City Streets

Carole King | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B000008HB1
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #25,490 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Tapestry for the 80's-Carole King's still got it, March 7, 2004

By 

Daniel J. Hamlow (Narita, Japan) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: City Streets (Audio CD)

In the same year that I discovered Carole King--Tapestry, of course--I found out she had a new studio album out. Upon hearing it, I was surprised how unchanged the music was overall, though sporting synths and a snatch of light 80's pop, and how her voice wove the same tapestry back in the 1970's. However, some of the songs are depictions of the darkness one feels in the threatening world.

The mid-paced title track, with its reflective keyboards, can be summarized with "city streets-they can be heaven, they can be hell," and from the POV of the scared and lonely someone for whom the streets are the latter, and wishing for them to give her dreams of hope. Eric Clapton is on lead guitar, with an unmistakable solo at the end.

Some of the synth rhythms of "Sweet Life" recall "I Feel The Earth Move." Putting on a brave face and realizing that it is a sweet life can be difficult, even when it's difficult just to get out of bed. How many can relate to this?: "You feel like you're getting older and older and nobody seems to care/it isn't what you do, it's who you know, ain't that the way it is any more/makes you keep on wondering...what are you living for."

Songs like mid-paced "Lovelight" with its fluttery midi-piano and the leisurely but reflective "I Can't Stop Thinking About You" might belong on a Tapestry Part II-the Next Strand.

With its pronounced synths, "Legacy" could be a Journey song a la "Only The Young." Leaving a legacy of goodness is the key here. "When it all comes down, it's gotta begin with you" she sings, after listing people stealing from each other, things getting wasted, burned out, used up, of which she says "Hey, that ain't the way it oughta be."

Clapton returns on lead guitar while King does piano and an organ recalling Procol Harum's "Whiter Shade Of Pale," on the elegiac and resigned "Ain't That The Way," a summary of life itself: "so it goes/you never know what's gonna happen/you never know, but something always does/and sometimes in quiet desperation/you realize it's never gonna be the way it was." Probably the best song here. Another Tapestry-like song.

Speaking of which "Homeless Heart" recalls the title track to Tapestry sound-wise. The self-torture of remembering laughter, only to have it turn to tears, and asking over and over "Why did you let me go?" leads the protagonist to surrender to her homeless heart. And thematically, "Someone Who Believes In You" becomes this album's "You've Got A Friend." with "when you're searching for that rainbow, I'll help you find it." And the line "just follow where I lead" seems to be "Where you lead I'll follow" (q.v. "Where You Lead" from Tapestry) turned around. This is one of two songs here co-written with Gerry Coffin, the other being the upbeat having a wild night on the town of "Midnight Flyer," with sax by Branford Marsalis.

Despite Tapestry being an unbeatable masterpiece, Carole King does well with this late 80's effort, mainly due to songs but a set of professional musicians to back her up, especially drummers Steve Ferrone (Duran Duran) and Omar Hakim (Sting). With proper marketing, this could've been a Tapestry for the 80's.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Carole record!, October 6, 2005

By 

G. Carter "gcmusiclover" (Temple Hills, maryland United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: City Streets (Audio CD)

After a few years off from recording Carole returned with CITY STREETS- One of her Strongest albums in her catalog! For me this is her BEST! This is the one Lp that can stand on its own and not be compared to the Classic 'Tapesty' Lp, many of her lp's get unfairly measured against 'Tapesty' because it was such a big record(and still holds up after some 34 years!!).

CITY STREETS, every song here is great, and Carole had great musicians with her on this record!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful rediscovery, August 5, 2007

By 

Pieter "Toypom" (Johannesburg) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: City Streets (Audio CD)

City Streets is an impressive album with wonderful anthemic songs. The nasally introspection so characteristic of her 1970s albums is mercifully absent. Instead she sings robustly on these melodious and catchy compositons. The musical style is an appealing blend of rock and pop.

The brilliant guitar work and the piano stand out in the instrumental mix. The hook-filled title song has evocative imagery whilst there is an anthemic quality to Sweet Life. A message of hope underpins Down To The Darkness although it has a melancholy feel.

A theme of upliftment flows throughout the album, as in the uptempo Lovelight and the intimate love ballad I Can't Stop Thinking About You. Legacy is quite a rock stomper, Aint That The Way a bluesy ballad with moving lyrics, and Midnight Flyer a lilting uptempo rock song with an infectuous hook.

One of my favorites is the elegant and yearning Homeless Heart where the lovely piano stands out. The album concludes with the comforting and inspiring ballad Someone Who Believes In You. These songs are all hidden classics with real soul so rediscovering this album has been a pleasant surprize.