Speeding Time

Speeding Time is an album by American singer-songwriter Carole King, released in 1983. King's 13th album in fourteen years, Speeding Time featured a prominent new wave sound that was negatively reviewed by critics used to King's more traditional pop stylings. The album became her first record not to chart at all; King did not record again for six years.

Production

King cowrote four of the album's songs with her former husband and longtime collaborator Gerry Goffin.^[3] The album's sound was inspired by King's admiration for Thomas Dolby's "She Blinded Me with Science".^[4]

Track listing

Side 1

1. "Computer Eyes" (King, Gerry Goffin) – (3:08)
2. "One Small Voice" (King) – (3:01)
3. "Crying in the Rain" (King, Howard Greenfield) – (2:32)
4. "Sacred Heart of Stone" (King, Goffin) – (3:45)
5. "Speeding Time" (King, Goffin) – (4:49)

Side 2

1. "Standin' on the Borderline" (King, Goffin) – (2:55)
2. "So Ready for Love" (King) – (5:22)
3. "Chalice Borealis" (King, Rick Sorensen) – (2:35)
4. "Dancing" (King) – (4:00)
5. "Alabaster Lady" (King) – (5:45)

Personnel

• Carole King – lead vocals, backing vocals, acoustic piano, synthesizers
• Robbie Kondor – synthesizers, synthesizer programming (2, 3, 5–7, 9, 10), synth harmonica solo (7)
• Rob Meurer – synthesizer, programming (1, 4, 8)
• Danny Kortchmar – guitars
• Lee Ritenour – guitars
• Bob Glaub – bass
• Steve Meador – drums (1, 4)
• Russ Kunkel – drums (2, 3, 5–10)
• Bobbye Hall – percussion
• Plas Johnson – tenor saxophone solo (3)
• Sherry Goffin Kondor – counter lead vocals (9)

Production

• Lou Adler – producer
• Paul Brown – engineer, mixing, recording
• Chet Hines – recording
• Bobby Hata – mastering at Amigo Studios
• Peter Corriston – album design
• Jim Shea – cover photography
• Brian Hagiwara – design photography

References

1. ^ Grein, Paul (1983-11-05). "Superstar Album Blitz Continuing". Billboard. Vol. 95, no. 45. p. 4. Retrieved 22 September 2021. "Creative reunions spark two of Atlantic's key releases, both set for Nov 11....And Carole King's "Speeding Time"
2. ^ Greene, Andy (February 15, 2023). "50 Genuinely Horrible Albums by Brilliant Artists". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 14, 2024. But instead of crafting another timeless collection of songs [on Speeding Time], [King and her collaborators] tried to compete with the New Wave bands of the early Eighties.
3. ^ Holden, Stephen (17 Feb 1984). "Back for Night at Town Hall, Carole King of Idaho". The New York Times. p. C21.
4. ^ Varga, George (March 10, 1984). "Carole King sings here tomorrow night in fund-raiser for Hart". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. A17.