Chris wrote:
> Furthermore, as we take this time to celebrate "Tapestry" in our own way,
by
> 'threading' about it, I will vent my frustration about the other really
great
> Carole King discs that always get lost in the Tapestry shuffle. Much as
it's
> one of the best recordings we've got, I simply cannot listen to it
anymore.
> VERY seldom. Over the years, I've come to appreciate it's follow-up,
"Music"
> much more, probably for no other reason than the tunes on it have not
> suffered form the massive overexposure that Tap's lead cuts have. "Rhymes
&
> Reasons" is also excellent Carole King, nothing mind boggling, but a great
> pop record nontheless.
> My favorite, though, is "Fantasy". Much as it's sound is now quite dated,
> this was probably the most interesting record she made. We get Carole's
> commentary about the Women's Liberation movement, several different angles
on
> the difficulties of inner-city living, and a bit of political commentary
> sprinkled in. The music often sounds like the soundtrack from a cheesy
> crime-drama of the same period ('73 - take your pick), but with all it's
> flaws, it's not just MORE BLAND LOVE SONGS FROM CAROLE KING, who I admire
> very much despite her repetitive nature. We have to cut CK some slack
about
> that - she was trained to write that way. And made a good living doing it.
I have to clarify something I said in my post on Tapestry. I effectively
said that Carole's work deteriorated after Tapestry, which was a damn lie!
I completely agree that Music and Fantasy are very strong albums, and I
think Carole grew musically with these as well.
But I think the main difference with her and Joni is that Carole pretty much
stayed on the same path musically - her basic style didn't change too much.
Sure there were the inevitable synthesisers in the 80's, but she didn't
"reinvent" herself, or immerse herself in another genre like Joni did. Not
that that's a bad thing, but I never felt the same excitement with a new
Carole album as I did with a new Joni - with Joni you never really knew what
you were going to get!
Hell
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