AMG Review of Rhymes & Reasons

William Ruhlmann
All Music Guide

On her second follow-up to Tapestry and third new album in less than two years, Carole King turned entirely to new compositions, most of them co-written with Toni Stern, rather than relying partly on songs from her back catalog. The result was a thinner collection than Tapestry or Music, although the album still went to number two and featured the Top 25 hit "Been to Canaan," as well as the warm love song "The First Day in August."