Following the successes of Reflections: Carly Simon's Greatest Hits (2004) and Moonlight Serenade (2005), Into White continued Simon's recently rejuvenated high chart profile and became Billboard's Hot Shot Debut, entering the chart at No. 15 and peaking at No. 13 in its second week, and staying on the charts for 10 weeks.[2] The album also hit No. 1 on the Top Internet Albums chart.[2]
Into White was met with widespread critical acclaim. PopMatters rated the album 8-out-of-10-stars and called it "the first musical gift to grace 2007." They also singled out the track "You Can Close Your Eyes", stating: "There's a shimmering beauty that's particular to how familial voices intertwine and the union of these three voices is singularly beautiful", and concluded "Ultimately, Into White serves the legacy of Carly Simon very well."[5]People called the album "a tranquil collection of covers that play like lullabies for grown-ups" and praised the track "You Can Close Your Eyes", calling it "the best moment on the album".[6] In her 2008 book Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon-And the Journey of a Generation, author Sheila Weller describes this version of "You Can Close Your Eyes" as "slow, spectral" and "achingly beautiful."[7]
Entertainment Weekly graded the album B, describing it as a "richly personal disc."[4]AllMusic stated: "In sum, Into White may be the best record Simon's made since The Bedroom Tapes, and it takes a place in her catalog alongside Torch and Boys in the Trees."[3]The New York Times stated "Entering the world of Carly Simon’s new album is like tiptoeing into an enchanted garden. The fanciful Cat Stevens song that opens the record establishes a mood of deep, dreamy calm that is sustained over 14 songs."[8]
Amazon.com stated "Simon, vocally sure-footed as ever, wicks the warmth out of every last track and directs it with pinpoint precision to her listeners—nobody does music as comfort food better".[9]Barnes & Noble praised Simon's "considerable interpretive skills," writing that she treats these songs "with care and gentle wisdom": "Billed as 'soothing songs for the young and the young at heart', Into White is quiet and spacious, full of brief songs played softly, with the focus always on Simon's intimate alto. Familial and familiar, Into White impresses with understatement."[10]
