Customer Reviews

New Moon Shine

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Except for a somewhat lame but still listenable Sam Cooke cover, this is the best, most consistent album that James Taylor has recorded in years. He continues his one-per-album "quirky song" quota with "The Frozen Man", and "Copperline", "Shed a Little Light" (a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.), "Slap Leather" (an anti-Gulf War song) and an awesome cover of the traditional "The Water Is Wide" are all highlights, but they are all overshadowed by the absolutely incredible "Native Son", a tale of a Union soldier returning home from the Civil War that is the most moving song, lyrically and musically, that Taylor has recorded since "Fire and Rain". A must-have for all fans of JT, even casual ones, and should also be high on the list of anyone who enjoys good, well-written, laid-back acoustic-based music. 5 stars, despite the fact that "Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha" is probably second only to "Day Tripper" as the worst JT cover ever. The rest of the album is that good. :-)

Having owned Hourglass and, of course, his greatest hits CD, I purchased New Moon Shine to listen to his more recent work and it made me a James Taylor fan. "Copperline" is a favorite that sets the mood for the whole CD. "Slap Leather" is a sharp, fast rocker along with "(I've Got to) Stop Thinkin' 'Bout That". "Shed a Little Light", "Down In The Hole", "Oh Brother" and "Like Everyone She Knows" are the acoustic type songs with the backing vocals you see on his several TV specials. My favorite on the CD is "The Frozen Man", a song that sends you to the lyric sheet to follow along with the story. If you are thinking about exploring James Taylor after listening to just his greatest hits, this is the CD to listen to first.

James Taylor has given us so many wonderful albums over the last couple of decades (Gee, is it thirty years already?) that it truly surprising to see him come up with yet another blockbuster of a song cycle as he has produced here. From the opening bars of "Copperline", a dreamy recollection of why it is we can never go home again to the comical yet thoughtful "Frozen man", in which Taylor playfully cautions us about the dehumanizing possibilities science is beginning to confront us with, there isn't a dog in the bunch. As always, this is an eclectic mixture of folk ballads like "Native Son" and "The Water Is Wide" to an excellent cover of old favorite "Everybody Loves To Cha Cha Cha" to contemporary songs like "Got to Stop Thinking `Bout That". What we have here, folks, is a guarantee of entertaining, superbly rendered, and always memorable music by one of the old masters of popular folk-rock. After all, "JT" has now successfully negotiated the fifty-year mark, and like the rest of us boomers, shows no sign of slowing down or repeating himself. Enjoy!

There are haunting melodies and awesome guitar licks on this fabled CD.
JT is in fine form here and the previous criticism recorded on other feedback is quite obviously just that, pretentious criticism.
Enjoy this one and the soon too few to come from JT.

Love this CD. The songs "Copperline," "Shed a Little Light," and "Frozen Man" -alone are worth admission.

1991's "New Moon Shine" contains a few of James Taylor's most inspiring songs unfortunately interwoven with just as many disposable tunes, but those tracks which are among his best are worth the price of the album alone. Taylor drifts into nostalgia in the excellent opening track "Copperline" (co-written with author Reynolds Price) and with a fine talent for detail and with many carefully chosen adjectives once again gently beckons the listener into his world like an old friend. "Shed A Little Light" is an upbeat and infectious tune even though lyrically it sometimes crosses the line into blatant didacticism. After listening to this track a few times however, it becomes difficult not to hum along with this anthem-like song and carry its simple melody and its important, straightforward message into the world with you. Perhaps one of the finest compositions of Taylor's career, which is evidenced by its intricate arrangement, sublimely beautiful melody and metaphorical words is "The Frozen Man", a chilling song about a 100-year-old man found in ice and brought back to life in the modern world. Simply beautiful and perhaps autobiographical as well...it is the album's unassailable highlight.

