Writing in
Rolling Stone,
Stephen Davis gave a glowing review of the album. He called the title track "a spirited examination of the tensions involved in a burgeoning romantic situation in which
nobody has any idea of what's going on or what's going to happen." He also singled out the tracks "Our First Day Together", calling it "a quiet song, lovely and quite enigmatic, with a trace of the minor chord influence of
Joni Mitchell," and "I've Got To Have You", calling it "an absolute clincher, an awesome description of the psychic ravages of gone-nuts, know-nothing love. As Carly performs it, it becomes a
tour de force, and a stern reminder to those of us who might have forgotten that passion is the ruler of man, not reason. When Carly moans 'I can't help it ... I've got to have you,' we're being shown something so primal and so private that it takes your breath away." A more recent review from
AllMusic's William Ruhlmann continued the praise. Ruhlmann rated the album 3-stars-out-of-5 and stated the album "found [Simon] extending the gutsy persona she had established on her debut album."
Record World called it a "thoughtfully written and appropriately tuneful song." In 1973,
Anticipation was certified
gold by the
RIAA, for sales of over 500,000 copies in the United States. On her experience of recording the album, Simon later said: "It was one of the best memories I shall ever have of recording. I had a band. The entire album was just that band (
Andy Newmark, Jimmy Ryan, Paul Glanz) and myself. Cat Stevens did some vocals and there were strings on a few songs, but on the whole, it was sparse, and I loved it." ==Awards==