Tapestry, Carole King, 1971, :44
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
This is, of course, King's hugely influential, billion-selling album of songs she wrote or co-wrote, mostly made famous by other artists. The songwriting is undeniably brilliant, but to me there’s something missing in King's performances. And it's not that her vocals are thin or anything; she's a great singer. These songs just feel to me like they're waiting for the right artist to come breathe life into the. I wouldn’t go so far to say that this is an album of demos for more vibrant artists, because it's certainly not that, but there's definitely a songwriter feel to it rather than a performer feel. Sometimes the performance matters more than the song (as the success of the Ramones proves). I mean, there's a reason why Aretha Franklin's and James Taylor's renditions are universally celebrated. The title track "Tapestry" is one of the pieces with the most heart, but the lyrics are decidedly goofy. Favorite tracks: "I Feel the Earth Move," "Smackwater Jack."
