201. James Taylor | Sweet Baby James (1970)
Posted by Eric on April 22nd, 2011
This is an album of low-key folk ballads that conjure up images of lonely prairie adventures and western sunsets. Nothing too incredible, and it definitely doesn’t push any boundaries, but it’s got a certain charm that’s hard to pin down. The whole album somehow just manages to feel homely and familiar without also sounding generic. I suppose a lot of that could come from Taylor’s voice; a blend of mellowness and sentimentality that works out perfectly for this kind of music. It doesn’t work as well when he attempts Blues in songs like “Steamroller” due to a lack of raw energy, but it’s forgiven when you listen to ballads like “Sweet Baby James” or “Fire and Rain”. “Suite For 20G” is my favourite song because of the unexpected turn from the slow acoustic of the first half into the elated R&B of the second. All in all, not an album that’s really going to stick with me, but I enjoyed it regardless.
_______________________________
Next up: Paul McCartney’s McCartney
Tags: 1970s, Folk, James Taylor
