American Dreamer is a 2021 box set of reissues from American singer-songwriter Laura Nyro released by Madfish. It has received positive critical reception.
Reception Sam Sodomsky of Pitchfork Media rated this collection an 8.8 out of 10 for Nyro's "obvious, prodigious talent", with the publication declaring this "Best New Reissue". For Under the Radar, Hays Davis rated this album an 8.5 out of 10 for Nyro's importance in pop music history and her ability to move "comfortably between various musical styles". In Uncut, Laura Barton gave the set five out of five stars, due to the "sheer heft of her talent" displayed on the music. Record Collectors Charles Waring issued the same score and noted the artist's influence and breadth as a songwriter, as well as the value of the bonus tracks for collectors.
Track listing All songs written by Laura Nyro, except where noted
More Than a New Discovery "Goodbye Joe" – 2:38 "Billy's Blues" – 3:20 "And When I Die" – 2:40 "Stoney End" – 2:46 "Lazy Susan" – 3:53 "Flim Flam Man" – 2:29 "Wedding Bell Blues" – 2:44 "Buy and Sell" – 3:38 "He's a Runner" – 3:40 "Blowin' Away" – 2:23 "I Never Meant to Hurt You" – 2:52 "California Shoeshine Boys" – 2:45
Eli and the Thirteenth Confession "Luckie" – 3:00 "Lu" – 2:44 "Sweet Blindness" – 2:37 "Poverty Train" – 4:16 "Lonely Women" – 3:32 "Eli's Comin'" – 3:58 "Timer" – 3:22 "Stoned Soul Picnic" – 3:47 "Emmie" – 4:20 "Woman's Blues" – 3:46 "Once It Was Alright (Farmer Joe)" – 2:58 "December's Boudoir" – 5:05 "The Confession" – 2:50
New York Tendaberry "You Don't Love Me When I Cry" – 4:24 "Captain for Dark Mornings" – 4:38 "Tom Cat Goodbye" – 5:32 "Mercy on Broadway" – 2:18 "Save the Country" – 4:36 "Gibsom Street" – 4:47 "Time and Love" – 4:24 "The Man Who Sends Me Home" – 2:52 "Sweet Lovin' Baby" – 3:55 "Captain Saint Lucifer" – 3:17 "New York Tendaberry" – 5:33
Christmas and the Beads of Sweat "Brown Earth" – 4:09 "When I Was a Freeport and You Were the Main Drag" – 2:42 "Blackpatch" – 3:33 "Been on a Train" – 5:49 "Up on the Roof" (Gerry Goffin, Carole King) – 3:13 "Upstairs by a Chinese Lamp" – 5:34 "Map to the Treasure" – 8:08 "Beads of Sweat" – 4:47 "Christmas in My Soul" – 7:00
Gonna Take a Miracle "I Met Him on a Sunday" (Doris Jackson, Addie Harris McPherson, Beverly Lee, Shirley Alston Reeves) – 1:55 "The Bells" (Marvin Gaye, Anna Gordy Gaye, Iris Gordy, Elgie Stover) – 2:56 "Monkey Time/Dancing in the Street" (Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, Ivy Jo Hunter, William "Mickey" Stevenson) – 4:57 "Désiree" (L.Z. Cooper, Danny Johnson) – 1:52 "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" (Smokey Robinson) – 4:07 "Spanish Harlem" (Jerry Leiber, Phil Spector) – 2:52 "Jimmy Mack" (Holland–Dozier–Holland) – 2:56 "The Wind" (Devora Brown, Bob Edwards, Nolan Strong) – 2:58 "Nowhere to Run" (Holland–Dozier–Holland) – 5:08 "It's Gonna Take a Miracle" (Teddy Randazzo, Bobby Weinstein, Lou Stallman) – 3:24
Smile "Sexy Mama" (Al Goodman, Sylvia Robinson, Harry Ray) – 2:41 "Children of the Junks" – 2:49 "Money" – 4:59 "I Am the Blues" – 5:44 "Stormy Love" – 4:29 "The Cat Song" – 2:34 "Midnite Blue" – 3:05 "Smile" – 5:36
Nested "Mr. Blue (Song of Communications)" – 5:01 "Rhythm and Blues" – 2:57 "My Innocence" – 3:24 "Crazy Love" – 4:18 "American Dreamer" – 4:08 "Springblown" – 4:24 "The Sweet Sky" – 3:32 "Light" – 2:53 "Child in a Universe" – 4:09 "The Nest" – 2:27
Rarities and Live Recordings "Stoney End" (Single Version) "Lu" (Demo) "Stoned Soul Picnic" (Demo) "Emmie" (Demo) "Eli's Comin'" (Mono Single Version) "Save the Country" (Single Version) "In the Country Way" (Album Version) "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (Live at Fillmore East, May 30, 1971) "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (Goffin and King) (Live at Fillmore East, May 30, 1971) "O-o-h Child" (Stan Vincent) (Live at Fillmore East, May 30, 1971) "Up on the Roof" (Goffin and King) (Live at Fillmore East, May 30, 1971) "Someone Loves You" (Demo) "Get My Cap" (Demo) "Coffee Morning" (Demo) Medley – "Emily" / "Nested" (Live)
Personnel
