Customer Reviews

Early Works

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A compilation album of his 2 pre-Idol Indie Releases. All nicely re-mastered, the sound is 100% improved from the orginals. I urge you to listen to these self-penned tunes by Taylor who, before Idol ever came along, was a great songwriter. This album sounds pretty much like nothing from the JRecords album, which was good, but this one is spectacular! Songs such as Somehow, In Your Time, Son of a Carpenter and The Fall are all excellent. His version of Georgia on My Mind is the best I've ever heard. Do yourself a favor and pick up this gem.

I own both of Taylor's previous albums, In Your Time and Under the Radar. The re-mastering of this album makes it well worth the money. The album has a very warm sound and Taylor's voice really stands out. I even was able to hear instrumentation that I didn't hear on the original albums. I have to give 2 thumbs up to Taylor and his team for this one.

I'm delighted at the remixed music on Taylor Hicks' Early Works release. Granted that all the songs were available from Taylor's self-released CDs "Under the Radar" and "In Your Time", but the work Taylor and his team did to bring out his voice and improve on the sound make Early Works an excellent addition to the personal collections of Taylor's music.

Taylor's "Early Works" is a compilation of both of his pre-American Idol independent CDs which are "In Your Time" and "Under the Radar" which has 12 songs.
This CD features two cover songs such as Archie Bell and the Drell's "Tighten Up" along with Ray Charles' "Georgia" (with Billy Earl McClellan), and the other 10 songs are all original songs that Taylor wrote from the age of 19 on until he was 28 or so...
My favorite song of the CD is "My Friend" as it is such a feel-good, rollicking boogie-woogie piano melody, that I am smiling throughout the entire song...

I fell in love with Taylor Hicks on Am. Idol, but after listening to "Early Works" I'm conviced my love affair with his voice is valid. What a wonderful album. His voice is so distinctive, easy to listen to..down right dreamy. Can you tell, I would highly recommend this purchase. So glad I did.

Now I want to stick to the subject of this CD but I have to say it:this reminds me of one of my biggest beefs with American Idol. Taylor Hicks had was already RECORDING before his public humiliation on that show:some say his antics but it on itself but that's not the point of debate here. What is without any doubt is that listening to this album you can tell Taylor Hicks never did need Paul,Randy or Simon's validation as a musical entity. Perhaps out of desperation he forwent the traditional route of perseverance and hard work and decided to go with a gussied up TV talent contest. But whatever the case this CD compiles his first two albums;the entirety of his impossible to locate 1997 debut 'In Your Time' and his second release Under the Radar,which was released during the same year he was competing on Idol interestingly enough. This set does shave off the latter albums song "Hell Of A Day",probably because of it's inclusion on his post Idol third release Taylor Hicks. The first album included in this this set was released at the peak of the 90's soul/funk revival made popular through tribute albums,samples and alternative rock festivals and the sound that the album achieves should've easily made Hicks one of that areas shinning stars. From songs like "Soul Thing","Heart And Soul" to breezier fare such as "The Fall","In Your Time" and "Somehow" Taylor and his great band somehow manage to marry R&B,funk,Southern rock,jazz,latin and folk flavors so successfully it's hard to descern one from the other and is some of the finest of this kind of music I've heard since the heyday of the Allmans and the Doobie Brothers in the 70's. Because of the skeletal studios used to make it neither of this albums are not heavily produced but it's very clear this guy was (and still is in my opinion) someone with the drive,musicality and star power to make it as his own entity. The newer album is a bit harder driving and slightly slicker with a funky workout on the classic "Tighten Up" really highliting Taylor's interaction with the musicians playing with him. "My Friend" is another highlite that throws down a hefty jump blues number showcasing a style somewhat forgotton during this new millenium in favor of various swing revivals. A 6+ version of "Georgia On My Mind" featuring Billy Earl McClelland really brings out the blues in the soul classic. Throughout this album Hicks' writing,guitar as well as his vocal talents are highlighted and even though it's a potent reminder of how somehow TV can shortchange a musicians accomplishments it is more than worth the publics time to become acquainted with this music.