Carole King: Fantasy - 1973
On first listen, to be honest, this seems a bit of an odd album, in some ways. Breaking the mould of the previous three Carole attempts to give us a "concept album" - a cycle of meaningful songs that all sort of run in to each other, thirteen of them.
It is bookended by two short snippets of the same song in Fantasy Beginning and Fantasy End.They are both nice songs and similar in style to her previous material. It all changes, however, when the almost Blaxploitation-style percussion, bass and wah-wah guitar are introduced in You've Been Around Too Long. Blax-style strings are in there too, as if Superfly-era Curtis Mayfield has taken over production duties. The chorus is unmistakably Carole however, but there are definite attempts to diversify musically here. The brass injections are excellent too. All round it's just a great song. Directions is a really attractive song too, with a lovely subtle bassline and some melodic piano. I really like this one. Check out that cute Bacharach-esque brass too.
The subtly rhythmic groove of Haywood is another good one too, something very Carly Simon-ish about it with its human nature observations. Also with those Carly vibes is a Quiet Place To Live.
She attempts to let her social conscience break free on things like Welfare Symphony and goes all Latin and rhythmic on the infectious Corazón. This was a considerable departure in sound for Carole. This album is definitely no Tapestry, Music or Rhymes And Reasons.
Believe In Humanity, You Light Up My Life, Haywood and the afore-mentioned You've Been Around Too Long are all highlights. On That's How Things Go Down she sings as a questioning, pregnant woman. Some further relationship doubt creeps in on the appealing Being At War With Each Other, which is in contrast to the often considerably more loved-up lyrics of previous songs. The same applies to the mature but cynical Weekdays, Carole singing as a slightly dsenchanted housewife.
There are clear themes running through this album - social ones, ecological ones and failing relationship ones. King had always been a very thoughtful songwriter and she is even more so here but people expecting something in the style Tapestry or Music will be disappointed when they hear this, I think.
Nevertheless, it remains extremely popular with hardcore King aficionados, though, being an album that is fashionable to like, in order to show your discerning taste. I can understand that because there are depths to the album it takes a while to appreciate. I quite like the quirky cover, too. With each listen I become more of a fan.
