An Evening with James Taylor

James Taylor's album In The Pocket, released in spring of 1976, sealed his popularity by continuing the qualities that have made his music admired more than any other modern troubadour. Its subtle, soft tones, like "Daddy's All Gone," contrasted by it's energetic "Money Machine," keep his old fans as well as his new on a wonderful rollercoaster of emotion. One of these songs will touch any mood you might be in.

James has been around since his 1970's Sweet Baby James, featuring the hit "Fire and Rain." Soon after that, in 1971, he was on the cover of Time Magazine. He had hit it big early in his professional career on Apple records. He hit big again that year with Mud Slide Slim and The Blue Horizon, that contained Carole King's "You've got a Friend."

In 1972 he released One Man Dog, and Walking Man in 1974. By this time, he had topped the charts again with "Mockingbird" and James Taylor became a household name. His next LP Gorilla, released in 1975, contained another smash hit "How Sweet it is (To be Loved by You)."

Taylor, after all that success, doesn't lose a step with In the Pocket. It contains beautiful songs and future hits like "Shower the People" and "Slow Burning Love." Other stars of folk rock at that time also lend a vocal hand, like Art Garfunkel, Graham Nash and David Crosby. Like I mentioned before, every song on this album touches a different emotion. If you feel sad, the uplifting message in "Everyone Has the Blues" helps you get through your pain by understanding that you are not alone. If you are feeling romantic, you can turn on "Slow Burning Love" or "Woman's Got to Have it." If you are feeling upbeat, there is "Money Machine." James Taylor's greatest talent is to be able to clearly yet beautifully express every sort of mood. That is why I feel that his music is so appealing, because his music varies in complexity. As humans, we have different sides to ourselves, and Taylor's music does too. If you are feeling upbeat, there is "Money Machine" or if you are feeling bitter there is "Nothing like a Hundred Miles" that sings about an ended relationship. My favorite of the album is "Nothing Like a Hundred Miles," because everyone can relate to a bitter break up. One of the lines says, "You may wish I'd go to hell, While you tell me what a pleasure it's been. So long, baby I'm moving on." The honesty of his words make it a rememberable listen.

Like most of Taylor's music, this album isn't a good one to work out to. But if you just want to relax and soak yourself in emotional lyrics, then this is a fantastic choice. It is also a good album to put on with someone special, show that person you aren't as shallow as people say. Some people will say that James Taylor's music is repetitive, because his music is always classified "soft rock" or always "in the same key." True, James's music never gets head banging hard, or techo dancey but if you love his soft, easy to indentify with music, you won't care.