Carole King The Ode Collection CD 2 of 2 (1968 1976) [Rock Pop][mp3 320][h33t][schon55]

Carole King - The Ode Collection CD 2 of 2
Original Release Date: September 13, 1994
Audio CD: February 24, 1998
Number of Discs: 2
Format: Box set, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
Label: Sony
Bitrate: 320 kbps

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
It's astonishing how quickly Carole King slipped into relative obscurity. Tapestry has sold in excess of 22 million copies and was the biggest selling album of all time until Frampton Comes Alive surpassed it in 1977, yet while the latter remains at the very least an archetypal cultural kitsch, Tapestry has become a troublesome trivial question: "What's the bestselling album by a woman?" Part of the problem is that the singer-songwriter era she (and James Taylor and Carly Simon) came to represent hasn't aroused a whole lot of critical favor. Still, the restrained soul of King's best stuff (for instance, Tapestry, which is included here in its entirety) has it's own appeal, as do a few of the preblockbuster inclusions. ~ Steve Stolder

I love these 2 CDs. Not only is this a magical collection but it embodies everything wonderful about the potential of pop music to be uplifting, delightful, and meaningful.
The first CD has the full orginial Tapestry (minus the additional tracks on a recent re-relase) embeded in it around some very enjoyable extra tracks such as child of mine. Carole is a true poet. Yes the tracks are sentimental but they are also pure, honest, joyful, soulful, and sad. Unless you have gone completly over to the 'dark side' how could you not love that? And I truly feel sorry for people that confuse sentiment with shmultz. The lyrics are gorgeous without ever being over sentimental, just as the best of Rogers and Hammerstein's lyrics are. In fact, this collection shows why Carole is one of the premire songwriters of the 20th century.

Sure her voice is not perfect, but it is never annoying and I find it quite enjoyable to listen to. No way is she Bob Dylan, she has a fine, complex, enjoyable voice just not one of the best. Big deal, The Music as a whole, is still wondeful.

The second CD is every bit as enjoyable as the first CD. I was bouncing around my room with the first track, Sweet Seasons. Which I really needed to do as I was in the middle of writing a term paper. Corazin is funky. There are 2 live versions on the second CD, both with quite good audio. One is from a mid 1970s free concert in Central Park called 'Believe in Humanity'. It sums up Carole perfectly, 'maybe I am wrong but I want to believe in humanity'. Perhaps that is why the previous reviewer gave these CDs one star. If you have given up on humanity then don't buy these CDs. The joy and beauty of them will probably just annoy you. For the rest of you, buy them and prepare to enjoy some of the most honest and rewarding music recorded in the last 30 plus years. Go jazzman, go Carole! ~ Larry Diamond

Carole King - The Ode Collection CD 2 of 2 Tracks:
01 Sweet Seasons
02 Pocket Money
03 It's Going To Take Some Time
04 Bitter With The Sweet
05 Goodbye Don't Mean I'm Gone
06 At This Time In My Life
07 Been To Canaan
08 Ties That Bind
09 Corazon
10 Believe In Humanity
11 Jazzman
12 Wrap Around Joy
13 Nightingale
14 Really Rosie
15 Alligators All Around
16 There's A Space Between Us
17 Only Love Is Real
18 You've Got A Friend