James Taylor (Remastered)

I thought this was an album of hits- a compilation. It was recorded in ‘67 or ‘68 and then remastered. I may have some bias though because I used SIRI and thought I was purchasing something else so was disappointed

Your comments are entirely correct - with only one adjustment. Yes, these were the original versions of Carolina etc -we had to re-record them later for the Greatest Hits because the Apple tracks were tied up in legal confusion. The orchestral arrangements were done by Richard Hewson, and the links by the musicians and me. However we were not (as is often written) taking advantage of unused Beatles' studio time. We booked and paid for the time in the usual way - the Beatles were not there yet. Paul "discovered" Trident when he came to play on Carolina for me, and then brought the band over there to record "Hey Jude" - the first time they had more than 4 tracks to play with!

This is not a collection of the tracks you heard on later albums. Richer arrangements. No, they have not simply sped them up - these are different recordings, done by Peter Asher at the same time The White Album was being recorded literally next door at Trident Studios. Asher used studio time the Beatles didn’t end up using. Paul and George are on this album. Better than the usual tracks? Who knows. Different and worth listening to.

This is a classic album. It is a snap shot into the sound that would soon over take folk rock. With that said, whomever did the "remastering" of this should be sued for mal practice. James Taylor, possibly the best vocalist of this genre, sounds like he should be singing with The Chipmunks. They have sped up the original recording, for what reason, I have no idea. I'm sure if Mr. Taylor were to hear this he would be embarrassed.

This album is thought-provoking, musically intricate and quite wonderful. The musical bridges between songs are wonderful and take this album where few go.

I can only assume that James Taylor's 1968 debut album is getting short shrift because Apple recordings didn't come to iTunes until 2010. It also might be because the album's two hits were rerecorded for JT's Greatest Hits in 1976. Taylor had come to London to get away from a heroin habit and met (and auditioned for) Peter Asher, then one of Apple's A&R guys and the brother of Paul McCartney's girlfriend. This self-titled debut album is smoking hot. "Carolina On My Mind" is a remembrance of JT growing up in rural North Carolina, where his father had a medical residency. "Something In the Way She Moves" (also rerecorded) has multiple Beatle ironies: It had been originally titled "I Feel Fine" but that was nixed because there was a certain Beatle song by that same name. And let's not forget George Harrson's "Something" came after JT's song. "Knocking Around the Zoo" is Taylor's recollection of being institutionized for depression and addiction. "Night Owl" is a favorite of mine. Taylor's collaboration with Asher would prove to be his Apple swan song. Allen Klein would prevail over McCartney's objection to become president of Apple records, and he proceeded to wipe Apple's slate clean of anything Paul. The rest, as they say...

Listening to the preview of tracks the demos sound closer to the vinyl my sister had circa '72 or 73. I've been looking for this in digital and gave up. Found it tonight but after the preview the demo tracks sound right but everything else sounds pitched sped up?

Still on a quest to replace my old vinyls. The old album cuts are different from the greatest hits stuff.