Tapestry by Carole King

1971 was a pretty good year for music, all told, but this album has to stand as one of the biggest selling and most influential of the year. This was Carole King’s first solo album as a singer/songwriter and it’s pretty much flawless. It’s been tagged as ‘easy listening’ but that’s a bit misleading - there are some powerful songs here (Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, it’s Too Late and Natural Woman), but they are all sung with beguiling charm and restrained instrumentation. The only slightly jarring note is the murder ballad Smackwater Jack (which is a breezy take on a mass shooting and a summary hanging - yikes!) but it’s redeemed by the title track Tapestry.

This album stands head and shoulders above every other dull snooze fest from white male rockers and gangsta rappers. I just wish more of this list was like this.

https://album.link/gb/i/747087657