Carole King & James Taylor - Live At The Troubadour

Old stagers reunited, prejudices be damned…

Carole King and James Taylor represent a certain sector of the early 70s rock elite that sentimental, middle-class babyboomers love. As a result, this King/Taylor reunion act, recorded at the legendary Troubadour venue in 2007, is a tad syrupy at times: the couple exchange flowers on stage and shake hands with the crowd before the set even starts.

Still, it’s impossible to argue with the quality of the music delivered by this duo during a 15-song set cherry-picked from the dozens of hits they’ve recorded over the last five decades. Of the two, Taylor is the songwriter who knows best how to tweak the heartstrings, delivering poignant versions of Carolina In My Mind, Blossom and Sweet Baby James; King’s stuff is funkier and more commercially angled. You’ve Got A Friend (written by King, made famous by Taylor) is an almost too-obvious inclusion alongside It’s Too Late, So Far Away and other iconic tunes.

The whole thing is bolstered by a brief interview before the show and Taylor’s usual amusing between-song banter. The last song, an acoustic duet of You Can Close Your Eyes, is a thing of beauty: you can’t help but wish you’d been there.

4 stars 4 stars 4 stars 4 stars

Hear Music | HRM 32053

Reviewed by Joel McIver
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