Customer Reviews

Anticipation

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Carly Simon straddled the world between folk and pop music in the early 1970s, and forged herself a place in the pantheon of very successful singers like Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, and a number of others like Carol King who were on the pop charts and in the folk clubs earlier in their career. This was her first big album in terms of success, and had the smash hit "Anticipation" on the album pushing it up the charts. Yet there are also a number of other interesting, provocative, and beautiful selections here, including "Legend In Your Own Time", a song obviously about her then-beau and soon to be husband James Taylor, whose professionally educated parents (his father was a physician) strongly disapproved of his non-academic and quite unprofessional choice of careers. My personal favorite here is "The Garden", which never got any air-time, but is a moving, intimate word picture of a song with a lovely melody, evocative lyrics, and an absoluutely haunting vocal. "Anticipation" was one of her first autobiographical confessional albums, and it gives us an interesting vantage point with which to understand her better. This is a great early album by an artist who is often under-appreciated. This is one I heartily recommend. Enjoy

In retrospect, Carly Simon's second album showed so much songwriting prowess that the future likes of "You're So Vain," "The Right Thing to Do," and "Let the River Run" should have been easy to see coming. In this gentle, flowing acoustic set Simon's always-impressive writing, as well as her remarkable voice, is in absolute top form.

"Anticipation" and "Legend in Your Own Time" were strong enough to become and remain radio staples, but these songs only scratch the surface of the depth of material here. "Our First Day Together" and "The Garden" are stark and beautiful ballads on a stylistic par with early Joni Mitchell. "Three Days" and the playful, near-Beatlesque "The Girl You Think You See" were definitely missed opportunities for singles, ditto for a stunning cover of Kris Kristofferson's "I've Got to Have You," which features the album's only electric guitar.

"Share the End" is a bit unusual, with its apocalyptic lyric and bizarre banshee wails...it's one of the rare moments in Simon's career that's hard to figure. Elsewhere, the drop-dead gorgeous, Bossa Nova-ish "Summer's Coming Around Again" (not to be confused with "Coming Around Again," Carly's theme for the 80's film "Heartburn") is a revelation, and the lovely "Julie Through the Glass" is a touching ode to a newborn baby.

Some of Carly Simon's other albums are better known and may feature more charted singles, but "Anticipation" stands up as a strong artistic statement that gave ample indication of the distinguished career that lay ahead.

Between Les McCann, Weather Report, Yes and Spirit's 12 Dreams of Dr Sardonicus, it was a strange favorite amongst the bunch in 1972. Carly had grabbed ears a year earlier on AM radio with "That's the Way I ALways Heard It Should Be" with her self-titled debut, but the album was all over the place, an imperfect mixture of East Coast folk and oddball country. But someone focused her many talents by the next year when "Anticipation" arrived with its shiny cover and odd dozen batch of beguiling songs, and not a dud amongst them. The production was even more stelllar than the first album, and the whole thing seemed infused with a cinematic grandness (and not grandiosity) that made the whole things SOUND and FEEL bigger than life.

Even the hard rock kids wanted to hear it.

People have described the songs better before me, but the hit title tune has regrettably been spoiled by that ketchup commercial in years past. Nevermind. The sun-dappled and shimmering "Summer's Coming Round Again" is worth the price of the CD itself, and little else in the folk-country canon has been more EROTIC than "(If I Have Known You Only) Three Days." Feeling ennui and lacking that zest for life? Spin "(Come into) The Garden" and be transported to Nirvana instantly.

Last but not least was the maturing fledgling's cover version of Kris Kristofferson's "I've Got to Have You." Ooooooooooh! This is still a scorcher! Carly comes off as the 50 Foot Woman in the best way imaginable, and the production gives voice to sexuality and angst rarely heard in folk or country.

If any album from this period so effectively captured a dance with the Passions, it was "Anticipation", and time has not spoiled its great power as a pop accomplishment.

And this is where we parted ways, but I will always say Thank You.

Carly keeps getting better on her second album."Anticipation," is one of the greatest songs Carly has ever written.I love the ending the most,"These are the good old days." That's so true.Right now is the day you'll remember when you look back on your life."Julie through the Glass," about a new born baby is fantastic.My cousin named her daughter after this song,and her son's name is Jessie."Legend in Your own time" was never even released as a single,but one of Carly's most well know records.It was great when Carly opened her 1995 concert with,"I've got to have you."She sings this old song so much better then on this album.It seems like every record Carly reaches a higher level.

