Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Several collections already existed that encompass Carly's solo career, including the three-disc box set CLOUDS IN MY COFFEE (1995), and the double-disc, forty-track ANTHOLOGY (2002). For the amount of space available on both of them, the track selections are flawed. REFLECTIONS, meanwhile, truly represents the cream of Carly's catalog and is an extremely enjoyable listening experience from start to finish. The first nine tracks are comprised of Carly's '70s Elektra hits like "That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be, "Anticipation," "You're So Vain," and "You Belong To Me." I have my favorite album tracks from this period like "Tranquilo" and "We're So Close," but the recordings included here were the hits, so I can't find fault with the selection. Track 10, "Jesse," represents her early '80s tenure at Warner Brothers - a logical choice as it was her only top 20 hit there (I also liked her minor reggae-flavored hit "Why" from this period). In 1987 - after an unsuccessful album SPOILED GIRL for Columbia - Carly moved to Arista and experienced a career resurgence, much like that experienced by other middle-aged Arista arrivals Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin. Her Arista highlights make up the final 10 tracks. The first Arista album COMING AROUND AGAIN was one of Carly's strongest ever and it is well-represented here by its four singles, including the reflective title track and the enchanting "Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of." During her Arista years, Carly also got involved in film scoring - quite successfully - including her enclosed Oscar winner "Let The River Run" from WORKING GIRL and the theme for LOVE OF MY LIFE. The 1994 biographical album LETTERS NEVER SENT resulted in some of her most intimate work and is well represented here by touching tributes to her mom ("Like A River") and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis ("Touched By The Sun"). This collection then concludes with "Amity," an acoustic duet with daughter Sally Taylor that was included in the 1999 film ANYWHERE BUT HERE. While one disc cannot due full justice to Carly, REFLECTIONS manages to touch on all significant phases of her career. For those who don't own any of her music, it's a great first purchase.