Considering that Carly Simon likes being on stage about as much as the rest of us like being audited by the IRS, the very existence of this one-hour concert (recorded in 1987 on Martha's Vineyard, an island off the coast of Massachusetts) will bring joy to the hearts of the singer-songwriter's many fans. Too bad it couldn't have been just a little better. Simon herself is fine (despite her admission in an interesting, entertaining new DVD interview that performing is something she still dreads, she doesn't seem particularly ill at ease during this show); the musicians in the band (like saxophonist Michael Brecker, bass player T-Bone Wolk, and others) are excellent; and there are plenty of good songs (including hits like "Nobody Does It Better," "Anticipation," and, of course, "You're So Vain"). But the whole thing is hampered by a weird, reverb-laden audio mix that makes it sound as if Simon and the band are lip-syncing (which, in fact, they were). Still, viewers who can disregard that will find this to be an effective showcase for Carly Simon's appealing (if not especially compelling) music.
--Sam Graham
12.98
