just gonna be such a fun, weird ride. R&B/soul energy is definitely the defining vibe here but she mixes in all sorts of stuff. What an interesting, creative songwriter she was. I probably last listened to her when I was around that age but am now planning to archive my opinions on her entire discography here. If I had to say this album invokes a particular artist most strongly, I would say Nina Simone, but you can already hear her penchant for fusing various styles at work on the very first track. It sounds like she was talking about her songs somewhere and some randos were like, "Hey, I could play this instrument on your album," and she said "Sure!" Her voice sounds so awesome, so pretty but at the same time it's like you can hear a kind of sharp edge in her personality. And to think, this is literally her just getting started.

I always put highlights but there are no skippers on this album. You're gonna want to hear it all. Just take it in. Laura Nyro was one of American pop music's greatest talents with a massive enduring legacy. She's a legend to many artists who are themselves thought of as timeless legends. You've almost certainly had a bunch of her songs stuck in your head already from her work with other artists, even if you've never heard her solo albums. More of my reactions to her albums to come.

Highlights: Wedding Bells Blues, Billy's Blues, Good By Joe, I Never Meant To Hurt You, He's a Runner, And When I Die

For Fans Of: Nina Simone, Diana Ross/The Supremes, Van Dyke Parks, Carole King