More Than a New Discovery Laura Nyro – guitar, keyboards, vocals Jay Berliner – guitar Herb Bernstein – arrangement, conducting, flugelhorn Stan Free – piano Jean Goldhirsch – assistant production Bill LaVorgna – drums Murray Laden – photography Buddy Lucas – harmonica Lou Mauro – double bass Milton Okun – production Jerry Schoenbaum – production supervision James Sedlar – French horn Val Valentin – director of engineering Harry Yarmark – engineering
Eli and the Thirteenth Confession Laura Nyro – piano, keyboards, vocal, harmonies Chet Amsterdam – acoustic guitar and bass guitar Wayne Andre – trombone Charlie Calello – arrangement, production Pat Calello – trumpet Dave Carey – percussion Ralph Casale – acoustic guitar Bob Cato – photography Jimmy Cleveland – trombone Ray DeSio – trombone Joe Farrell – saxophone, flute Bernie Glow – trumpet Paul Griffin – piano on "Eli's Comin'" and "Once It Was Alright Now (Farmer Joe)" Hugh McCracken – electric guitar Chuck Rainey – bass Ernie Royal – trumpet Buddy Saltzman – drums Roy Segal – engineering Artie Schroeck – drums, vibraphone Zoot Sims – saxophone Stan Tonkel – engineering George Young – saxophone
New York Tendaberry Laura Nyro – piano, vocals, arrangement Gary Chester – drums Roy Halee – production, engineering Jimmie Haskell – conducting, orchestral arrangement David Gahr – cover photography Mark Wilder – mastering
Christmas and the Beads of Sweat Laura Nyro – piano, vocals, arrangements Duane Allman – guitar Barry Beckett – vibraphone Felix Cavaliere – organ, bells, production Alice Coltrane – harp Dino Danelli – drums Richard Davis – double bass Cornell Dupree – electric guitar Joe Farrell – woodwinds Ashod Garabedian – oud Tim Geelan – engineer Roger Hawkins – drums Eddie Hinton – electric guitar David Hood – bass guitar Jack Jennings – percussion Ralph MacDonald – percussion Arif Mardin – arrangements, conductor, producer Beth O'Brien – cover portrait Doug Pomeroy – assistant engineer Chuck Rainey – bass guitar Stuart Scharf – acoustic guitar Roy Segal – engineer Jerry Lee Smith – assistant engineer Michael Szittai – cimbalom
Gonna Take a Miracle Laura Nyro – vocals, piano Ronnie Baker – bass guitar Thom Bell – string and horn arrangements Gary Burden – art direction, design Roland Chambers – guitar Sarah Dash – vocals Tim Geelan – engineering Norman Harris – guitar Jim Helmer – drums Nona Hendryx – vocals Patti LaBelle – vocals Bobby Martin – string and horn arrangements Nydia “Liberty” Mata – congas Vincent Montana Jr. – percussion Stephen Paley – front cover photography Lenny Pakula – organ, string and horn arrangements Larry Washington – bongos,
Smile Laura Nyro – vocals, piano, guitar, wood block Bob Babbitt – bass guitar Rubens Bassini – shaker Joe Beck – guitar Greg Bennett – guitar Michael Brecker – saxophone Randy Brecker – trumpet Carter C. C. Collins – congas Richard Davis – bass guitar Joe Farrell – saxophone David Friedman – vibraphone Jerry Friedman – guitar Tim Geelan – engineer Reiko Kamota – koto Ed Lee – artwork Will Lee – bass guitar Jimmy Maelen – tambourine, wood block Rick Marotta – drums Nydia Mata – congas Hugh McCracken – guitar Jay Messina – assistant engineer Paul Messing – triangle Jeff Mironov – guitar Patty Newport – photography Chris Parker – drums Don Puluse – engineer Allan Schwartzberg, – drums Stan Tonkel – assistant engineer John Tropea – guitar Lou Waxman – assistant engineer Nisako Yoshida – koto George Young – saxophone
Nested Laura Nyro – vocals, electric and acoustic piano, church organ, guitar, strings Dale Ashby – engineering Felix Cavaliere – electric piano on "The Sweet Sky", organ on "The Nest" Cyril Cianflone – bass guitar on "Mr. Blue (The Song of Communications)" Adger W. Cowans – photography Vinnie Cusano – guitar Frank Koenig – engineering Will Lee – bass guitar Tony Levin – bass guitar on "American Dreamer" Nydia "Liberty" Mata – percussion Andy Newmark – drums John Sebastian – harmonica John Tropea – guitar
American Dreamer James Batsford – reissue production Peter Doggett – liner notes
See also List of 2021 albums (July–December)
References
External links