Carole King
Wrap Around Joy - Ode/Epic 1974
Tracks: 1. Nightingale / 2. Change in Mind, Change of Heart / 3. Jazzman / 4. You Go Your Way, I'll Go Mine / 5. You're Something New / 6. We Are All in This Together / 7. Wrap Around Joy / 8. You Gentle Me / 9. My Lovin' Eyes / 10. Sweet Adonis / 11. A Night This Side of Dying / 12. The Best Is Yet to Come
Comments:
The album "Wrap Around Joy" 1974 was really a big hit for Carole King and it achieved a position as No. 1 on the Billboard albums chart. It also contained two successful singles in "Jazzman" and "Nightingale".
Musically, it is predominantly King as we know her from previous albums, like "Tapestry" and "Fantasy". The lyrics are all written by Dave Palmer, known from Steely Dan, and some might object that this is somewhat at the expense of the personal approach which is usually one of King’s strengths; on the other hand many of her most beloved songs were written in collaboration with others - not least her former husband Gerry Goffin.
My personal favorites are not the two singles, which I find both a bit too light-hearted and in"Jazzman"'s case also a little too jazzy. In fact, I would probably have preferred "You Gentle Me" as the first choice for a single release - very catchy tune.
"You're Something New" is also a nice melodic and catchy midtempo song. "We are all in this Together" is a fine soulful ballad.
Two other strong songs are "Sweet Adonis" and "A Night This Side of Dying", the latter inevitably brings me to think of Sandy Denny, whose songwriting also usually was created on the piano. Of course the slightly funky title track is also one to remember.
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