Carole King: Writer
James Peyton | columbia, sc United States | 07/14/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The title tells us of King's hesitation to embrace the spotlight of a solo artist, and her vocals on "The City" album sounds a more self-assured than they do here for the most part. However, "Writer" has three of the best tracks that King ever put on vinyl, "Goin' Back," "Child of Mine," and "Up on the Roof." Carole later recorded the first two songs on different albums, both more solidly than she did on Writer, but for whatever reasons, on this album they communicate more. Perhaps it is her youth here, her earnest approach, and the teaming up with Danny Kortchmar and James Taylor that make the tracks come alive more so than they do a decade plus later on "Pearls" or "For Our Children" (a Disney cd). "Going Back" thankfully has all of the interplay between Taylor and King at the end that was cut from the first pressing of the cd and barely audible on the vinyl. "Up on the Roof" is, of course, the highlight of the album, and Carole's phrasing, arrangement, and piano playing are equal to anything else she has recorded. I don't understand why James Taylor is listed on the song credit on the back for "Up On the Roof." He doesn't sing on the track, but does play guitar; he is much more a part of "Going Back" and the listing would have made sense there. One can only guess that his name is a marketing ploy where one is not needed. "No Easy Way Down" and "Eventually" are also great songs that make this a great album with typical Carole King keyboards and among the best lyrics that Gerry Goffin wrote. The one negative is the sound. First, Adler did not produce, and John Fishbach seems less sure of what to do with Carole's voice. It sounds as if he tried to enhance, and at time as the previous reviewer states, the voice becomes nasal. Also, if you are a musician and trying to get some hooks from the songs or play along, the pitch is slightly off. This is the only King album that I have ever encountered that had this problem, again a sign of a producer and recording engineer not trusting the product. Regardless, I am thankful for this new recording, clear and and more detailed, of Carole's first album. It has always given me a sense of an incredible journey in music I have taken with her for the last thirty plus years."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1