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Image Entertainment presents

Carole King: in Concert (1993)

"When you're near me like this/You're much to hard to resist/So go away little girl/Before I beg you to stay...."- Carole King

Stars: Carole King
Other Stars: Slash, Teddy Andreadis, Rudy Guest, John Humphrey, Jerry Angel, Danny Pelfrey, Brie Howard Darling, Sherry Goffin Linda Lawley, Bill Mason, Voices of Jubilation Choir
Director: Larry Jordan

Manufacturer: WAMO
MPAA Rating: G for (nothing objectionable)
Run Time: 01h:24m:43s
Release Date: 2001-09-04
Genre: pop

Style
Grade
Substance
Grade
Image Transfer
Grade
Audio Transfer
Grade
Extras
Grade
B+ BAA D-

 

DVD Review


"Stayed in bed all morning
Just to pass the time
There's something wrong here
There can be no denying
One of us is changing
Or maybe we've stopped trying - ."


If you were a teenager in the 1971, you know all the words to every song on Carole King's Tapestry, the veteran songwriter's second albumólike it or not. The hits singled out were pervasive, so much so that I would believe anyone who told me the no-one-artist-all-the-time rule was written for her. Tapestry was the soundtrack of our lives, long after we'd worn the vinyl thin and never wanted to hear a note from it again. But if you think you're not a Carole King fan, I invite you to think again.

Born Carole Klein, Ms. King has been writing the "soundtrack of our lives" across five decades, beginning in her early teens, when Don Kirshner signed her and husband Gerry Goffin to his stable. Songs from that era include Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? (The Shirelles), The Locomotion (Little Eva), (You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman (Aretha Franklin) and Chains, covered by The Beatles. Later, it was recording artists from Rod Stewart to The Monkees to Courtney Love who would dip into her catalogue for inspiration. On the heels of her solo success, she could be found touring with James Taylor, who had several hits with her tunes, and although she never reached the surprise success of Tapestry again, she came back to the charts one more time for "Jazzman."

The concert presented here is a perfect 1990s wrap-up to King's long and illustrious career. She looks great for 51, moves more than she did back in the 70s and still has most of her raspy, never-a-frontperson's voice. In the controlled environment of Bushnell Hall in Hartford, Connecticut, Ms. King entertains us with 15 of her most popular tunes from her wide repertoire, as well as a charming trivia quiz-style medley.

"So tell me now and I won't ask again
Will you still love me tomorrow?
Will you still love me tomorrow?
Will you still love me tomorrow?"


Tracks:
Hard Rock CafÈ
Smackwater Jack
Up on the Roof
Beautiful
Do You Feel Love
Natural Woman
So Far Away
Hold Out For Love
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?
Jazzman
Old Song Medley
It's Too Late
Chains
I Feel the Earth Move
You've Got a Friend
Locomotion



Rating for Style: B+
Rating for Substance: B

 

Image Transfer

 One
Aspect Ratio1.33:1 - Full Frame
Original Aspect Ratioyes
Anamorphicno


Image Transfer Review: Videotaped at a live performance in 1993, this transfer is almost as pristine and dynamic as being there. Somehow, the source itself shows none of the garish lighting problems one experiencesóeven in personóat a live concert. The stage is well-lit so that nothing distracts from the performance; colors are as they should be under stage lights and blacks are black. Really, not a single complaint. Beautiful.

Image Transfer Grade: A
 

Audio Transfer

 LanguageRemote Access
DS 2.0Englishyes
Dolby Digital
5.1
Englishyes


Audio Transfer Review: Image Entertainment offers a Dolby Digital 2.0, as well as a 5.1 track, both exhibiting a surprisingly full sound. If you have it, 5.1 one is the obvious way to go, with the full range getting a workout at higher volumes. An excellent transfer, as clean as the image.

Audio Transfer Grade:

Disc Extras

Static menu
Scene Access with 17 cues and remote access
Music/Song Access with 16 cues
Packaging: Amaray
Picture Disc
1 Disc
1-Sided disc(s)
Layers: single

Extras Review: There are no supplemental features included on this disc.

Extras Grade: D-
 

Final Comments



"There'll be good times
Again for me and you
But we just can't stay together
Don't you feel it too?
Still I'm glad for what we had,
And how I once loved you..."


Carole King plays all the songs we were sure we would never wanted to hear again. But we still know the words and, beyond our volition, we sing them. Although she has rarely escaped the trappings of her Tin Pan Alley beginnings, she startled us with honestyóas in the lyric quoted aboveóthat is still refreshing, 30 years later. A beautiful transfer makes this a necessity for fans.

debi lee mandel 2001-09-13