October Road＜限定盤＞

James Taylor's 15th studio album of his first new recordings in 32 years is, if possible, even more familiar and self-referential than ever. By now, it is an article of faith that you could take practically any track from any Taylor album and put it on another one without disturbing the mood, and that is as true of the songs here as it is of those on the other 14. That warm (if slightly deepened) tenor, singing in its odd accent which combines New England and the North Carolina Piedmont, and that acoustic guitar, with its sparkling, unhurried fingerpicking, remain the most prominent elements in the sound. But even more, October Road finds Taylor seemingly intent on evoking his own past. The title track, of course, recalls his song "Country Road," and "Caroline I See You," (even if it refers specifically to his wife), inescapably echoes "Carolina in My Mind." Also, Taylor deliberately recycles themes from his earlier work. "October Road" begins, "Well I'm going back down maybe one more time," while "My Traveling Star" ends, "And shame on me for sure/For one more highway song." Throughout, on what seem like the most personal songs he has written in decades, Taylor appears to be commenting on a second chance he feels he has received, and though he couches the negative aspects in humor ("Mean Old Man," whose subject is the singer, ends with a dog joke, and "Raised Up Family," which contains recriminations, tosses in a musical reference to Gilligan's Island), there are strong hints of a man who feels he's been rescued. As such, it is perhaps fitting (if seasonally curious for an album released in the summer) to conclude with "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," a holiday song from wartime that reaffirms the importance of family in a world gone awry. ~ William Ruhlmann

グラミー受賞アルバム「ＨＯＵＲ　ＧＬＡＳＳ」から５年ぶりのリリースとなった本アルバム。２０００年にロックの殿堂入りとソングライターの殿堂入りを果たしたＪ．Ｔ．。本作も極上のアルバムです。プロデューサーは「ＧＯＲＩＬＬＡ」「ＩＮ　ＴＨＥ　ＰＯＣＫＥＴ」で共同作業した、ＲＵＳＳ　ＴＩＴＥＬＭＡＮ。しっとりとして男っぽいボーカルに、卓越したギター･プレイが絡み合い、しっかりＪ．Ｔ．ワールドを創りだしています。 (C)DaKaRa

えらく待たされた感があるが、5年前の『Hourglass』についでまたも胸暖まる秀作が誕生した。彼ならではの節回しがより光るように設計されたサウンドとメロディー（口笛挿入のタイミングも憎いほど）。すべての面において到達点の高さを感じさせる作品なのである。場を仕切ったのはワーナ－後期の傑作群に携わったラス・タイトルマン。ということでライ・クーダ－も登場し、滋味深いスライドを披露。いい秋になりそうだ。
bounce (C)桑原 シロー