Carole King: A Beautiful Collection

Carole King was initially known for being half of an unstoppable songwriting duo alongside her then husband Gerry Goffin. Having penned hits for everyone from The Shirelles to Aretha Franklin, King's relationship with Goffin broke down and she found herself immersing herself into her own career as a singer/songwriter.

After debuting with the album Writer in 1970, she struck a chord with the world when she released Tapestry in 1971. Having reworked some of her Goffin co-writes for the release alongside a series of very personal, but easily relateable songs about the break-up and her state of mind, King found herself soaring to the top of charts around the world. With the record having sold an impressive 25 million copies, King's legacy was assured. With 17 studio albums to her name, King's hits have been transformed into a musical production that has tongues wagging on both sides of the Atlantic. To celebrate, she has released a Greatest Hits collection that ties in with the production.

A Beautiful Collection rather inevitably centres around the songs that shaped Tapestry, but that does not mean that it won't form a worthy addition to your record collection. With almost half the album that is best known from her back catalogue missing from the release, A Beautiful Collection, the album boasts a look at some of her other big hits. With the wonderful 'Jazzman' and brilliant 'Carry You There' thrown in to the mix, this is a collection that celebrates her finest cuts.

However, it is the inclusion of a live medley with James Taylor that visits 'Will You Love Me Tomorrow', 'Some Kind of Wonderful' and 'Up On the Roof' that sets the new set apart from previous Greatest Hits collections.As the honesty of the lyrics and the storytelling nature of both musical icons meets, the results are beyond spine tingling.

A Beautiful Collection is exactly what it claims to be. Carole King is greater artist than her greatest work and this release celebrates some of her finest cuts.