James Taylor - Mud Slide Slim & The Blue Horizon

Taylor-made for those who had faith in his shaky start

Taylor was a talented man from a talented family: his three brothers and sister were musicians who all recorded albums of their own. Notwithstanding that, Taylor was a mess when he signed to Apple in 1968. An ex-psychiatric hospital patient hooked on heroin, he’d had a hit album, hit singles, a severe motorcycle accident and a botched film career before he released this, his third set, in 1971. Bringing all of his past experiences and failings to bear, the album was almost cathartic (Love Has Brought Me Around, Places In My Past and You’ve Got A Friend) but retained the urge to roam and to escape his problems (Let Me Ride and Riding On A Railroad). A contemplative writer, Taylor only matched this once, with 1977’s JT.

Warner | 2561

Reviewed by Paul Rigby
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