James Taylor - The Best of James Taylor
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Free Music Notes for The Best of James Taylor
Free Music Review: A great introduction to James Taylor's music
Hit: 5 Stars
James was born into a wealthy family but that didn't shield him from life's problems including drug addiction and depression. Perhaps these problems ultimately helped him to succeed in the often strange music business - the song that first established his reputation (Fire and rain) is autobiographical and could not have been written by a man without any worries or problems.
James, though born and raised in America, made his first recordings in London for the Apple label in 1968. The resultant album was a flop at the time although it contained some fine songs including Carolina on my mind (here in a 1976 re-recording) and Something in the way she moves (NOT the Beatles classic). Peter Asher, formerly of Peter and Gordon, began his career as a record producer with Apple and James Taylor's album was among his earliest productions. James returned to America following the album's failure. Peter also moved to America after quitting Apple and secured an American recording contract for James, in whom he still had faith.
James had far greater success with his first American album, Sweet baby James. The outstanding song was the aforementioned Fire and rain. Only a minor UK hit, it was a much bigger hit in America, where it catapulted him to superstardom. His next album, Mud slide Slim and the blue horizon, yielded another huge American hit - You've got a friend, which also made the UK top five and remains his only major UK hit. Indeed, James only had one more UK hit after that (Mockingbird - see later).
One-man dog, his third American album and fourth altogether, yielded another American hit, Don't let me be lonely tonight, which failed to chart in the UK. After that, Peter Asher switched his production efforts to Linda Ronstadt, with whom he had even greater success, while Carly Simon rescued James from his loneliness (at least for a few years). They married and also recorded a duet - Mockingbird, a cover of the R+B classic by Charlie and Inez Foxx, made the American top five but is conspicuous by its absence from this set.
James never quite reached the same level of brilliance again (even when he teamed up with Peter Asher again in 1978) although his later music is still worth hearing. He continued to have American hits, but with covers rather than original material. His cover hits included How sweet it is (Marvin Gaye - or Junior Walker), Handy man (Jimmy Jones) and Up on the roof (originally an American hit for the Drifters, it became a UK top ten hit for Kenny Lynch).
This compilation, focusing on his seventies music but including one newly recorded track (Bittersweet) contains all the essential James Taylor tracks except Mockingbird so if you only want one collection of his music, this is a good choice. Buy a Carly Simon compilation for Mockingbird - and plenty of other great music.
Free Music Review: Truly A Collection Of Taylor's Very Best Work !
Hit: 5 Stars
I was lucky enough to first see James Taylor live in a small outdoor venue called Avaloch in rural Lenox, Massachusetts in the summer of 1970, after this first album recorded by the Beatles in London had been released and just before the release of the fabulously successful "Sweet Baby James" album by Warner Brothers. He appeared alone on-stage with a full head of long, long hair in a simple denim shirt and cut-up jeans with his four or five acoustic guitars, and for two and a half hours proceeded to absolutely enchant the sprawling lawn-full of hundreds of audience members with a spellbinding performance of all of the work from both of those albums. Although virtually unknown at the time, word of mouth had spread so quickly in the Berkshires area (who still considers him one of their own) that many of us went out to get this album to play before he appeared. The rest, as they say, is history. This is a fantastic collection of his greatest hits garnered from both of his greatest hits collections, and so represents some twenty gems on an incredible collection of wonderful selections, and is therefore a terrific summary of that work. Many of my favorites are here, including "Something In The Way She Moves", "Carolina In My Mind", and "You Can Close Your Eyes". Of course, so is "Fire And Rain", "You've Got A Friend", "Steamroller Blues", and "Country Road", all now Taylor standards. My all time favorite song from this album is "Sweet Baby James", which is sung about the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts where I grew up, so I have always considered this a special song, with its evocation of a snow-driven drive along the turnpike just as winter's first snow hits the Berkshires. His performance on it is a brilliant early indication of just how incredibly talented an interpretive artist Taylor really is. He always pleases with songs like "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight", "Mexico", and "Walking Man", and this album is sure to please even the most cautious music fan. It is certainly a terrific showcase for how well Taylor can deliver on a variety of original works and covers of traditional folk songs. Enjoy!
