This classic recording by the sibling of
Livingston
and
James Taylor
offers valuable insight for fans of
Carole King
's landmark album,
Tapestry
, but
Sister Kate
is also a great work in its own right.
Peter Asher
of
Peter & Gordon
was the guiding hand behind
Linda Ronstadt
, and to have his vision of
's
"Where You Lead"
"Home Again"
from
with the musicians who helped
King
paint her masterpiece is a major treat. (
Lou Adler
's perspective on these tunes was what helped reshape music in the '70s, and to have another successful producer issuing the same music at the exact moment in time is essential study for Musicology 101.)
has a totally different flavor from both
's classic album track and
Barbara Streisand
's hit. Vocally,
Kate Taylor
isn't
Chi Coltrane
or
Jessi Colter
, but she's very musical just the same. It's interesting that she would do versions of two songs
Rod Stewart
covered.
Stewart
got some serious airplay with
"Handbags and Gladrags,"
but he didn't have
,
Merry Clayton
, and most of the
players on his version of the
Mike D'Abo
tune --
gets that honor. She also does a fine rendition of the
Elton John
/
Bernie Taupin
track which
got FM album airplay with,
"Country Comforts,"
and takes it a step further by covering
"Ballad of a Well Known Gun"
from the
John
Taupin
catalog as well.
Beverly Martyn
"Sweet Honesty"
plays like
Donovan
"Season of the Witch,"
and it works well for this place in time, but the real knockout tunes here are, coincidentally,
Taylor
's rendition of
Livingston Taylor
"Be That Way,"
and her takes on
"Lo and Behold"
"You Can Close Your Eyes."
These three go right out of the park, so you can draw your own conclusions as to how well-schooled she was on the music being made by her brothers. The addition of
"Jesus Is Just All Right"
somewhat mars
; the two form a medley, with
"Lo and Behold
's chorus pressing up against the
melody, but once again, the choice of what would become a '70s standard for
the Doobie Brothers
two years later shows the intuitive nature of this project.
Mort Shuman
Jerry Ragavoy
got attention the year before when
Janis Joplin
Pearl
contained her dynamic version of their
"Get It While You Can."
is better suited to their
"Look at Granny Run, Run,"
and she does a fine job with it here. This is the album that got away, and all serious fans of
pop
, '70s
rock
, and good music in general owe it to themselves to seek
out. It's a very impressive work of art. ~ Joe Viglione