As far as artists overviews go, The Essential Carole King does a good job of representing the singer/songwriter.  In addition to her lustrous solo career that peaked with the release of her extraordinary Tapestry album, she has helped craft songs that were made hits by other  artists, most with her songwriting partner, Gerry Goffin.  These well-known hits were tunes like "The Loco-Motion," popularized by Little Eva and revisited by Grand Funk a decade later, "One Fine Day" as recorded by The Chiffons, "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," as recorded by Aretha Franklin, and "Pleasant Valley Sunday," as popularized by The Monkees.

Carole King was the quintessential hippie girl with her beautiful face set with eyes of wisdom, all capped by her waves of hair that fell shoulder-length.  This gave immense credibilty to her Tapestry album with her genuine pose of belonging to an important time.  She was one of us. Unpretentious. Talented.  We were just finding out just how much talent was encased in her by falling in love with her Tapestry album and, in investigation, finding out she had much to do with hits that others enjoyed.

The Essential Carole King explores, to limited degrees, both sides of the artist.  Disc one begins with her charting track, "It Might As Well Rain Until September" from 1962.  The disc's 18 tracks continues with representation of her debut Ode album (Writer -1970) with "Child of Mine," before her three monster hits from 1971's Tapestry ("I Feel The Earth Move," "So Far Away" with its question of "...doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore...," "It's Too Late," and the deep album cut of the King-penned "You've Got a Friend") elevated her career.  It also represents her post-Tapestry works in piecemeal, taking, as it should, the best known songs from each.  One of my absolute Carole King favorites comes from Music (1971), which arrived right after Tapestry, "Sweet Seasons," a song that still speaks wisdom today nearly 40 years later (check those lyrics out.)

Disc Two approaches Carole King from her songwriting career side, a side that created hits for others.  As mentioned earlier, you might even be surprised at what songs you already know (by others) that have been written by her and Gerry Goffin.  This disc supplies 15 of these in their original popularized versions.

The supplied 16-page booklet offers photos of Carole King at various stages of her life.  There are two sets of notes, each discussing the two sides of Carole King in simplistic terms.  The two discs are separately listed in well documented track-listings.  The songs have been remastered by Vic Anesini and sound excellent here.

It's a good set to have if you'd like an abbreviated overview of the music of Carole King.