The Eighties

One to One (Atlantic) April 1982

Released during the Spring of 1982, One to One didn't veer that far off from Carole's late '70s pastoral Capitol releases. Instead, it did attempt to temper her strongly felt, environmental sentiments with her more traditional pop song structures. So while Carole sings about an old woman fighting the government's attempts to take away her land in "Goat Annie," we're also treated to a few of her forte ballads such as "Life Without Love" and "Someone You Never Met Before." While "Goat Annie" gets bogged down in politics, Carole strikes a beautiful balance with the title song (co-written by Cynthia Weil) and "Golden Man." Who says you can't write songs about the state of the world and back them up with a beautiful melody?

Guitarist Eric Johnson does excellent work on guitar. The overall production is much more polished than her late '70s Capitol releases.

My Rating: B+

Speeding Time (Atlantic) November 1983

Released in Fall of 1983, this Atlantic release reunited Carole with her long-time producer Lou Adler. Carole doesn't seem that comfortable in the type of synthesizer-laden setting Adler places most of these songs. Some of the songs are very sharp, observant commentaries on the affects of the more impersonal, technological "advances" of the '80s. "Speeding Time," the title song, was one of the highlights of a recent off-Broadway revue: Tapestry: The Music of Carole King. Co-written with Gerry Goffin, it remains one of their most underrated collaborations. The uptempo "Dancing" and "Alabaster Lady," a moody, musically complex structured character study, both speak to the state of personal relationships in a culture whose values are in a state of flux.

My Rating: B

City Streets (Capitol) April 1989

City Streets (1989) was Carole's first recording in over five years, and it contained a great amount of unbridled energy. Inspired by co-producer Rudy Guess and some of her best studio musicians in over a decade, Carole soars.. She's back with a vengeance and hits her stride over and over again. The title track, featuring Eric Clapton on guitar, "Sweet Life," "Down to the Darkness," and two outstanding ballads, "Homeless Heart" and "Someone Who Believes In You" compare favorably with any of Carole's greatest solo works. "Homeless Heart" should have been released as a single; co-written by Richard Bettis, this song of love lost is haunting. "Someone Who Believes in You", a Goffin-King song first recorded by Russell (Air Supply) Hitchcock for the film A Date with an Angel. was subsequently recorded by Martha Wash . (Martha's version was a club hit when it was released in 1993.)

To promote the album, Carole appeared in Spring 1989 on shows including "Arsenio Hall," "The Tonight Show" (w/Jay Leno), and Letterman. She also toured during the summer of 1989 and received rave reviews.

My Raiting: B+

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