No one performs Carole King's classic songs better than she does. King draws from her entire, 40-plus year career, from her early hits with Gerry Goffin to her Tapestry-era masterworks, from recent recordings to overlooked gems. Disc one of The Living Room Tour ends with a show-stopping medley of songs King wrote with Goffin, songs that became the soundtrack of a generation in the 1960s. The album offers two new tunes: the opening "Welcome To My Living Room" and the tender "Loving You Forever," a duet co-written with guitarist / vocalist Gary Burr, which opens the second set. She is also joined by album co-producer and guitarist Rudy Guess, who together with Burr, add vocals and textured acoustic touches on many of the album's songs.The Living Room Tour, a live double disc named for its spare instrumentation, arrives so well coated in the Hall of Famer's particular brand of populist, listener-loving pixie dust you half expect it to leave a glowing, sticky residue on your fingers. Radiating the maternal warmth and honesty that translated Tapestry into a 25-million seller, King sprawls comfortably (aided, probably, by the couches and coffee tables hauled onstage for these shows) into favorites like "Jazzman," "So Far Away," and "I Feel the Earth Move." Older songs made famous by other artists, including "Take Good Care of My Baby," "One Fine Day," and "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," get an unfortunate, yet effective, slice-and-dice medley treatment. Carole King devotees won't find a lot of reviews that overlook the minor vocal flaws on this latest outing, but a barrel of bum notes couldn't keep the 63-year-old legend from connecting with an audience. The intimacy-to-the-masses approach of this tour suits the early-'70s earth mother material best, and intermingled with a few recent songs, the mix soothes, reassures, and satisfies. If you haven't listened to King in a while, it's not too late, baby. --Tammy La Gorce
Recommended Carole King Discography
Tapestry | 
Music | 
Really Rosie |
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