Well I would stay away from this version anyhow. The version here is rather soulful, and well produced, but it drives me into the state of Melancholy: Capital City: Depression. The dreaded key of F. I know that the album says 1968, but I also heard that the song "Eli" was actually written, and recorded in 1966. Either way it's still ahead of it's time. Nyro is a very talented singer, and writer. Alot of these could be precursors to Carole King, and I honestly feel that thier singing voices are very similar. The rest of this album has some rather good moments even though they are the 30 second clips. I would say my favorite is "Lu" as it reminds me of warm sunny spring days. Nyro in a sense also makes me think that she's also similar in some ways to Janis Ian. However, while Ian branches out into folk, jazz, pop, and rock. Nyro keeps it more pop and soulful. Well on this anyway. Don't forget Nyro also wrote "40,000 Headmen" which was covered by Traffic and Blood, Sweat, and Tears. I was about ready to order this album 11 years ago even with "Eli", but I went through some changes in alot of areas of my life that prevented me from ordering this good album. Will I now? I'm not sure yet, but at least there's some other stuff on here that's good, and as for "Eli"....well I'm a man, so I'll crank up the Three Dog Night version. People will think me mad that I can let a song affect me that way, but it did when I first heard it at the tender age of 16. However, I'm still willing to give more of her music a listen.

Normally, when I think of artists named Laura, the recently departed Ms. Branigan comes to mind. But then I discovered Laura Nyro, her namesake, who died at age 49, but earlier, in 1997. After her first album, which didn't do well, but which yielded a cover version hit for Blood Sweat & Tears in "And When I Die," Laura got a recording contract with Columbia, which yielded Eli and The Thirteenth Confession, a mostly summery mixture of pop, soul, folk, and jazz. Her voice is more on the soul/Broadway side.

From the outset, songs like "Luckie" mixes pop, soul, strings, horns and piano create a fingerpopping ambience that adds a spring to one's step. Where Laura sings of getting a man named Luckie, one will be lucky hearing this song. A similar sound comes in the pop-soul of "Lu,"with imagery-inspired lyrics describing seasons: "winter was a snowbell," and "summer was a flameride."

The snappy pop-soul, with horns and some soulful backup singers, continues with "Sweet Blindness," of blissfully getting drunk on wine and the effects of inebriation. Another song that Fifth Dimension later covered. But then comes the mid-paced melodic soul and blues of "Poverty Train," where one can become further crippled by taking cocaine to escape. More vivid songwriting with "you can see the walls roar/see your brains on the floor" to describe the trip.

Laura goes into light and quiet jazz and blues with "Lonely Women" on the crushing effects solitude can have on women, those "blues that make the walls rush in." One of the best songs here. A piano and sax number that briefly veers into a brief upbeat carnival type music at one point. She tackles the same subject on "Woman's Blues," which begins with a quiet droning jazz brass section akin to parts of Miles Davis's "Concierto Aranjuez" before launching into her funky soul style.

Then comes the soul-inflected jam complete with sassy horns of "Eli's Coming" that forms a high point of the album. The quieter parts of the piano number "Timer" makes me wonder if Laura may have been an influence on Tori Amos.

Can you surry down to a stoned soul picnic, asks Laura? The Fifth Dimension may have made it big with "Stone Soul Picnic," but it was Laura who did it first. The strings, horns, and soulful backup singers in this song is just one example of why soul transcended into disco in the 1970's. A nice centerpiece to this album, but nothing beats "Emmie" and the intimate "December Boudoir" for sheer mellow sweetness.

"Farmer Joe" is another brassy soul jam, kind of like the music Grass Roots played during their latter days. Same for "Confession" before the bonus demo versions of "Lu," "Stone Soul Picnic," and "Emmie."

If I closed my eyes hearing the music but without seeing the album cover, I would have thought Laura Nyro was black, given the predominantly 60's type soul with snappy rhythms, swirling strings, melodic piano. And as it came out the year I was born, it's definitely got that going for it, so surry on down and get it.

