That said, to all the James Taylor fans out there, I am really, really sorry. I tried. I really, really tried to like this. I wanted to enjoy this CD... I was downright rooting for a little spark of lightening and love to happen. But sadly, Mr Taylor’s music, lyrics, and banter simply never connected with me. Listening to “Something In The Way She Moves” to “You’ve Got A Friend” and even “Carolina In My Mind”, which I can’t deny were well performed, I just found myself quite bored.
I appreciate the skill and talent as a musician. He is an excellent finger picking guitar player. However, nothing in the performance, the music, or the lyrics spoke to me. I can’t quite explain why. Perhaps I’ve just spent too much time with songwriters like Robert Johnson, Leonard Cohen, or Annie Lennox in my brain. (Annie Lennox, now there's a brilliant songwriter and lyricist).
I know I’ll have every James Taylor fan on the planet hating me for this review. I do apologize, but these songs simply didn’t touch my soul, make my toes tap, or give me the urge to sing badly in the shower.
I do recommend this CD and DVD compilation to any James Taylor fan. I strongly believe that if you love these songs, you will truly enjoy them in this simple, back to basics performance. However, if you are not that familiar with Mr. Taylor, then I doubt that One Man Band will convert you into a devotee.
Article comments
1 - Pico
I don't consider myself a huge JT fan, either, but I thought that there's a lot to enjoy about this record. IMO, many of his songs sound better without a lot of the accompaniment found on the studio versions.
2 - Nathalie
He's a skilled musician and I appreciate the talent, but for whatever reason this just didn't grab me. It didn't speak to me. That's one of the things I love about music and art though, how personal it can be.
3 - Pico
Well, yeah, I gathered that from your review. And it's all fine and good that the record didn't grab ya', but it might have been more useful for readers to explain why that's so. If you can't explain it, then you don't really make much of a point.
4 - El Bicho
I have to agree with Pico. If you can't explain why, then you aren't actually reviewing it.
5 - Kit O'Toole
I saw the Chicago stop of his One Man Band tour, and thought Taylor was, as usual, fantastic. Many musicians, whether they like all his work or not, admire his fluid yet complex guitar playing style. Although Taylor didn't invent the introspective songwriting genre, he certainly popularized and enhanced it. While his style may not be flashy, it serves as a master class in storytelling and artistry. I'm willing to bet that Annie Lennox studied his work (in addition to other confessional songwriters like his contemporaries Carole King and Joni Mitchell) before putting pen to paper.
6 - Evan
hi everybody well um today i saw in the magazine that James Taylor has injured his eye but hopeful his eye has gotten better and happy valentines day James Taylor fans
7 - Evan
when people pick music to listen to its James Taylor
8 - Evan
allthough im not gonna think about my favorite singers all the time