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

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.

Is this the best of her work? It's all fabulous, let me tell you, but I have hope that the best is still yet to come. This CD proves she's still out there and she's still working.

I listen to this music and think how many moments has her music been with us even subconsciously? "Pleasant Valley Sunday" reminds me so much of a neighborhood I once lived in with the garage band down the street and the lawn-of-the-month wars between the neighbors on either side of me.

Oh yeah, and I heard "I'm into something good" the first time I saw my first crush. And "Natural Woman" was my favorite song for years...just how many artists have covered this song?

This is the music a lot of us grew up with. I believe it will be around for a long time, but honestly, nobody does it like Carole King.

This is a spectacular "Living Room" show from Carole King. One of the finest singer-songwriters of our time. It goes without saying that this is a concert I would really have loved to see.

I guess my point here is really a question? Why didn't they film this? If they did.........please release it on DVD.

Someone is going to accuse me of writing this because I disagree with Carole King's politics. I do, but music and politics should have nothing to do with each other. See my review of "Tapestry".

A story is told that may be apocryphal, since it has been told about more than one lady...someone goes up to an aging Opera Diva and says "Madame ****, it must be terrible for such a great singer to realize you've lost your voice". The wise lady replies "Oh, no...what would be terrible would be if I DIDN'T realize it".

Listining to this album made me think of watching Willie Mays play for the Mets in 1973, or of the last few times Arnold Palmer played The Masters. Oh, the songs are as great as ever, and Carole's ability to connect with an audience remains fabulous. And, disc two does sound better than disc one. Still................

If you're a BIG FAN [like me] who just has to have all of Carole King's records, get this. It does have some wonderful moments. But if you only want one, or if you're just discovering the voice of my generation, get "Tapestry". THAT album will remain perfect forever.

ok i'm a boomer and own tapestry. this is a version of carole king that has aged along with us boomer fans and it's great. fun, relaxed, beautiful. she has got to be the greatest songwriter of my lifetime, and to my tastes, an equally good singer and performer. love it.

Listening to Carole's latest recording release is just so warming to the heart and soul. She brings you back to such fine memories of our childhood to adulthood compositions. Her voice is still outstanding, the only disappointment was not being in the living room with her to see this wonderful artist track through her career. Buy it.... you will not be sorry!