'call Me' Is Not An Exceptional Al

Joni Mitchell Seems Destined To Remain In A State Of Permanent Dissatisfaction - Always Knowing What She Would Like To Do, Always More Depressed When It's Done.

James Taylor May Be An All-american Boy But He Isn't Horatio Alger, And The Lionizing Of Many Rock Stars By The Rock Press Has As Much To Do With Old Fashioned Rags-to-riches Stories As Does The Straight Culture's Deification Of Its Idols.

The Only Criticism Heard With Any Frequency Of Elton John's First American Album, 'elton John,' Was That The Production Was Too Grandiose. The Melodies Were Superb, And Lyrics Frequently Very Good, And The Performances Flawless.

Carole King's Second Album, 'tapestry,' Has Fulfilled The Promise Of Her First And Confirmed The Fact That She Is One Of The Most Creative Figures In All Of Pop Music. It Is An Album Of Surpassing Personal-intimacy And Musical Accomplishment And A Work Infused With A Sense Of Artistic Purpose. It Is Also Easy To Listen To And Easy To Enjoy.

While The Beatles Always Had George Martin Around To Clean Up Their Act, The Rolling Stones Had Andrew Loog Oldham To Coarsen Theirs.