"Anticipation" is my favorite Carly Simon album. It showcases her not only as a gifted songwriter, but an amazing singer with an incredible range and ability to imbue her music with great depth of feeling.

It is worth noting that "Anticipation" was recorded in London while Carly was in a relationship with Cat Stevens - another favorite of mine. "Anticipation", "Three Days" and "Legend in Your Own Time" are about him. Look for the dedication to Steve in very small print; Cat Stevens' (now Yusuf Islam) birthname is Steven Demetre Georgiou. He must have had a major impact on her.

"I've Got to Have You" is the best song on this album, in my opinion. Written by Kris Kristoferson, Carly's intensity, sensuality and vulnerablity about a new relationship comes through in her voice. She sings "I don't know the feeling, so I don't know if it's love, but it's enough, it's enough. I can't help it. I've got to have you." One can only imagine who she's thinking about as she sings - a true torch song. It also has a great electric guitar solo, perfectly echoing the passion in her voice.

This album has a quiet intensity that allows us inside Carly's inner world of feeling and concern for others and the planet. "Julie Through The Glass" is a truly beautiful song written for her newborn niece. "The Girl You Think You See" is a great song, probably not popular amongst feminists, but accurately (and playfully) speaks to the dilemna of a young woman in love, wanting to be herself AND please her lover. "The Garden" is an exquisitely lyrical journey to a magical, fantasy place, where everyone would like to visit - if not reside. "Share The End" is about the end of the world. Passionate and intense, Carly's profoundly expressive vocals are at their finest in this song.

Carly Simon was in her twenties when this album was released, and this collection of songs reflect her youthful introspection, so evocative of the events in the early 70's. Her inner exploration, vulnerability and passion come through clearly in her songwriting and beautifully expressive voice.

...is Carly Simon's second solo effort and she sounds great and the songs are interesting and good. One of my fave early Carly albums as I prefer her folkiness to pop.
Songs to download: Summer's Coming Around, The Girl You Think You See, Legend in Your Own Time, Anticipation

I love the songs on this album, and the album cover, too! The songs stand up even thirty years later.

Length:: 1:51 Mins

My Carly Simon kick was withering away when I stumbled upon this gem at a used store for only $6. I love "Anticipation" and "Legend In Your Own Time" - the singles from this album. I think they are brilliant - presented in an acoustic style with the guitars and rad drums in the foreground. I had read that Carly went to London to record this, her second album, with a live band and put it together exactly as she had envisioned it. So I thought I'd really get into it.

Slowly, but surely I'm making my way through this. Carly has always kind of confused me, I'm either not as poetic or as educated as Miss S, or she is just in her own world - I love the two singles, then I love "The Girl You Think You See" but in the song I can't figure out if she's being sarcastic declaring she can be whatever or anybody her lover wants her to be just "to please you," but does she really mean it or is she just saying that to show what a moron you are not to love what you have in front of you?

She's shock full of contradictions I think, but that makes it all the more appealing, if what you are listening to are different aspects of her life, is it wrong for her to have a moment of vulnerability and compromise to her? I mean who hasn't offered to change for someone?

Also on the album is an opus of a ditty called "Share The End" about a group of people getting together to celebrate the end of the world - I love the concept and the lyrics. Anticipation, like a lot of Carly's albums is made up of mostly acoustic ballads songs of self awareness and love, but with her very sincere delivery and the "live" feel of the whole album I think with repeated listens I'll end up really loving it. But I'll keep you posted, I'm sure you're on the edge of your barcelounger....

This is the album that should of introduced Carly to the public. Years ago, she was asked which of her albums would she like to put in a time capsule, and she chose Anticipation. Over the years the album has grown on me, and I respect it a lot more than I did when I first heard it. In addition to the obvious classics, the title track, "Legend In Your Own Time" & "Summers Coming Around Again". It includes a song that I heard on a commercial many years ago, "Julie Through the Glass". The Kris Kristofferson song "I've Got to Have You" is a very powerful country/rock song that stays in your memory for a long time. "The Girl You Think You See", "Share the End", & "Three Days" are classic Carly. Cat Stevens influence is clearly all over this release. If you don't have any of her early stuff, buy this one first, before you buy her actual "debut". As far as I'm concerned this is the better debut.