Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Number One Album For Old "JT"!, August 25, 2000
James Taylor has given us so many wonderful albums over the last couple of decades (Gee, is it thirty years already?) that it is truly surprising to see him come up with yet another blockbuster of a song as "Never Die Young" along with a wonderful song cycle as he's produced here. From the opening bars of "Never Die Young", a wry but dreamy recollection of a couple destined to rise above the level of the ordinary humdrum of small town mentality to the thoughtful and well-arranged "T-Bone" to the reflective "Baby Boom Baby" to the rollicking "Sweet Potato Pie", there isn't a pooch in the passel. As always, this is an eclectic mixture of folk ballads like "Never Die Young" and the pensive and soulful "First Of May", which is my personal favorite here. What we have here, folks, is a guarantee of an 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!
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
This One Grows On You, June 27, 2000
I bought this when it first came out, and I admit that it took a little time for it to grow on me compared to some of his other works. But this is a thoughtful CD with plenty of the usual pleasures to be had from JT, including witty lyrics, interesting musical textures, heartfelt emotion, and his unique and special voice. Favorites include the title track, a tribute to an unhip couple whose true love has helped them weather life together; Valentine's Day, a gem about love whose witty content is combined with a beautifully meandering melody; Sun on the Moon, an uptempo shot in the arm with a funky, syncopated rhythm driving it; Sweet Potato Pie, an unabashed love song; Home By Another Way, which retells a Bible story in an amusing and captivating way; Letter In the Mail, a wistful trip back to an old, now dying rural hometown; and the life-affirming First of May, which makes you want to dance, make love and eat wonderful food. Like I said, it takes a little time to grow on you, but it's worth it. JT is an American master.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An overlooked gem, November 10, 2002
This is my favourite James Taylor album. So many great (and largely unknown) songs fill the disc from start to finish. The title track is one of his all-time masterpieces, but it's in such good company it's almost possible to not realise just how special a tune it is. Of the songs that make up that company my very favourites are "Baby Boom Baby", "Runaway Boy" and "Letter In The Mail". Of the rest only "Home By Another Way" falls below par (barely). It depends on my mood as to whether I find lyrics (in reference to the three wise men) like "Some people call them wise, or orientals, even kings. Well, anyway - those guys" amusing or irritating. JT gets points for an all too rare sense of humour in the singer-songwriter genre at any rate. The cover photo makes a nice change too - that wolf is so darn cute! This is an ideal album if you want to round out your collection with more than the greatest hits albums. Only the title track is represented on those, so there's little repetition, and having that song twice over is hardly likely to bother you. Buy it.
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