CLASSIC CUTS
98 HI-FI WORLD SEPTEMBER 2019 http://www.hi-fiworld.co.uk
T
he thing about James Taylor,
the perception of the man, is
that he was the original sing-
er-songwriter. Maybe that tag
needs some modification. A
singer-songwriter in the mod-
ern sense. One that adds a
measure of sen-
sitivity to his
presentation
and performance.
One that infused his
work with emotion and
a sense of delicacy.
Taylor is having none of that.
“If I look at people that I think were the sort
of pioneers of that style I think of people
like Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan. But I did
my version of it. People like Eric Andersen
or Tim Hardin... there were a lot of people
that influenced me. I’m sort of surprised that
people would credit me with inventing that. Joni
Mitchell was already doing it when I came out
of the box, so was Randy Newman. So I can’t
really take credit for it”.
Which is true. Yet the tag often arises and
you can see why. Taylor’s star really began to
rise in the early 70s when he moved to the
Warner Bros label. While ‘Sweet Baby James’
was a seminal LP release, I would argue that the
album that helped to properly define him and
arguably an entire musical genre, was ‘Mud Slide
Slim and the Blue Horizon’. Partly because the
music industry and the public were ready for
him and responded to the release.
This album is where many observers saw
Taylor almost as a sort of rallying point to
gather around after the trauma of the sixties’
political upheavals, the assassinations, Vietnam
and so on. His work seemed to be a balm.
“There are a number of different angles that a
song comes from" he admitted to the Internet
website Stereogum “and sometimes they’re
soothing or comforting, sometimes they’re
celebratory with a party or festival sensibility.
But I definitely do have this thing in my writing
that looks to comfort, looks to soothe or to
heal”.
Now this important album from the early
portion of Taylor’s career can be heard for
yourself because Rhino has released all sixalbums. Mastered by Bernie Grundman (so
you’re in good hands here), the sound offers a
low noise, detailed, zero compressed, slightly
warm and cuddly presentation.
This collection brings several albums
back into print on vinyl for the first time in
many years. Each album in the set has been
remastered, a process overseen by Peter
Asher, who signed Taylor to the Beatles’ Apple
Records label in 1968, worked as his manager
for 25 years and originally produced several of
these albums. Presented in a sleeve out case,
the set features ‘Sweet Baby James’ (1970), ‘Mud
Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon’ (1971), ‘One
Man Dog’ (1972), ‘Walking Man’ (1974), ‘Gorilla’
(1975), and ‘In the Pocket’ (1976).
This collection includes well implemented
cover versions but also plenty of guest
appearances. ‘Rock ’n’ Roll Music Is Now’ from
‘Walking Man’, for example, features backing
vocals by Paul and Linda McCartney and ‘Don’t
Be Sad ’Cause Your Sun Is Down' from ‘In the
Pocket’ is a song Taylor wrote and recorded
with Stevie Wonder.
Taylor also has a bit of a reputation for his
female collaborations. On ‘Mud Slide Slim...’ he
worked with Carole King on his interpretation
of her song ‘You’ve Got a Friend’ but asked
Joni Mitchell to sing backing vocals. “...it’s true,
I suppose,” he said. “Joni (Mitchell) and Carly- Carole had the most effect on me. All three
of those remarkable talents had a profound
impact. I had a deep musical conversation with
all of them. We shared a musical language. It’s a
lovely thing to do. To share music like that is an
extremely deep connection. It has meant a lot.
But I think that Carole and I, we played in each
other’s bands and on each other’s albums.
That’s true of Joni and Carly too but
Carole was there in my band with me. We
were never a romantic couple, we were never
intimately involved but musically we were really
close. That’s something that I wouldn’t trade for
anything. It was pretty wonderful working with
Carole”.
Taylor’s six albums for Warner Bros. were
distinctive and illustrative of a time and a place.
That he could play a part in the gradual healing
of the people in his audience was a special
thing. I know his fans were and continue to be
forever grateful. PR
JAMES TAYLOR
"I would say that
Carole King had
the most effect
on me. We
shared a musical
language".
MUD SLIDE SLIM AND THE BLUE HORIZON
RHINO
T
he thing about James Taylor,
the perception of the man, isT
the perception of the man, isT
that he was the original sing-T
that he was the original sing-T
er-songwriter. Maybe that tag
needs some modification. A
singer-songwriter in the mod-
ern sense. One that adds a
measure of sen-
sitivity to his
presentation
and performance.
One that infused his
work with emotion and
a sense of delicacy.
Taylor is having none of that.