New York Tendaberry - Overview

Overview

New York Tendaberry is loosely Nyro's love ode to her hometown, New York City. All of the songs either take place in or are influenced by said city.

The title track particularly stands out as an ode to the city, while other songs, such as "Gibsom Street" and "Mercy on Broadway", take place in the urban metropolis. Elsewhere, Nyro sings of lovers and romances in a notably darker and more knowing tone than on 1968's Eli and the Thirteenth Confession, adding further weight to the theory that this album is a thematic continuation from its predecessor.

Musically, New York Tendaberry is far more intimate than any other Nyro album, and the lack of multi-layered instrumentation and memorable pop hooks was a surprise coming after the cult favourite Eli. The album is built around her voice and piano; her voice is at its wildest and most free, swooping and diving between notes and regularly locked in its upper register, while her piano playing is alternately velvety and impassioned.

Nyro painstakingly guided co-producer and engineer Roy Halee using colour metaphors. She could not understand musical notation, and used other analogies to communicate what she wanted. This process slowed recording down somewhat, as did her perfectionism. The use of strings and classical instrumentation is also notable.

The album also utilises sound effects, such as the gunshot on "Mercy on Broadway" and the twinkling sky in "New York Tendaberry". Alongside Nyro's piano, there is a jazz band, an orchestra, and a rock band, although this is used sparingly. The mood is downbeat and smoky, which makes Nyro's theatrical dramatics and dynamic abilities all the more effective.

The album was finally released after a year of painstaking night-time recording sessions, and is considered by most to be Nyro's artistic highpoint. Famous Nyro fan Rickie Lee Jones has described the album as one of the best records of all time.