Search - Carly Simon :: The Bedroom Tapes

90% fantastic

Shade | Oklahoma City, OK | 05/31/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is Carly Simon's best pop album in many a year. Perhaps the reason Carly is not acknowledged as a "rock and roll legend" is because of her dual career with earlier albums like the immediate predecessor "Film Noir" or "My Romance" and "Torch."This diversity keeps many from being big fans, I feel. As others have said, her voice is better than it's ever been. Her music is solid and fantastic. Her lyrics are insightful and clever as always.Best tracks muscially: "Our Affair," "So Many Stars," "Actress," "We Your Dearest Friends."Best tracks lyrically: "So Many Stars," "Big Dumb Guy," "Scar," "Cross the River," "Actress," "We Your Dearest Friends."Songs I could do without if I had to leave some: "I Forget," "Whatever Became of Her," "In Honor of You (George)." (After several listenings, I can't even play these in my head).This CD is much better than expected. It's better than 1994's "Letters Never Sent" or even such commercial favorites as "Coming Around Again," in my opinion.It's her best work since the early '80s. I am surprised, pleased, and not at all embarrassed to be a very big fan.She's come a long way since "They're puttin' out too many phonograph records/I think I'm gonna have a baby." Now she just wants to kick away her mouse pad and greet a "big dumb guy."The emotional insecurity of her early work is thankfully absent, as is the overt eroticism we have seen from her."The Bedroom Tapes" (a reference to the empty-nested daughter bedroom where she wrote the songs) as a title is a playful acknowledgment of her sexy image, no doubt, but she's toned it down, while keeping it romantic in nature.All in all, this is a Carly Simon must for long-time fans and a pretty good listen for even the casual music fan. This should be a nice comeback saleswise. Out of the box (debuting Billboard #90), to this end it's looking promising."

Carly At Her Most Thought Provoking..........And Challenging

Jef Fazekas | Newport Beach, California United States | 06/02/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Is "The Bedroom Tapes" one of Carly Simon's best albums? No. Is it one of her most important? Without a doubt. After just a listen or two, it's very clear that this is an album Carly had to make. While this CD is lacking the smoothness, fullness and sense of continuity of 1990's "Have You Seen Me Lately?" and 1994's "Letters Never Sent" (two albums that, in my opinion, represent the perfect blend of Carly's roots and all she's learned over the last thirty years), there is a sense of daring and honesty to "The Basement Tapes". Carly has never sounded more naked or raw. While there's been a lot of talk about Carly's breast cancer and writer's block, "Tapes" also comes across as a work from an artist who's standing on the edge, wanting - and needing - to push the envelope. So what works on "The Bedroom Tapes"? Well, there's "Our Affair", the CD's sly, sultry opening track which, in a perfect world, would be Carly's next smash hit. Then there's the wistful "So Many Stars" and the spunky "Actress". And we can't forget the percolating "Cross The River", on which Carly almost - gasp! - raps! Finally, there's the powerful "Scar" and "We Your Dearest Friends", a song that will probably get tongues wagging more than they have since "You're So Vain". And what doesn't work? Well, there's the forced, almost contrived lyrics (never thought I would say that about Carly!) of "Big Dumb Guy" (though, I must admit, "Guy"'s melody is so intoxicating I find myself being drawn into the song more and more with each listen!) and the less-than-satisfactory feeling that the album's closer "In Honour Of You(George)" leaves you with. But these are minor complaints. The truth of the matter is "The Bedroom Tapes" is one of the most captivating albums of 2000. While not an easy, casual listen - you have to really pay attention to this CD - it's a release full of rewards, by an artist who continues to grow and amaze. Carly Simon has been my favorite solo artist for almost thirty years now. "The Bedroom Tapes" only helps to enhance that feeling."

A poignant and profound masterpiece

Jef Fazekas | 05/18/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is an astonishingly passionate and personal CD with consistently great songwriting by Carly Simon throughout. While she turns her witty and wry focus on some terrific "characters" as in "Actress", "Cross the River", and the lovely "What Ever Became of Her", the songs about herself are deep and revealing -- and liberating -- and as resonant as anything she has ever done. All the familiar rock/pop/folk sensibilites are there in "Our Affair", "So Many Stars" and "Big Dumb Guy" -- great catchy tracks that many fans will love (as I do too), but it is the achingly painful and gorgeous songs "Scar", "I Forget" and "In Honour of You (George)" that will stop you in your tracks. This is not a "singles" album" but a CD that demands your complete attention from beginning to end. Her singing is glorious -- emotional, raw and passionate. The songs she sings are her most fully realized and personal ever. Without any reference to current trends, it's like a breath of fresh air. It's real -- never synthetic. It immediately ranks as one of the most intimate and revealing singer/songwriter albums ever."