I came across Tapestry last week while scrolling through my instagram. My friend posted album cover and wrote the caption: best LP ever. I was intrigued, so I streamed the album right away. What a pleasant surprise! I am a bit ashamed that I haven't heard about Carole King before, as she turns out to be a Grammy Award winning, record-breaking artist with a beautiful voice and a knack for catchy tunes. At the same time, I am exuberant that I have discovered this sultry, magnificent woman whose music will never get old, So, this week we are taking a throwback together, while my impressions of Tapestry are still fresh.
The album that was claimed one of the 500 best albums of all time by Rolling Stone starts with I Feel The Earth Move, and it instantly sets the mood that will not vanish until the very last track. Tapestry is predominantly a pop album, even though we can notice strong soul and jazz influences on it. The first track (which was used as the first single back in 1971) is so epic, I think everyone should have it as they alarm tone at least for a month. It spent five weeks at #1 spot on Billboard Charts for a reason. So Far Away is a song about long distance relationship that sounds like something Adele would sing today. King's interpretation is incredibly raw and powerful, especially when she notes Does anybody even stays in one place anymore, a verse that perfectly describes today's zeitgeist. It's Too Late is another power ballade with funky-soul rhythm that comes off as a consolation breakup song. Instead of despair, Carole offers optimism and acceptance in such a glorious manner that the song earned her Grammy Award for Record Of The Year. Funny trivia is that she was the first woman who ever won this award. Meaning, If you want to meet Carole King's catalogue, this is where you start from. Home Again might be my favorite due to the line You've got to get up in the morning with a smile on your face and show the world all the love.
The second side of the record is also bursting from classic songs, such as You've Got A Friend and Where You Lead. The first one might be one the Carole's signature songs, while the second one proves how potent were her collaborations with Toni Stern. Carole King also did few covers on Tapestry, including Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow and Aretha Franklin's (You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman). King's version of these songs is super soft, but also very confident and improvised. She was an artist who dared to skip the decorum and go for the unexpected. The production of Tapestry is also impressive. Just take a listen to piano-driven Way Over Yonder and you will get what I mean.
I am looking forward to checking out the rest of this sensitive artist’s discography, it seems like she has a lot of candor and grit to offer. Not only that Carole King broke selling record with Tapestry, but she also pulled one of those timeless records that could have been released a year ago or fifty years ago. You really can't tell. I guess that's what all the classics are - timeless.
