It's been a great year for new albums. Last May, I snatched up Paul Simon's Surprise; in the fall, it was Clay Aiken's A Thousand Different Ways and Weird Al's Straight Outta Lynwood, and January brought Art Garfunkel's Some Enchanted Evening. Then along came my birthday, and with it a gem I'd overlooked: Carly Simon's Into White.
I've always enjoyed her music but never included her in my list of
indispensable artists. Having had an opportunity to fall in love with
this gentle, folksy album - the most tender I've encountered since
Garfunkel's Songs From a Parent to a Child - I may just have to amend that...
Into White
- This Cat Stevens title song is a sleepy anthem to simple beauty.
Simon's husky vocals are complemented by the harmonization of Jimmy Parr
and rich instrumentals that occasional seem to betray a Celtic
influence.
Oh! Susanna - One of those songs just about
everybody in America probably knows. The mystical-sounding flute and
persistent kalimba add a unique flavor to a song whose familiarity and
simplicity could make for a dull track. Instead, it's ideal for both
singing along or just sitting back and listening appreciatively.
Blackbird
- A smooth, heartfelt rendition of a Lennon and McCartney classic. The
guitar provides a nice undertone, and the chorus of "ooooh"s works well
as a bridge, but it's Simon's vocals that really carry this empowering
melody.
You Can Close Your Eyes - A gorgeous
piano-driven track, penned by James Taylor, Simon's ex-husband. Their
children Ben and Sally harmonize with her on this one, and they sound
gorgeous together. I'm struck by how much Ben sounds like his father;
I'm powerfully reminded of James' rendition of this song, which closed
out his concert in Erie last year. It's a very intimate moment on the
album.
Quiet Evening - A new composition for this
album, it's a contemplative, slightly sultry song. It doesn't grab me as
much as some of others, but it's a nice ode to the need for a little
personal time now and then, and Simon says in her liner notes that it's
her favorite song on the album to sing.
Manha de Carnaval
- A Brazilian guitar-driven track in which the only lyrics are "la la
la". Despite the lack of words, it's emotionally affecting, with her
deft vocals mostly evoking wistfulness.
Jamaica Farewell
- One of my favorite tracks on the album, it's a breezy number whose
tone is slightly regretful but mostly one of golden nostalgia. Simon's
voice is especially quiet here, though never to the point that it is
overpowered by the guitar and other instruments, and she and Ben
harmonize nicely as a segue into the next song.
You Are My Sunshine
- Another of those camp song favorites. This version is much slower
than I'm used to, giving it a soulful vibe. The piano, which reminds me a
bit of Lean on Me, is what really sets this apart for me, along
with the barely audible guitar on the outro, which is reminiscent of
waves lapping upon a shore.
I Gave My Love a Cherry -
Another very slow arrangement of a famous folk song. I've never been
that crazy about this one, but Simon does a nice job with it, and I like
the strings that offset the vocals.
Devoted to You / All I Have to Do is Dream
- I wasn't familiar with the first song, which makes up the main part
of the medley, but it's a very simple, lovely song, which Simon delivers
with great gentleness. When the second song, which I know quite well,
kicks in atop the remnants of the first, it's a beautiful meshing of
voices, with Ben once again complementing his mother beautifully.
Scarborough Fair
- Simon and Garfunkel! Yay!! This gorgeous Celtic arrangement of the
song they made famous doesn't include their counter-melody. Rather, it
has a lovely selection of woodwinds and a couple of verses Simon (Carly,
that is) added to the mix. In her liner notes, she credits not only my
favorite duo but also the often overlooked Martin Carthy, who showed
Paul the song in the first place. Nice gesture, and very nice
arrangement of a song I love.
Over the Rainbow - Fairly straightforward and piano-driven, and I think I like it better than the version in The Wizard of Oz. Then again, I never was a big fan of Judy Garland...
Love of My Life
- This is the only Simon original of the album, a quiet ode to love
with guitar backing. The lyrics are cute, as she lists all sorts of
rather random, silly things that she loves, from avocados to Lucy, but
none of them as much as the addressee of the song.
I'll Just Remember You - Written by David Saw, who also wrote Quiet Evening,
and Ben Taylor, it's a charming, simple song that closes out the album
on a note of appreciation. It's a love song, but it could also work as a
message of thanks to her fans, helping keep her afloat through the
troubles that come with being a famous singer-songwriter. At any rate,
it's a pleasant end to the album.
A nice bonus with Into White
is the fact that Simon comments on each of the tracks in the liner
notes, which isn't something I see a lot. It's fascinating to get a
little idea of what she was thinking as she chose and recorded these
songs, and her comments are insightful and often very funny. The whole
album has a humble feeling to it, as she's setting out to do justice to
music she admires, shining the spotlight on others as much as herself.
It's a far cry from You're So Vain, but Into White is most definitely an album worth embracing.
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