Opening with the exhilarating "Luckie", it is clear that the lucky ones here are anyone lucky enough to be listening to this classic landmark collection that clearly shows that Laura Nyro is the greatest of the singer/songwriters from her generation...continuing with the sublime beauty of Laura's passionate and soulful voice in the glorious "Lu", one can see that Ms. Nyro's performances are completely involved as Laura takes each and every one of her brilliant compositions and turns them inside out with a voice that cuts to the core and brilliant piano playing that is inspired and original in its grand dramatic style...where was radio at when all of these great original versions came out? Were they afraid that the great little lady would get too big? For shame...it is a sad commentary that the entire music industry let this incredible once in a lifetime wonderous talent down...a driving rhythm arrangement with an infectious jubilant vocal make "Sweet Blindness" the definitive version of Laura's own classic which should have been the hit version...HELLO!!! Deep low-down blues make the aching "Poverty Train" a stunning and passionate odyssey that is a one-of-a-kind classic that is incredibly raw and riveting..."Lonely Women" is another complex soul-infused masterpiece that clearly shows that this extraordinary singer/songwriter/pianist was not given her just due in the music world but fans knew all along that Laura was a cut above the rest and a true original legendary musical wonder and anyone who loves real talent will be blown away by each and every experience in this dazzling collection of great original Laura compositions..the biting urgency of Laura's brilliant version of "Eli's Comin'" is awesome to experience and again this should have been the "hit" version as it is clearly the rocking and riveting definitive one..."Timer" is fascinating with great tempo changes, funky rhythm, and a gorgeous sentimental Laura vocal that is a haunting heartbreaker. A definitive "Stoned Soul Picnic" is one of those great defining the sixties songs that takes one back to that special time when the world was alot more carefree but with more real emotional meaning...Laura was so great to experience in concert at this time and I was fortunate to experience this sensitive and passionate legend a number of times and she was the finest and the real deal in every way...Laura's incomparable level of artistry has not been diminished by time rather it makes one long for the time when she was around as Laura Nyro is the most uniquely special of them all..."Emmie" is so gorgeous and spiritual that it becomes a magical listening experience that is incredibly moving with its deeply soulful ethereal vocal and wonderful tempo changes...Laura ALWAYS got to the core of a song and never more so than in the devastating classic "Woman's Blues" that is a riveting emotional tour-de-force that is peerless and fearless and totally hypnotic. Amazing tempo changes and a fiery vocal make the driving rhythm rocker "Once It Was Alright Now (Farmer Joe)" another rocking masterpiece while "December's Boudoir" is a soul-deep epic which is sweeping and engrossing with a magnificent vocal from Laura that is incomparable...a driving rhythm with an ethereal vocal make "The Confession" a stunning climax to a true TIMELESS musical masterpiece. Again Laura Nyro was the most sensitive yet incredibly passionate talented musical figure of her generation or any other generation for that matter...we miss you Laura Nyro and thank you for baring your soul and sharing your remarkable talent...the ultimate musical experience!

Laura Nyro (1947-1997) originally made her name as the author of a host of tightly written pop songs that hit big when covered by other artists--but she quickly evolved into an uncompromising artist who wrote without significant concern for popular taste. The result was a series of albums that proved too advanced for most listeners, and although she received tremendous critical attention and developed a powerful cult following, she would never be a commercial pop star in any sense of the phrase.

1968's ELI AND THE THIRTEENTH CONFESSION was her second release, and it shattered virtually every convention imaginable. Heard today, it is almost impossible to imagine this recording as a product of that decade; there is nothing of the still-popular do-wop, no trace of guitar-heavy baroque, not even the barest hint of psychedelia. And even now it remains a very, very difficult work to describe.

Essentially, Nyro fused several elements--pop, jazz, soul, folk, and show music--into a completely original sound. The opening track, "Luckie," is indicative: the first few bars set a fast pace in an almost do-wop style, but no sooner is this clearly established than Nyro suddenly shifts the entire tone of the piece, and no sooner do we adjust to the shift than she shifts again, playing with our ideas of tempo and style, stretching the music to see what she can make it do. It is a remarkable feat, and one that she will repeat in unexpected variations and to great success with virtually every cut.

This is one of those rare recording where absolutely everything in the collection works perfectly in both an individual sense and collectively in terms of the whole. You may think you know titles like "Sweet Blindness," "Eli's Comin'," and "Stone Soul Picnic" from covers by other artists, but once you've heard Nyro's originals the later versions simply blow away as if they never were. The original tracks have been beautifully remastered and the package includes three bonuses, demo cuts of "Lu," "Stone Soul Picnic," and "Emmie"--all of them very interesting to compare to the final versions.

This is really the beginning of what would become "alternative"--and even today, most "alternative" pales in comparison with what Nyro could do when working at the height of her skills. Strongly recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

This album was my first introduction to Laura Nyro, and it is still my favorite. The Beads of Sweat album is a close second. Of course, she had very few albums and a major gap in her career. There are few of her remaining albums that work for me. But this one does. Now I'm a man and I'm willing to bet most of her fans are women, which is understandable since many of her songs were about women or related. So be it. Music in the end is a personal thing. It either hits your inner note or doesn't. I can think of no singer over the last 30 years with such a beautiful, soulful, yet powerful voice. Unique for sure, and I can see why she never had major commercial success. Not a voice for the masses, especially in this day and age. But that's another story. In my view, Nyro was an exceptional singer and unique talent, and this album shows her at her best. She will be missed.