October Road (Limited Edition with Bonus CD) [ENHANCED] [EXTRA TRACKS] [LIMITED EDITION] [SPECIAL EDITION]

James Taylor

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 12, 2002)
• Original Release Date: August 13, 2002
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Enhanced, Extra tracks, Limited Edition, Special Edition
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00006CY3Z
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #123,351 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
There's a comfortable sense of the familiar to James Taylor's first collection of new songs since 1997's Grammy winner Hourglass; such is the curse of being a decades-spanning cultural icon. But, as on his best work, there's also an almost stealthy sense of musical restlessness that seeps into Taylor's songs here, as he colors some with deft jazz and international influences. The reunion with producer Russ Titelman (they last collaborated on 1976's In the Pocket) seems to have gratifyingly inspired as much gentle reassessment as retrenchment. Longtime Titelman compatriot Ry Cooder guests on the title track, a song whose autumnal comforts fit the Taylor canon and other album tracks like "September Grass," "Baby Buffalo," "My Traveling Star," and "On the Fourth of July" (the story of Taylor's romantic meeting with current wife Kim) like an old slipper. However, "Belfast to Boston" cries for peace in Ireland and elsewhere with some surprising Gaelic flourishes, while "Whenever You're Ready" throws some Brazilian rhythms and jazzy horns into the mix, and Dave Grusin's slick orchestral arrangement turns "Mean Old Man" into an elegant cabaret surprise. A little more of this musical adventure amidst the familiar romantic ballads and paeans to the comfort of home and family--including a gorgeously spare cover of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"--certainly wouldn't hurt. This deluxe edition features "Benjamin" from Mark O'Connor, Edgar Meyer, and Yo-Yo Ma's Appalachian Journey, Michael Brecker's "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight," and Mark Knopfler's "Sailing to Philadelphia," as well as interviews with Taylor and Titelman and behind-the-scenes clips of the album's recording. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars October Road Travels Well, August 16, 2002

By	Kilgore Trout - See all my reviews

I first heard James Taylor playing across a vinyl dinosaur on the Beatles' Apple label in 1969. The technology was archaic by today's standards, but when I spin that old disk on a worn-out turntable, one thing remains as clear now as it was then. James Taylor is possessed by a magical muse, which grows stronger with each dissonant guitar chord and intricate vocal harmony.

On that day in '69, James Taylor set me on a musical journey destined to last a lifetime, teaching me his pristine guitar style, consuming me with his haunting vocal arrangements, and touching me with lyrics that made me both laugh and cry.

A musical genius once clad in the faded hippie denims that were the badge of our unsettled generation, JT still touches the deepest regions of the heart and mind in his comfortable cottons, demonstrated by his new CD October Road.

When Taylor released his Grammy-winning Hourglass five years ago, it wasn't unreasonable to assume he had completed his ultimate masterpiece - a collection of brilliant musical pieces that surpassed anything done before. Notwithstanding that JT has created past albums full of classic, memorable hits that stand the test of time, Hourglass rose above the commercial appeal of FM conglomerates, with a collection of songs that fully demonstrated his musical and technical genius.

But along comes Taylor's long-awaited October Road, and one thing is now inevitably clear: JT raised the bar again. It is a bar that hovers far above a sorry music industry that normally panders to the belly button, pre-pubescent boys and tattoo crowd.

Despite the advantages of 2002 digital technology that makes October Road a flawless technical gem, Taylor is careful to keep his tone pure, as if he scooted up next to the campfire and hitched his beautiful Olson six-string on his knee. Invite some of the finest studio musicians and vocalists to the party, and you find yourself cruising down October Road with your best friend.

JT uses the old formula with fresh, new spices. In "September Grass," "October Road" (featuring Ry Cooder on lead guitar) and "My Traveling Star," JT covers the well-traveled path to which we're accustomed. He playfully teases with an old familiar guitar lick here and there that instantly transforms into a brand new tune, greeting you with the polite, southern charm of an old friend who's genuinely glad to see you again. For good measure, he adds "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," giving one pause to ponder in amazement that this is the same guy who knocks your hair off in concert renditions of "Steamroller Blues."

Taylor doesn't veer far from the road with "Caroline I See You," and "On The 4th of July," which pay tribute to his new love, or "Carry Me On My Way," and "Whenever You're Ready," a sweet, Latin flavored tune that provokes some serious toe-tapping.

