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 Carly's still got it Nov 21, 2009
When I first heard about this, my expectations were not high. Once I got the album, though, I must admit to being very pleasantly surprised. Listening to it was like meeting up with an old friend after several decades, and discovering that the magic is still there. Sure, she's almost 40 years older now, but we all are. The songs themselves are still fabulous, and Carly doesn't embarrass herself in the performances... well, maybe she does when asking for more cowbells at the end of "You're So Vain". That's a momentary lapse, though. The only real misfire in my eyes is "No Freedom", one of the two new songs. To me, it just did not work. Other than that, these performances work as well as the classic ones, if not better. Get this album ASAP. You will not regret it.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 An Album for Longtime Fans Nov 17, 2009
If you're a longtime fan, you'll love to hear Ms Simon revisit some of her old songs. You'll understand that a woman at 64 doesn't have the same singing voice she had at 24 or 34 or even 44. So you'll overlook or understand the sometimes rough vocals because it's so much fun to hear her give different, more mature takes on songs you've loved for years. You should buy this album and listen to it over and over.
If you're not a longtime fan, you'll think you're listening to a rather sad effort by a has-been singer who's reworking old songs for no reason. You'll think she needs to retire and probably won't listen to this album more than once. You should not buy this album and buy the original versions of these songs recorded 30-40 years ago when Ms Simon was in her prime.
Personally, I'm a long time fan and love this latest effort.
But it's easy to understand the non-fan being completely unimpressed with this effort.
Wonderful Bounce-Back Album From Carly! Nov 13, 2009
Never Been Gone is Carly's best album since Into White. After the slightly disappointing, but never-the-less good, This Kind Of Love, Carly springs back into high gear with this new album. I am a huge Carly fan and admirer, but I must admint, I didn't have high expectations for this album...redoing perfect? I wasn't sure what to expect! But the new arrangements are terrific; You're So Vain, Boy's In The Trees, That's The Way I've..., Anticipation, and the new song, Songbird are the stand-outs. None of the songs surpass the originals, but were we expecting them to?, No, but I don't think Carly did ethier. What she has given us is a bright and breezy album of her vision on these songs now, and it pays off...BIG time. Carly is in top-form and strong vocals with these songs, and this album is probably her most personal since The Bedroom Tapes. Listen to these songs and hear them speak for themselves. The only two disappointments on the album, for me, are Coming Around Again and No Freedom; Coming Around Again goes on for two long, and the additional lyrics are unnecessary, and No Freedom would be terrific if it wasn't for the arrangements on it, too puck sounding, you can't hear Carly all that well. But they are not bad, just not great, but the rest of the album is. When You're So Vain first played on the album, I was blown away, one of Carly's most powerful entrances to a song I've heard in a long time. Every Carly fan sould own this album, don't go by the song samples on the main page, hear them from start to finish. 5/5 release!
Carly Simon - raw and beautiful...don't take it too seriously! Nov 11, 2009
Carly Simon is my all-time favotite artist, hands down. But that doesn't mean I would automatically give this CD 5 stars...an album has to earn it. If you are a true fan and have followed Carly throughout the years and have visited her website in recent years to see how accessible she has become, then you are really going to enjoy this album. Ironically, "Never Been Gone" has been and remains my favorite Carly song ever. If you have been a fan since the beginning, then you are likely at least 45 and you can appreciate that we are all getting older. When I listen to these songs, I just smile. To have my favorite artist, at age 64, sing these great songs and just have a good time with them is very satisfying. I will be honest and admit that some of the silliness in some of the arrangements ("It Happens Everyday," "You're So Vain")is unnecessary and a tiny bit distracting, but at the same time I remind myself not to take it too seriously. Carly is overwhelmingly happy to be working on this project with her children, and it shows. For a singer whose music has had such an influence on me as a child straight through to today, this album puts me in a comfort zone...that Carly is still here, has been through the trials of life like the rest of us, and is like a lifelong friend. This may not be a conventional review - sure I could sit here and dissect each song - but if you would really base whether or not you may purchase this album on a review, and since our "reviews" are our opinion, I would rather describe to you the essence of the album as a whole and the feeling it gives me listening to it. Thanks to Carly for a lifetime of incredible music, and I'm looking forward to more.
2 of 3 found the following review helpful:
New Sonic Clothes Nov 06, 2009
Carly Simon and I are road buddies. I've driven about 20,000 miles this year. Her CDs are ones I frequently pull out as the miles click away. Her voice has spent so much time in my car and her tunes keep reaching my top ten rotation that I decided this set was one I had to get. While I initially thought it might be a bit of a rehash and wasn't all that jazzed as I was about hearing Carly sing "Scarborough Fair," I've got to admit that on first spin I kept comparing Carly's voice and arrangements to the earlier recordings. Second spin I started to tune into the nuances of the arrangements and her vocals. By now, I'm really enjoying the entire set. First of all, the songs are great. The title track totally knocks me out with that sound of well-worn wisdom. "The silent understanding passing down from daughter to daughter, let the boys grow in the trees," Carly sings on an arrangement that has grown on me completely. "You're So Vain" shines with this slow swaying acoustic arrangement and that classic melody, "You said that we made such a pretty pair and that you would never leave; but you gave away the things you loved & one of them was me." The new song "No Freedom" swirls like an emotional storm. "That's the Way I Always Heard It Should Be," "Anticipation" & "Coming Around Again" are all great in these new sonic clothes. "Never Been Gone" bears the sound of having lived in song and is glorious for the added depth. Enjoy!
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