Come Upstairs

Carly Simon

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 1, 1980)
• Original Release Date: June 1980
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros
• ASIN: B000002KLF
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #263,946 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Take Her As She Is, June 24, 2000

By	J. Collins "Paradise Bar & Grill" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Carly's "punk rock album"? PLEASE. Maybe too much time has gone by for casual music fans to make the distinction between new wave and punk influences, but one listen to "Come Upstairs" ought to set the record straight. Though I will admit that this album has some of her rawest lyrics/performances as well as a self-conciously trendy production, this is not the kind of stylistic contradiction that Linda Ronstadt's "Mad Love" album was.

Producer/keyboardist Mike Mainieri may have been borrowing too many Top 40 ideas to suit Carly's established cult, but his direction gave "Come Upstairs" a solid, tight musical foundation. And though I wouldn't label "Come Upstairs" as a new wave record, there's at least one fundamental thematic similarity: it doesn't pander to those who have pre-existing expectations. I'd be the last person to blame Carly for wanting to ditch the kind of El Lay/Noo Yawk formula soft rock that dominated radio in the 70s...her own hits included.

In any case, the strength of her writing and performances are similar to past efforts. The enhanced percussion and synthesized trappings can't hide the fact that this is the same sensitive, observant and thoughtful Carly Simon who recorded "Anticipation." Several tracks ("Jesse," "James," "The Desert") are reminiscent of earlier songs, and could well have appeared on previous albums with slightly different arrangements. The hard-rocking edge of "Stardust" and "In Pain" is a bit of an eye-opener, though. Unfortunately, the latter track is too big a vocal stretch, and Carly hasn't sounded this 'squawky' since "Playing Possum."

Some highlights: the unrelenting melodic hooks of "Come Upstairs," the romantic dilemma of "The Three Of Us In The Dark," and the pedal-to-the-metal emotional joyride of "Take Me As I Am." Even the tongue in cheek paranoia of "Them" is an enjoyable listen.

Though "Come Upstairs" may look like a one-off novelty on the surface, you don't have to dig far to find Carly...hard at work and enjoying a new fashion in the process.

-Mic

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Carly's best!, May 22, 2000

By	James Nemeth (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'd been a fan of Carly's music for about 8 years when COME UPSTAIRS was released. While I loved everything she put out up to that point, I'd always been a little frustrated by the fact that she just didn't seem to want to really belt out a fast, rocking song. "Vengeance" and "You're So Vain" were like teasers, little rocking islands in a sea of ballads. COME UPSTAIRS then, was the answer to my prayers. Carly rocked! And not just on one or two songs, mind you! The title song opens the album on a great note. It races along, with Carly not hiding the sexuality in innuendos this time. "Stardust" is another rocker, a good song, but not one of my favorites. "Them" brings the album back up, a new- wavish scathe against men. "Jesse", the big hit first single. Carly doesn't just belt out "In Pain", she screams the song. "The Three Of Us In The Dark", "James" and "The Desert" are all fine, but then there is "Take Me As I Am", in my opinion, one of Carly's all-time best songs. THIS is the song I'd been waiting 8 years for! It goes at a gallop, a song about thinking the grass is greener on the other side. It even has a "twist" ending. This song alone is worth the price of the album. It was released as the second single I believe, but for some reason went nowhere. Warners just didn't push it. After the huge hit "Jesse" was, God only knows why. COME UPSTAIRS remains probably my favorite of all Carly's albums. It should have been a much bigger hit that it was. It shows that she is not always the maudlin balladeer that detractors would like to pigeonhole her as, or that some fans would like her to always remain.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Idea, April 15, 2000

By	Del (Arizona) - See all my reviews

I was so excited in the summer of 1980 when this was released. There was no warning, one hot summer afternoon I heard this great dance song, and to my amazement it was Carly singing "Come Upstairs"! I thought it was the greatest song ever. Later, radio started playing "Jesse" and it was a huge hit. It made it to the top 5 over here on the west coast. "Jesse" was considered a "Carly" song, "James" too. I was so proud of her for trying something different, and watched the charts that summer, the album stuck around in Rolling Stones LP chart for about 6 months. "In Pain" was a favorite at the beginning, but she really sounded "in pain" while she screamed the title. Was "The Three of Us In the Dark" really about her, John Travolta, & James? It sounded like a Dire Straits song (COOL!) "Take Me As I Am" was the second single, but it didn't go anywhere, it was a good song too. "The Desert" is still one of my favorite songs. She deserves a LOT of credit, and this album is really good.