Customer Reviews

Other Covers

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

First if all, the music is fine, not great, but fine. To say it's awful or boring or whatever is silly. If you liked the first album, you're gonna like "Other Covers," period. But it's bull for JT and his record label to release a scant 42 minute album ("Covers"), and then spring these "bonus" tracks on us (as if they didn't originally exist) and expect us to shell out more money for them. If JT thought these tracks were worth releasing in the first place, they should have been. And if not (and presumably there was a reason they weren't -- unless it was a way of manipulating fans), they should never have seen the light of day. Releasing all this music at once would have created an album still shorter than most traditional pop albums put out these days, so one can only question why they didn't...Look, I'm a huge JT fan, and he's pretty much earned the right to do what he likes, but any way you slice it, a rip-off is a rip-off.

Other Covers, a James Taylor CD that was just released, has a few fairly good covers of songs although they lack the "oomph" of what I would expect from James Taylor. I notice that this was recorded at the same time that he recorded the songs for his other recent album entitled Covers; and this makes me think that James Taylor intentionally held these tracks back in order to produce two CDs and make more money off two album releases instead of just one larger CD release or a two CD set. Do I hear the sound of a cash register along with the music on this album? You bet I do! However, the quality of the sound is very good; you won't be straining to hear what James is singing. That artwork is nicely done as well.

The album starts with James Taylor performing "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" from the musical entitled Oklahoma. James delivers this with panache and his excellent diction makes his singing all the better. The mellow quality of the ballad is something I haven't heard before. James played with the tempo to put his own stamp on this ballad but it doesn't quite work for me--"Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" is an upbeat ballad that just plain sounds better when it's performed a bit faster. "Get A Job" is a better number that was once sung by The Silhouettes; those backup singers harmonize well without ever stealing the spotlight away from James--and I really like that percussion. "Get A Job" is clearly a highlight of this album.

"Memphis" has a fine musical arrangement; and James sings this very well, actually. I like the melody and James never lets go of a superfluous note. The musical arrangement complements James's vocals perfectly. I like that brass, too! In addition, we get "Wasn't That A Mighty Storm;" "Wasn't That A Mighty Storm" has a good flavor to it and this is one of the stronger numbers on the album; James and the others perform this well but again it just doesn't have the positive energy that I yearn for so much when I want to hear James Taylor sing his tunes!

"In The Midnight Hour" by Wilson Pickett and Steve Cropper works well; James sings this with more passion and it's a highlight of the CD. James and the others sing this with panache and I can hear more of that James Taylor magic I always like. "In The Midnight Hour" uses the guitar very well and the percussion enhances the song even more. The album then ends with James Taylor and his buddies performing "Knock On Wood." "Knock On Wood" has a feel to it that works well even if I am used to a faster tempo for this tune.

Overall, Other Covers has some music that works and some music that doesn't reach the heights I expect from an accomplished artist like James Taylor. While his diehard fans may want this CD anyway, it's not the best place to start for people just getting to know the artistry of James Taylor--it could well turn them off! I heard the music but along with that music came the sound of someone "cashing in;" and that's a shame.

Music: 3 stars; compilation: 2 stars; value for the money: 1 star

Last Fall James Taylor released the "Covers" album, which was not all that bad actually. His voice is as good as ever, and JT is one of those people who can take a song, almost ANY song, and make it his own.

Now, a mere 6 months after that album comes this release. "Other Covers" (7 tracks; 26 min.) obviously is a continuation of the "Covers" album. There are a couple of good songs on here, including the Chuck Berry cover "Memphis" and also "Wasn't That a Mighty Storm" (a traditional song). However, the medley "In the Midnight hour/Knock on Wood" is just terrible, in my opinion.

I don't know what to make of this release, though. At 26 min. it's too long to be called an EP (extended play single), and too short to be called an album. So what do we call this then? Also, the official release price is $9.99 (although Amazon sells it for a bit less), which I think is ridiculously overpriced for the amount of music on here. Buyer beware!

This is a total disappointment. I am a big James Taylor fan, and I have enjoyed many of the covers he has done on previous albums. I thought the original "Covers" album was just bland and a come down from his other work. The "Shiver Me Timbers," on this new albumm for instance, is just awful. What were they thinking? They took a beautiful and subtle song and reduced it to about 3 chords. Taylor usually *improves* songs with his covers, or at least brings a new dimension to them. The 7 songs in this album don't add to what has been a stellar career, I'm afraid.

I was given the 'Covers' CD at Christmas and enjoyed it very much. In particular, I liked Seminole Wind and loved hearing JT's version of Witchita Lineman and it made me want to hear him do more Jimmy Webb/Glen Campbell songs. So when I heard that there was a 'More Covers' CD to be released, I thought how perfect! Unfortunately, I found this CD not only short but a bit flat. As big a fan as I am (having heard James Taylor in concert numerous times), this one left me feeling a bit cheated.

I am an old JT fan since the mid-70's; own all his albums, even his first one with Apple; have been to over a dozen JT concerts in various cities and venues. However, this album is an affront to JT's followers and fans. Seven banal songs schlepped together for a CD? James has always seemed as a man of reason and decency. I trust this was a result of record company charlatans without James's input. Please do better next time, James....

I am a 60+ yr. old professional musician who was playing blues and jazz before James ever released any material.If you know anything about music or arrangement,you would instantly recognize how subtle and beautiful his interpretation of Shiver me timbers is. You may also realize the depth of his respect for those that have recorded these songs before him and be less inclined to berate his creative efforts. There are always mitigating circumstances surrounding any song releases....we don't know them,but, I am sure his intentions were honorable and I know that he is not in the business just for the money. I thank him as always for sharing his gifts. Blair Weymouth p.s. I can buy exactly 4 medium size coffees for what I paid for this cd.

I am a lifelong JT fan. My brothers were in their later teens when I started listening to 'pop' music and James Taylor was one of the first voices that it didn't matter what he was singing. Sad dirges of hard times and tragedy, somber lullabyes, soulful blues ballads and just plain fun diddys. Didn't matter. It was JT and that's always been enough. Until this. If these were songs that he's always wanted to record than good for him. I hope he enjoyed it. I found them to sound almost forced, as if he had a quota with the Label. I own the first, I won't own this.

First let me say that I think there's more to like on Other Covers than there was on Covers. Most of the songs from both discs have probably been performed live at various concerts. I heard Why Baby Why in concert and was happy to finally add it to my collection with the Covers CD. I don't believe that this is any indication that JT is out of material. They're covers, not originals. They're songs he's performed over the years and has now made available on CD. No harm or foul there.

For those of you who are upset about the scant 7-track Other Covers and feel as though this should have been a single release of all 19 songs, get this: It was released that way in Europe. All tracks except Get A Job were released on a single disc entitled James Taylor Sings Covers. So why wasn't it released that way here? Having asked that, it's a good bet that we'll see a combined "special edition" of Covers with bonus tracks next. Anything to sell another disc. That is disappointing.

I love James Taylor and have several of his albums. This is the only one that I have ever disliked... so much so that I got rid of it (sold it online). There was only one song that I liked. The rest was an awful disappointment to me and nothing like his previous body of work. Of all of the songs he could have selected to cover, he chose a rather odd and boring compilation. I still love JT, but this album just didn't cut it.