There are many lesser moments to be found on "New Moon Shine". To follow the delicate "Frozen Man" with the preachy, rocking "Slap Leather" is a bit of an assault. There is also a fair amount of filler which follows as well, like the feather-light "One More Go Around" and Sam Cooke's "Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha". However, tunes like "Down in The Hole", while initially appearing to be mindlessly rocking and somewhat unmelodious, work their way into ones soul with equal amounts of mystery and conviction.

There are many great reasons for anyone to hear and enjoy much of "New Moon Shine" and once again Taylor's mostly good work is always a safe bet.

Taylor entered the 1990s with his first album to be limited to CD and cassette tape releases (no vinyl LP): "New Moon Shine". I have to admit that upon receiving this album, I was under the impression that the entire disc as a whole album was on the weak side, reading several negative reviews. I knew the songs "Copperline", "Shed A Little Light" and "The Frozen Man" from the "Pull Over" DVD concert, but didn't have any other knowledge beyond those tracks. Nothing really caught my attention on the first listen, but on subsequent times through, it slowly grew to become my favorite start-to-finish album by JT.

"New Moon Shine" continues the sound of "World Music" (I believe that's what they call it) for the majority of the tracks. JT started to use this style of music on "That's Why I'm Here" and again on "Never Die Young". As good as those two recordings are I believe he perfected the sound of the genre on this disk.

First comes the nostalgic "Copperline", which will make you reminisce about your childhood with a good felling. The singer returns to his old home at the end of the song to find it's just not the same anymore, which is something many of us can relate to. Next we have "Down in the Hole", which is an analogy about how loosing a love can make you feel insignificant. "(I've Got to) Stop Thinkin' 'Bout That" is an upbeat song that is also about a lost love, and the singer seems to be driving himself crazy trying to forget his ex. The fourth track ("Shed a Little Light") is a tribute to Martin Luther King Jr., and carries a great message. After that comes a song with a unique concept: "The Frozen Man". The lyrics tell us a story about a man who was lost at sea many years ago and became frozen in the water. We are told of his discovery and how he is able to walk to earth years ahead of his time. The mood is broken with a political rocker, "Slap Leather". After that comes a buried treasure and a highlight to the album; "Like Everyone She Knows" begins as a song about a girl loosing self confidence, but soon evolves into a great message: No matter what anyone tells you, never give up on a love. "One More Go Round" may indeed be filler, but it's by no means a bad track and doesn't hurt the album. Next comes a Sam Cooke cover "Everybody Loves to Cha Cha", which deals with a dilemma: The singer's date does not know the dance, and that's all that's being played at the event. The situation is resolved with him teaching her the dance, and she ends up performing it better. "Native Son" is another contender for the best track on the disc. The song deals with the relief of a war ending and the returning to the comforts of home after a long battle. The disc finishes out with "Oh Brother", followed by another obscure JT gem: "The Water is Wide", which is an arrangement of a traditional song. It's a great song to just close your eyes and indulge in the great sound, and one of JT's best album finales.

The album cover is one of JT's most unique. Lyrics and band credits are also included with several more photos on a horizontal foldout. This is the original CD release from 1991, as the majority of the album was digitally recorded, so a re-master probably isn't necessary.

This album is probably not the right intro to JT's music. Perhaps you should go with "Sweet Baby James", "Mud Slide Slim" or a greatest hits compilation first. If you already have prior knowledge of JT's work and are satisfied, I strongly recommend the album that is "New Moon Shine".

My favourite song on this album is "Frozen Man." If you like JT, then you should definitely have this in your collection. Every album is like a slice of the man's life -- reflecting where he was at the time, and the issues he faced that we all eventually face.

JT does it again... copperline is my favorite in this cd. the others are also great! specially the water is wide revival. better than the original. :)

I have listened to JT all of my life...20 years! I grew up listening to him and when I was old enough, my parents took me to a concert. It was his New Moon Shine Tour and I haven't been able to get enough of him. I think he is one of the best entertainers and he has a style and grace that is enchanting. I would recommend this album to anyone who enjoys music. With JT you get a little of it all, he has a love for music that is so apparent. It is jazz, blues, pop, even some rock. He is a legend in his field and in my heart.