Free Music Review: "Best Of.." retrospective CD shows why JT is still The Best
Hit: 5 Stars
Pete Rose once said, "How can they say I lost a step? I was never that fast to begin with!" In some ways, Pete could just as easily have been talking about James Taylor's long and brilliant career. JT hasn't lost a step, either. He's always been laid back and easygoing. I've seen at least one show (and sometimes more) of every tour he's done from 1971 (when he was tall, lanky, longhaired and mustachioed) to his last one (when he was tall, lanky, balding and bespectacled). There's a comforting consistency about the man and his music. He just ambles out onstage, picks up his acoustic guitar and sings with that warm, honeyed voice -- the same now as it was 36 years ago. While many of his hard rockin' peers can no longer perform at the same level as they did then, and have indeed become parodies of themselves, JT can still hit 'em right up the middle. His performance, his delivery, still achieves the same high level of excellence as it did when he began his career.
This "Best Of.." CD is a wonderful chronicle of nearly four decades of incredible music. If you only plan to own one James Taylor CD, this is the essential one. Better than anything else, it shows why he is still at the top of his game, still able to top the charts with his new albums as well as hits packages. All the biggies are here (well, almost all of them), as well as some lesser known gems like "You Can Close Your Eyes." Presented in chronological order (notice that the Greatest Hits version of "Carolina In My Mind" is positioned just before the first of his hits for Columbia Records), these great songs depict the evolution of an incomparable artist. Some have complained that the Apple version of "Something In The Way She Moves" is on this set, but I think it's appropriate. It presents Taylor as a youth, with all his scattershot (but focused) energy, and gives us a glimpse of his already-budding genius. And the lost "cover" version of "Country Road" is a delight.
Do yourself a favor: buy this one--today!
Free Music Review: How Could Anyone Not Like This Guy?
Hit: 5 Stars
James Taylor has been around for more than 30 years, yet his music still sounds as fresh and vibrant as they were when they were first released, truly the mark of the great artist. On the "The Best Of James Taylor", you will get 19 of those classics plus one new recoridng, all digitally remastered and in chronological.
One listen to this album and you're instantly transported back in time. Most fans still remember when they heard the somber opening chords of "Fire And The Rain" crackling through the airwaves, and they cna still recall the first time they popped in the "Sweet Baby James" album and heard the timeless title track (isn't that the most relaxing song ever)? Both these songs are here, along with classics such as "You've Got A Friend", "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight", "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)", "Shower The People", "Handy Man" and "Your Smiling Face". Also, the producers of the compilation have sweetened the deal by adding lesser known tracks such as "You Can Close Your Eyes", "Golden Moments" and "Only A Dream In Rio". And last but not least, there's the new song "Bittersweet", which holds up quite well against the classic hits.
Naturally, most fans will instantly rattle that quite a few Taylor classics are missing, such as "Walking Man", "One Man Parade", "Mockingbird" (a million selling hit sung with ex - wife Carly Simon), "Wonderful World" (with Simon and Garfunkel), "Honey Don't Leave L.A.", "Her Town Too", "Hard Times", "Everyday" and "Never Die Young". But including those songs would have required a two disc collection which would have raised the price (though to be fair, at about 68 minutes, there was enough room toat least include "Mockingbird" and "Her Town Too", the biggest hits missing).
Overall, a great collection of Taylor's music. Perfect for when you want some piece and quiet. I recommened to everyone who has an ant's taste in music.
Free Music Review: Some All - Time Classic By Pop Music's Handy Man
Hit: 5 Stars
Often, people tell us what cd they'd take with them on a deserted island. Well, if I was on a deserted island, I'd want to use the quiet time to relax. And nothing's more relaxing than the soothing sounds of James Taylor.
James Taylor is pretty much an artist who's been with me most of my life. I think I was in the 6th grade, in 1970. The Beatles had just broken up, and I was looking for a singer to fill that huge void left by their departure. I remember hearing "Fire And Rain" on the radio and thinking, "here's an ordinary guy with ordinary problems that I can relate to". I thought his music spoke to my soul on so many levels.
It was talent he never lost - and one that came across in his best compositions, all of which are included here: "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight", "Mexico", "Golden Moments", "Shower The People" and "Your Smiling Face", to name a few personal favorites. He also proved he had a magic touch when recording other people's material such as Carole King's "You've Got A Friend" (his only number one hit) and "Up On The Roof", my all -time favorite "Handy Man" and the Motown classic "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)". Later works like "Only A Dream In Rio" and the new recording "Bittersweet" show he still has it.
If there's one complaint I have, it's this. James had 4 top 40 hits he recorded with other artists. They are "Mockingbird" (with ex - wife Carly Simon and gold - selling number 5 hit in March, 1974), "Wonderful World" (with Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel and a number 17 hit in 1978), "Devoted To You" (with Carly Simon and a number 36 hit in 1978), and "Her Town Too" (with J.D. Souther" and a number 11 hit in 1981).
Other than that, everything you could possibly want on a Taylor best off is here. The only thing better is a Taylor boxed set, which we have yet to see.