Customer Reviews

Touch the Sky

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

 

 

I enjoy reading negative reviews and definitely think that there is and always should be a place for them. This includes the one below. Its observations about Carole's voice on Touch The Sky are generally accurate. I'm not entirely sure about the 'yellow friends' (this album is a Japanese import, you see), but I'm not going to go there.

I would say that Touch The Sky is a valiant effort. Regardless of the country genre that frames the album, it is still Carole King and therefore you get striking melodies and chord progressions, such as on Seeing Red and the attractive title track. You even get Move Lightly, which features a nice, live groove.

A worthy entry to the Carole King collection.

Carole King hooked up with members of a band that played with Jerry Jeff Walker, and her songwriting reflected a country blend at this stage. However, she still found room for fluid R&B ("Move Lightly"), a terrific Eagles-inspired song, ("You Still Want Her"), a touching American Indian-inspired ballad, ("Seeing Red), and the best song on the CD, "Time Gone By." "Time" is instantly likeable, as soon as King strikes the first chords on the keyboard. It is intelligent pop, with words asking us to remember the good things we tried to accomplish, and not to forget them, "we won't let them die!"
All-in-all, a pleasure to hear. A host of songs that got lost in the era of Disco Bee Gees, Barbra & Donna, Barbra & Neil, and the burgeoning Michael.

"Touch the Sky" is an excellent set from Carole's middle period. I particularly recall this album that came out while I was living in the Los Angeles area. I can still recall the huge billboard on Sunset Boulevard with Carole's arms reaching to the sky. The album is quite as magnificent as that image. The opener "Time Gone By" has anthem-like lyric that galvanizes Carole's resolve to stand up for what she believes is right, "We followed inner visions and touched the sky." "Move Lightly" is an excellent song, quite underrated, with the creeping guitar, "Why don't you walk softly? It's a hard & heavy foot you've been using to put yourself down." "You Still Want Her" is an incredible ballad, a complex melody filled with longing and Carole's lovely vocals and a sorrowful electric lead that bleeds through the track, "You don't think she's gonna last another winter with all the snow she's rakin' in." "Passing of the Days" is a lovely hoedown. "Crazy" is a sweet rocking pop tune that protests suburbia, "You get in your car & drive down to the same old place; Well do you ever wonder what it's all about? Something they call freedom of choice that you should not live without." "Seeing Red" is also a strong track to close the set about the American Indians, "Once he lived on an open plain where wildlife grazed & buffalo used to roam." Mark Hallman produced with Carole on an excellent album that holds up well. Enjoy!

This album isn't nearly as bad as that one star person makes it out to be. "You Still Want Her" is a wonderful song, and I like "Crazy" because it rocks and it's fun. She tried something different. The music, as usual is wonderful, no matter what genre she tries. It wasn't ever released in the states, as far as I know. It's too bad it costs so much for the import.