Search - Carole King :: Rhymes & Reasons

"RHYMES AND REASONS": CAROLE KING SEARCHES FOR AND GIVES SOM

Johnny-Nuz | 01/11/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Carole King's "Rhymes And Reasons" is an album of "pianoscapes": arpeggios and pumping chords dressed with light percussion and bass lines. The result is a flowing, entrancing set of homespun songs that simply cut through to the heart of the matter while dealing with some weighty subjects.



Romantic relationships ("Come Down Easy"), lonliness ("Feeling Sad Tonight"), isolation ("My, My She Cries"), spirituality ("Stand Behind Me"), prejudice ("Peace In The Valley") and the struggles of life ("Gotta Get Through Another Day") are handled with her trademark of simple acknowledgement and wisdom.



There are no huge blockbuster hits here - just twelve spectacular songs that spin a cycle of life, of sorts.



After listening, one feels let in on some clues as to where we all have been and may be heading, while feeling a peaceful calm because "Rhymes And Reasons" has a tranquil overtone accentuated by Carole's sweet vocals.



I highly recommend taking some quiet time with this album, where and when its subtle nuances will wash over you and transport you to a contented place, aware of the troubles and trials of life yet feeling redeemed because of the warmth and placidity of this superb recording."

The most underrated album of her career

finulanu | Here, there, and everywhere | 01/19/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"So what's this I hear about this album being such an immense disappointment? I don't get it. I think it's an exquisite collection of piano-based soft rock songs. Oh yeah, it's formulaic to an extent, but Carole King isn't known for diversity. She's known for songwriting, and this one has it in spades. I suppose a little diversity would've helped it, but so what? Orchestra is the new element here, but it's always used wisely, adding emotional weight to "First Day in August", her voice and piano playing are as great as ever ("Peace in the Valley"; "My My She Cries"; "Goodbye Don't Mean I'm Gone", with a faint pedal steel), and the downbeat ballads resonate firmly ("Feeling Sad Tonight"). She even succeeds with getting jazzy on "Bitter with the Sweet", a precursor to Fantasy. Okay, okay, there are a couple featherweights - "Stand Behind Me", "Gotta Get Through Another Day". Just a couple, though, and those are definitely tolerable. And besides, this contains one of her best singles - the piano-and-bongos "Been to Canaan". This really surprised me with how good it was, given its reputation as being "eh, that one". Recommended!"