Product Description

James Taylor is the godfather of the sensitive singer-songwriter movement of the '70s that clogged the charts with introspective folk-rock ballads and kept scores of troubadour manques up to their well-studied navels in champagne and caviar. He was the Nirvana to that generation's Bush and Stone Temple Pilots, an innovator besieged by imitators. But his '70s-godhead status hasn't hurt him any; he just keeps confessing and crooning on. HOURGLASS more or less follows the path of the last several Taylor releases: precisely articulated, carefully constructed songs that favour soft, muted colours over anything too brash or aggressive; and sinuous, literarysongs delivered in Taylor's smooth, relaxed croon. True to form, Taylor pushes all the right boomer buttons on HOURGLASS. The opening cut begins with Richard Nixon's impeachment, and then turns into the kind of inward-looking self-exploration that is Taylor's speciality.

Track Listing

1. Line 'em Up
2. Enough To Be Your Way
3. Little More Time With You
4. Gaia
5. Ananas
6. Jump Up Behind Me
7. Another Day
8. Up Er Mei
9. Up From Your Life
10. Yellow And Rose
11. Boatman
12. Walkin' My Baby Back Home
13. Hangnail

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26108 in Music
• Released on: 2002-04-22
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
The merchant of mellow's first studio album since New Moon Shine (1991), and you've gotta have a heart of naugahyde not to be touched by the simplicity and uncommon wisdom of these dozen tunes. "Little More Time with You" is a trademark Taylor single augmented by a Stevie Wonder harmonica line, "Ananas" is sly and lusty, while the expertly crafted "Line 'Em Up" features a fond recollection of Richard Nixon's "shifty little eyes." A-list guests like Sting, Shawn Colvin, Branford Marsalis, and Randy Brecker add to the charm. --Jeff Bateman

Customer Reviews

jame taylor hourglass
took i while to get into this album although we love james taylor. especialy like trk 1 ,line em up and trk 11 boatman. not his most acessable album but it will grow on you. you can close your eyes is ,and will always be probably my favorite song..........ever!!! [its not on this album by the way] go on give it a spin,you,l love it !

A Musical Sedative ..... yawn
In terms of musical heartbeat JT's Hourglass is a flatliner - barely raising tempo or temperature throughout. JT has always been laid back but his melodies and lyrics once had soul - now he appears to be kept alive by some kind of artificial pacemaker using top session musicians only. The album is so bland that I can hardly recall any particular highs (or lows). Time to turn off the life support systems JT. Lets have some more of that fire and rain.

Stupendous
What an amazing record. James Taylors ouput has always been good but with this CD he certainly reaches new heights. He seems to be totally at peace with himself and the album flows from start to finish with beautiful arrangements, great lyrics and that truly marvellous, mellow, emotive voice.
Get this CD and then after a hard days work pour yourself a glass of wine, turn the lights down and immerse yourself in the warm glow of JT at his very best.