So as I mentioned the other day to Simon, right after him posting about this feller and long, long since various people whose musical opinions I dig first blethered on at me about this record, I found it in my local charity shop for a quid, and bought it.
Would those of you who know it describe it as a grower?
I mean, it's dark and moody and complicated and sometimes a bit unexpected isn't it?
My first reaction is some of the tracks are walking dark funky paths in search of a tune, a bit.
I will stick with it, because I like unobviousness.
This (track one!) I think is superb. I'm sort of obsessed with it at the moment.
Lewis Taylor - 'Lucky' (1996)
Grower....hmmm....yeah, the later ones are more immediate, but even then the tunes can swirl around mysteriously. Its not for nothing the track I talked about came from an album called stoned......
ReplyDelete*nods*
ReplyDeleteDon't know of this at all, will need to give it a listen
ReplyDeleteIt's all noodly sub-prog neo soul funky bollocks Drew, be aware.
ReplyDeleteI like it but not as much as your succinct description Mr H. You should have been a music journalist.
ReplyDeleteA work colleague who generally appears to have good taste in the soul/funk/jazz area keeps banging on about Lewis Taylor. I have been meaning to seek out some of his stuff for a while. This will be a first listen for me.
ReplyDeleteGood charity shop find though even if it is all "noodly sub-prog-neo.." etc (sign him up for The Word, ha ha).
PS I'm listening to my latest junk shop find - David Fanshawe "African Sanctus". Strangely compelling. You would have a field day describing this one!
I've had a listen. I'd say:
ReplyDeletesub Carmina Burana/mediaeval choral mallarkey meets tribal chanting, with beats.
How did you manage to access my turntable from there?!
ReplyDeleteCan't argue with the description.
I must put in a word to The Word.
I'd never heard of him before, to my shame - I see he died just last month. And he was born in Paignton! That's a really interesting junk shop find (in amongst the Max Bygraves LPs?).
ReplyDeleteGilles Peterson and Patrick Forge used to play this all the time on their Sunday night KissFM shows back in the 90s, so this is a real blast from the past for me! He did another song I liked but now I don't remember what it was called.
ReplyDeleteDamn, I hate that; if you remember and it's off this, let me know and I will send.
ReplyDeleteYou can't go through life not liking Lewis Taylor Davy. When I first heard him on Patrick Forge's show I assumed he was some kind on Nu-Soul American contemporary of the likes of D'Angelo. Turned out he was a British former prog-rocker.Island dropped him probably because no one knew which section to put his CDs in in the record shops. I remember one Kiss FM dj getting him in for an interview, presumably to check out his wonderful taste in soul music but then getting very angry when he brought in a pile of Beach Boys records to play.
ReplyDeleteBittersweet and Damn are also highlights from this album for me. I've just checked my collection and I have another 3 albums by Lewis (say it in an Inspector Morse voice to brighten up your day?)He was great live too and if you're not careful I'll list all the places I saw him.
You old tiger you.
ReplyDelete