James Taylor October Road [Japan Bonus Track] Album Review, Songs, Rating

Home > Music > T > Taylor, James > Discography

Albums | Compilations | Singles | Videos

James Taylor
October Road [Japan Bonus Track]
Release Date: 2002 08 13
Label: Sony Music Distribution
Rating:

James Taylor's 15th studio album of new recordings in 32 years is, if possible, even more familiar and self-referential than ever. By now, it is an article of faith that you could take practically any track from any Taylor album and put it on another one without disturbing the mood, and that is as true of the ones here as it is of those on the other 14. That warm (if slightly deepened) tenor, singing in its odd accent, which combines New England and the North Carolina Piedmont, and that acoustic guitar, with its sparkling, unhurried fingerpicking, remain the most prominent elements in the sound. But even more, Taylor seems intent here on evoking his own past. "October Road," of course, recalls his song "Country Road," and "Caroline I See You," even if it refers specifically to his wife, inescapably echoes "Carolina in My Mind." Also, Taylor deliberately recycles themes from his earlier work. "October Road" begins, "Well I'm going back down maybe one more time," while "My Traveling Star" ends, "And shame on me for sure/For one more highway song." Throughout, on what seem like the most personal songs he has written in decades, Taylor appears to be commenting on a second chance he feels he has received, and though he couches the negative aspects in humor ("Mean Old Man," whose subject is the singer, ends with a dog joke, and "Raised Up Family," which contains recriminations, tosses in a musical reference to Gilligan's Island), there are strong hints of a man who feels he's been rescued. As such, it is perhaps fitting (if seasonally curious for an album released in the summer) to conclude with "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," a holiday song from wartime that reaffirms the importance of family in a world gone wrong. [The Japanese version offers two more bonus tracks, "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" and "Benjamin."] William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide

Tracks:

	Title	Composer	Time
1	September Grass	Sheldon	4:51
2	October Road	Taylor	3:57
3	On the 4th of July	Taylor	3:25
4	Whenever You're Ready	Taylor	4:14
5	Belfast to Boston	Taylor	4:16
6	Mean Old Man	Taylor	3:44
7	My Traveling Star	Taylor	3:55
8	Raised Up Family	Taylor	4:41
9	Carry Me on My Way	Taylor	4:30
10	Caroline I See You	Taylor	4:58
11	Baby Buffalo	Taylor	4:50
12	Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas	Martin, Blane	3:51
13	Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight [*]	Taylor	4:43
14	Benjamin [*]	Ma, Meyer, OConnor, Taylor	3:29

Browse More Music:
# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Starpulse.com

Your Entertainment Destination

James Taylor:

Follow Starpulse