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Attentions turn to the media-frenzied atmosphere of The Social for the showcase
of a musical stalwart.
Though you may not be as familiar with the Taylor dynasty as perhaps his native
Americans are, Benjamin is the son of James Taylor (country/folk star) and
Carly Simon. His style owes more to his father’s side of things than perhaps his mother’s pop-rock – adorned at all times with an acoustic guitar and gentle melodies.
Taylor in the flesh is a softly-spoken chap who describes himself as a “sensitive singer songwriter” and that is no more apparent than on the sweet ballad, ‘Vespa’s Song’. Speaking of tender moments of holding your heart, complemented by a
gentle acoustic rhythm – this is Southern stylings in their purest as the great American songwriter
plucks strings of the heart, and of nylon.
In a stripped-down acoustic set, Taylor played an energetic rendition of hit, ‘Wilderness’, his life-long friend David Saw accompanying him on guitar. That particular
performance didn’t do the tune an awful deal of justice – but it did have David strumming a guitar, perhaps as if auditioning for a
thrash-metal band.
Showing his mischievous side, Taylor bares his soul on the fantastically blatant
‘Wicked Way’. Singing about his rather uncreative way of drinking a girl into bed, the track
is produced well with a catchy rhythm, featuring charming lyrics such as: “don’t fight it; I know you’re going to like it.” And she may not have, but the media-savvy crowd certainly did.
‘Space’ – a track about dead friends and featuring a very atmospheric vibe for an
acoustic tune goes down as the best track of the evening. Beautifully
structured and thoughtful lyrics made into a traditionally sombre tune and it
even got the hearty round of applause it deserved.
Taylor wrapped up his set by ushering his three-piece backing band away for the
final tracks. ‘It’s Only Love’ and ‘After It’s Over.’ This was also interceded by an unexpected astronomical poem reading and maybe
some of the audience thought that were at a Pete Doherty gig for a split
second. Still it was a nice touch and did well to emphasize the reminiscent
reflective mood on display.
There is a beautiful simplicity to many of Taylor’s tunes, and in that respect the performance was quite consistent. He’s an old-school songwriter and a very likeable guy. But it’s all about delivery and there wasn’t enough in there to make it a memorable gig. 5/10 CM
(c) ChrisOnline.biz 2009
