Search - Carole King :: Love Makes the World (2CD Deluxe Edition)

Sonic Highway

Lee Armstrong | Winterville, NC United States | 10/05/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Six years ago Carole King's released her last new studio CD "Love Makes the World." Now, she's re-released the same album, but in a two-CD format that includes a bonus CD with videos of the title track & "Safe Again" along with a video interview. Several bonus songs were added to the disc including "Birthday Song" that was at the time only released on discs sold in one particular large chain. Added to this disc is also the only released Christmas song that King has recorded, "Love for Christmas," a romantic holiday ballad, "There is so much that you wish for that I wish that I could buy; If only I could be the one to fill your stocking high; I want to give you everything, but all that I can do is give you love for Christmas to last the whole year through." Carole also publishes a duet written and sung with Graham Nash that was originally recorded in 1998 titled "Two Hearts." It's a good track with Nash & King's voices blending delightfully. Nash opens, "Getting off the freeway, going to shake a bad day, Gotta change the feeling & it doesn't matter how." King responds, "Suddenly I see you pulling in the driveway. I can't wait to hold you & it doesn't matter now." Then their voices blend and let you float onto a sonic highway.



"Love Makes the World" is still worth hearing! Carole King is the greatest woman songwriter of the 20th century. This CD is a wonderful addition to her work. It is heartwarming to hear positive songs in an era where negativity too often masquerades as depth of meaning. "Love Makes the World" starts with an updated rap sound and opens into a beautiful pop tune, "Can't stop believing love makes the world go round & round." "You Can Do Anything" starts with discouragement, but then breaks into a Back Street Boys-type chorus filled with positive affirmation. The most powerful production on the CD is Carole's version of "The Reason." Celine Dion returns the favor for having previously recorded the song and does backup vocals for Carole while Michael Landau and Greg Wells wail on electric guitar that slices and electrifies the arrangement. "You are the reason I wake up every day, sleep through the night." This is classic King you will not want to miss. Wynton Marsalis' trumpet and Carole's wall-of-sound background vocals flavor "I Wasn't Gonna Fall in Love." My favorite track on the CD is Carole's rocking "I Don't Know," "I don't know if it's hot in Texas & I don't know if it's cold in hell..." With Paul Brady on background vocals and Rudy Guess on guitar, this track pops and rocks to a joyful noise, required listening for all King fans. With bass and piano, Carole places her hit "Oh No, Not My Baby" in a new setting; and this diamond shines well in that light. Carole's full-bodied vocals are like droplets of sweetness on "It Could Have Been Anyone," a song that reads stronger for me each time I listen. Rusty Anderson's electric guitar rips through the harder-edged "Monday Without You," a driving rock ballad. After having listened to Joan Osborne on the Largo CD for several years with Carole relegated to background vocals, what a delight to hear Carole up front where she should be on "An Uncommon Love" written with the Hooters' Rob Hyman. Carole's shared vocals with K.D. Lang send this wonderful love song into the stratosphere. For me, the melody on "You Will Find Me There" seems generic, but Carole's passion as a singer carries the track to excellence. The piano-driven ballad "Safe Again" is a wistful slow song, meaningful to me in light of the recent World Trade Towers tragedy. This is a wonderful track. The CD ends with a wispy vocal wash on a pretty ballad about returning home after being on the road, "Soon I'll be on my way." Carole is in great form on this CD."

Great album, good extra content but oldfashionable extra dis

M. Suhonen | Finland | 05/30/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Over 60 years and still going strong. One of the best albums ever by Carole King including one of the most touching songs she's ever written, Safe again. It is nice to hear extra songs on the special edition bonus disc, but I would have preferred the video tracks on a dvd-disc instead of a cd-rom. This "enhanced cd" sound already oldfashionable to me. Good interview though."