Writer is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Carole King, released in May 1970. King already had a successful career as a songwriter, and been a part of The City, a short-lived group she formed after moving to Los Angeles in 1968. Tracks on the album include "Up on the Roof" which was a number 4 hit for the Drifters in 1962, and "Child of Mine", which has been recorded by Billy Joe Royal,[5] among others. The album did not receive much attention upon its release, though it entered the chart following the success of King's next album, Tapestry, in 1971. It was produced by John Fischbach, the co-founder of Crystal Sound studio,[1] in Hollywood, California, where the album was recorded.
| Writer | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 1970 | |||
| Recorded | March–April 1970 | |||
| Studio | Crystal Sound, Hollywood[1] | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 44:11 | |||
| Label | Ode / A&M (Original Issue) Ode / Epic (Re-issue) | |||
| Producer | John Fischbach[2] | |||
| Carole King chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | B[4] |
The album received positive reviews from critics, with AllMusic noting that it was the "most underrated of all [her] original albums".[3] In a review that also covered Tapestry in Rolling Stone, Jon Landau wrote, "Writer was a blessing despite its faults" and that though the "production was poor", King herself made the album "very worthwhile".[6]
Track listing
editAll songs written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King; lyrics for "Raspberry Jam" and "What Have You Got to Lose" by Toni Stern.
- Side one
- "Spaceship Races" – 3:09
- "No Easy Way Down" – 4:36
- "Child of Mine" – 4:05
- "Goin' Back" – 3:20
- "To Love" – 3:39
- "What Have You Got to Lose" – 3:33
- Side two
- "Eventually" – 5:01
- "Raspberry Jam" – 4:35
- "Can't You Be Real" – 3:00
- "I Can't Hear You No More" – 2:46
- "Sweet Sweetheart" – 2:46
- "Up on the Roof" – 3:37
Personnel
edit- Carole King – piano, vocals, backing vocals, arrangements
- Ralph Schuckett – organ
- John Fischbach – Moog synthesizer
- James Taylor – acoustic guitar; backing vocals on "Goin' Back"
- Danny Kortchmar – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, conga
- Charles Larkey – Fender bass
- Joel O'Brien – drums, percussion, vibes
- Abigale Haness, Delores Hall – backing vocals
Production
edit- John Fischbach – producer
- Andrew Berliner – engineer
- Gerry Goffin – mixing
- Guy Webster – cover photograph
- Tom Neuwirth – liner photographs
- Rod Dyer, Paul Bruhwiler – layout, design
Charts
edit| Chart (1971) | Position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Albums Chart[7] | 62 |
| Japanese Oricon Albums Chart[8] | 67 |
| US Billboard Top LPs[9] | 84 |
References
edit- ^ a b "Crystal Sound | Discogs".
- ^ "John Fischbach | Discogs".
- ^ a b Eder, Bruce. Writer at AllMusic. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: K". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 28, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Billy Joe Royal, The Very Best of Billy Joe Royal: The Columbia Years (1965-1972) Retrieved September 23, 2012.
- ^ Landau, Jon (April 29, 1971). "Carole King Writer & Tapestry > Music Review". Rolling Stone. No. 81. Archived from the original on 2 October 2007. Retrieved 26 July 2006.
- ^ Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 2011-02-02
- ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
- ^ Allmusic - Carole King > Writer > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums