Covers
Hear Music - Hear Music
James Taylor
Release date: 2008-09-30
Audio CD
Adult Contemporary, Pop, Pop/Rock, Pop/Rock Music, Rock, Rock/Pop, Singer/Songwriter, Soft Rock, United States of America
1. It's Growing
2. (I'm a) Road Runner
3. Wichita Lineman
4. Why Baby Why
5. Some Days You Gotta Dance
6. Seminole Wind
7. Suzanne
8. Hound Dog
9. Sadie
10. On Broadway
11. Summertime Blues
12. Not Fade Away
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Covers
Date undefinedJT has been one of my great musical heroes for over 30 years. There are plenty of JT songs and covers found elsewhere that are uniquely beautiful reflections of human emotion. Sadly, in this album, all cuts are vastly better in the original, even (and perhaps especially) Glen Campbell's yearning classic, Wichita Lineman. The album sounds like "The Musical Stylings of James Taylor: Tonight at the Holiday Inn Lounge". The concept probably sounded like a good idea when he thought it up, but unfortunately, it panned out more like a parody. It teaches us very little about JT, the songs he has chosen, or ourselves. It is therefore a very flat album. I give it two stars out of deference to his overall greatness. Get up bro', dust yourself off, and give us another great one!
Covers
Date undefinedStep 1: Put a guy with a great voice in a room full of top-notch musicians ranging from Larry Goldings to Yo-Yo Ma.
Step 2: Stuff them so full of Prozac that everyone is happy and mellow.
Step 3: Hand them a book full of standards and hit record.
Step 4: Profit!
I'm not sure this is exactly how it happened, but it's close enough for our purposes. Taylor has good, if uninspired, taste in songs. And it's downright supernatural that his voice sounds this great at age 60. But a style that suits "It's Growing" and "On Broadway" is dubious for "Not Fade Away" or "Summertime Blues" and just plain disturbing for "Hound Dog".
Taylor does get props in my book for covering Big Mama Thornton's original of "Hound Dog" rather than Elvis' version. But where Elvis had the good sense to change the words in a way that made the meaning suit him, Taylor does not. So what was sensual and saucy coming out of Thornton's mouth is, at best, nonsensical here.
In the end, Taylor only proves here that he's a one-trick pony. He can do mellow better than anyone. He can even handle wistful or sad. But most of these songs don't match the only style he seems capable of producing. In the end this album is a wasted opportunity.
But listen for this album in a shopping mall or Starbucks near you anyway.
Covers
Date undefinedCovers is such a "tasty" piece of music that is makes my ears water! James Taylor continues to get better and better the longer he goes. One doesn't have to be a JT fan to enjoy this CD, it's a pretty good time for all.