But it is there where October Road takes new turns with "Mean Old Man," a clever self-examination in a style some critics compare to Gershwin. "Raised Up Family" is a dark, bluesy slash into Taylor's southern roots, where he alludes to a cousin whose life "took a whole lot of liquor just to let him live in his own skin" - a passage only Taylor could write.

The most uncommon tunes on October Road are "Belfast to Boston," a reminder of the artists' fears for our survival, and the most perplexing piece on the CD, "Baby Buffalo," which combines the dark imagery of mortality and obsolescence.

October Road showcases Taylor's often overlooked guitar skills, while his haunting baritone is as strong as ever. As always, he surrounds himself with brilliant musicians, and singers Kate Markowitz, David Lasley and Arnold McCuller are as familiar to the Taylor sound as his unique guitar riffs. As an added treat, Taylor's daughter, Sally, adds her strong alto to a few tunes, reminding those of us who remember the first time we heard the lullaby "Sarah Maria" that time marches on - double time.

Taylor's past success has benefited us all, for he can now take his time to create and nurture his muse, unrestrained by the profit-driven industry around him. He has cultivated a loyal audience that awaits his next work with patient anticipation. It is a luxury that few artists achieve, but the cream always rises to the top. James Taylor is more than a cultural icon. He is the beacon of a musical body that impacted the world far deeper than any that preceded or followed. As Eric Clapton is the mind, Bonnie Raitt is the heart, and Stevie Ray is the gut - James Taylor is the soul.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet Baby James Settles in For The Rest of His Life, August 14, 2002

By	Jeff A. Gregory (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews

Do you ever feel like you've grown up with JT? His lifespan follows so many of our own that we think of him as an old friend. And, on this first-JT-CD of the millenium, he's laid it out for us like an old country road.

I'm no entertainment reviewer, but I can swear James samples his own tracks on this one. The familiar riffs, rhythms, and melodies we've grown to love show up often and in brief appearances, like a quick glimpse through a rear-view mirror. Maybe that was the idea, who knows.

James has not only come of age in the sweet, deep, and soulful melody department here - he's also confessing what his life really means now. From "September Grass", a tribute to the end of summer and a nod to autumn, to "October Road", a traveling song, JT is telling us he's totally happy in his own skin.

"On The 4th Of July", James tells the story of meeting the love of his life, Caroline, with whom he's the proud dad of twins now. This is one happy guy, I'm telling you.

"My Traveling Star" shines the brightest on this album, with backing vocals so sweet and tight they make you cry. (Ok, so maybe that was just me). Remember JT's "Enough To Be On Your Way"? You'll be reminded by it on "Carry Me On My Way".

"Caroline I See You" - say it with me - sounds hauntingly like "Carolina See You". Something tells me that's not a mistake, although the song is about his proposal of marriage to Caroline.

"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" rounds out this amazing CD. Deep in the Berkshire Mountains, or tucked within Brookline's treelined streets, it's a sure bet that James will be having the happiest Christmas of all time. Welcome home, James. You've given us the ride of our lives. Peace.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A new page for JT, September 5, 2002

By	"kachooney" (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

October Road is a breath of fresh air. Its predecessors, Hourglass in particular, met with great critical acclaim, but left me regretting James Taylor's indifferent settling into adult contemporary boredom. On October Road, JT drops the synths and explores different edges to his music, something that I hadn't heard on a James Taylor album since Dad Loves His Work.

The comfortable foundation of this album is necessarily the tunes done in the vein of JT's greatest hits: "September Grass," "October Road," "My Traveling Star" and a few others come to mind. These tracks show why Taylor is the greatest down-home balladeer since, well, ever. The tunes that are clearly written for pop-singledom are done tastefully: "Whenever You're Ready" is the most obvious example, with "On the 4th of July following as a somewhat unorthodox second. "Raised Up Family" is reminiscent of Dad Loves His Work's "Stand and Fight" and In The Pocket's "Money Machine," underrated tunes that lay down the funk in a unique way that only JT can pull off. Tunes like "Mean Old Man" and "Belfast to Boston" don't come from James's typical mold, and are refreshing.

In addition to being the best JT album since his last collaboration with Russ Titelman, In The Pocket, October Road has taken great advantage of advances in modern recording technologies. I didn't realize how really great this album was until I listened to it on a set of quality headphones.

Recommended for everyone. Best new album I've heard in years, hands down.