|
One of UK soul's most fascinating artists, Andrew Lewis Taylor is an enigmatic figure and a hugely under-appreciated talent. A prodigious multi-instrumentalist who got his start touring with heavy blues/psych outfit the Edgar Broughton Band, he released two albums of psychedelic-rock as Sheriff Jack before Island signed him on the strength of a demo alone. But Taylor was destined to be one of those artists unable (or unwilling) to be pigeonholed and despite the best efforts of Island's publicity department the music never sold in the quantities it needed to or deserved to. Island eventually let him go in the early 2000s and in June 2006, Lewis Taylor retired from music.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
BEWITH 129LP
|
Lewis II was the follow-up to Lewis Taylor's epochal, self-titled debut album. It was initially released in 2000 and this double LP release, its first ever vinyl edition, has been heavily anticipated for nearly a quarter of a century. After Island rejected Lewis Taylor's second release (later released as The Lost Album), he returned to the studio to record Lewis II. Less esoteric than Lewis Taylor, Lewis II is a more polished, sophisticated funk and mature up-tempo soul than the dark psych-soul of his debut. The production, whilst slicker, is a bit tougher, with more crisp R&B-flavored grooves, and head-nod beats and more bass pumping up his voice. The moody funk of "Party" sounds like a mad blend of Riot-era Sly Stone and Brian Wilson. "My Aching Heart", with its clean, slick, late '90s R&B drums, could surely have been a single. Lewis hoped "You Make Me Wanna" would be a single but the dank, organ-drenched groove, coupled with the growling eroticism of Lewis's vocals would've, again, made this beyond the pale for most mainstream music fans. Somewhat incongruous acidic synths and bleeps give way to a laconic summertime groove on breezy highlight "The Way You Done Me", all funky acoustic guitars and stunning, good-time vocals. Sumptuous ballad "Satisfied", a fan favorite, marries unusual instrumentation with classic soul-ballad structure. The dubbed-out, spaced-out "Never Gonna Be My Woman" is the closest the album comes to classic D'Angeloesque neo-soul, with echoes of the esoteric funk featured across Maxwell's contemporaneous Embrya. The "I'm On The Floor" / "Lewis II" / "Into You" song cycle stacks up against any other consecutive 15 minutes of recorded music. These could've been hits for Justin Timberlake during his Timbaland-collaborating days, such is the sonic and textural pop experimentation at play here. The extraordinary title track sounds like an outtake from Marvin Gaye's Trouble Man and spends its last third as a searingly dark piano-led psychedelic-guitar-crunching soul instrumental. The way it segues into, er, "Into You" is just straight up genius. The swoonsome, lovelorn ballad "Blue Eyes", apparently written in the spirit of Marvin's "Vulnerable", is a lush, slow swinger with some gorgeous noir touches. To close, Lewis completely retools Jeff Buckley's beloved, beautiful "Everybody Here Wants You". With fiery vocals, icy piano, and psychedelic guitars, Lewis recasts Buckley's effort as dramatic, ethereal soul. Mastered by Simon Francis. Cut by Cicely Balston at Air Studios and pressed at Record Industry.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
LP
|
|
BEWITH 130LP
|
Nothing compares to Lewis Taylor and nobody crafts a "B-Side" quite like him. Gathered together for the first time on one slice of wax, Be With Records present The Damn Rest: an album's worth of B-Sides from the era of the 1996 Lewis Taylor album. More off-the-wall and abstract than the album proper, these rare, underheard tracks burst with Lewis's uncompromising genius. The Damn Rest is the essential bridge between Lewis Taylor and Lewis II. Lewis Taylor's self-titled masterpiece from 1996 was to be originally called Damn. However, concerns over distribution in the US soured this desired title. When thinking about what to call this collection of essential B-Sides from the era of that first album, we thought The Damn Rest would be appropriate. But these tracks aren't simply throwaways or outtakes, as Lewis himself states: "each little group were recorded specifically for the release of each 'single'." The collection opens with "Asleep When You Come", the A2 on the original "Lucky" 12". It's a slow-mo string-drenched soul offering, cast in cinematic soft-focus with a vocal performance from the heavens. Also, from the "Lucky" single, "You Got Me Thinking" may actually be Lewis's funkiest moment, a great, gently psychedelic funky club track. Next, the gorgeous, meandering "I Dream The Better Dream" is just sheer, metronomic bliss, with shades of Stevie Wonder. As we move to the B-sides from the "Whoever" single, the first to feature is "Pie In The Electric Sky / If I Lay Down". A head-nod funk workout in two parts; part psychedelic heavy soul jam, part breezy Marvin-esque near-instrumental of the deeply lush variety. Flip over for "Waves", a shimmering, dramatic, sweeping string-led fan favorite. It's followed by the deep wyrd-soul of "Trip So Heavy" the final, dizzying track from the "Whoever" single and another celestial funk delight featuring strings, organ, twisted bass and heavy drums. From the "Bittersweet" 12", "A Little Bit Tasty" is a building, schizophrenic soul-jazz epic that starts out with Lewis performing a call and (distant) response with himself over a gentle mid-90s drum loop before snatches of heavy, crunching metal guitars blast apart the otherwise neat song structure. The Damn Rest is worth it for the inclusion of the jaw-dropping "Lewis III" alone. A dazzlingly lush and stunningly sophisticated prog/soul hybrid that owes as much to Pet Sounds as What's Going On with arrangements that grow and unfold in layers. Mastered by Simon Francis. Cut by Cicely Balston at Air Studios and pressed at Record Industry.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
2LP
|
|
BEWITH 141LP
|
Lewis Taylor's legendary magnum opus: The Lost Album. The intended follow-up to his first album but Island rejected it for fear of "confusing" the marketplace and its conception of Lewis as a soul artist. It's a breezy sunset masterpiece. The genesis of this incredible record needs unpicking a bit. Lewis stopped promoting the first album after a year and went home to record a completely different record that was the most un-R&B album you could probably ever hear. Thankfully, Lewis and longtime partner Sabina Smyth revisited the scrapped demo tracks in 2003. They decided to re-arrange, re-record and then self-release them. So, it was that the brand-new version of The Lost Album finally dropped in late 2004. The Lost Album was a fully 50/50 collaboration between Lewis and Smyth. It's not straight up "soul music" in the vein of his previous work. Yet, in its perfectly formed suite of one dozen songs, The Lost Album is dripping in soul. It features deep, fresh imprints on well-loved, accessible sounds. It's a proper '70s style double album. Deep orchestral opener "Lost" is a sublime, harp-laced, string drenched gem, a cinematic, melancholic Axelrod-esque mini-epic. Written by Smyth, it evokes Donny Hathaway's celestial "I Love The Lord, He Heard My Cry" from Extensions Of A Man. The only problem is the brief 90 seconds running time. It segues into the classic Brian Wilson-meets-power-pop-rock splendor of "Listen Here" which, with its outstanding extended harp-licked beatless intro, sounds like the younger cousin to Boston's "More Than A Feeling". You then drift into the ringing guitars of classic '70s rock anthem "Hide Your Heart Away". A new version of the heart-stopping, shoulda-been-a-massive-pop-hit "Send Me An Angel" opens Side B before the arrival of "Leader of the Band". Soaring, piano-led Rundgren-esque power pop that makes the hairs on the back of your next stand on end. The simple jangly brilliance meets experimental prog-rock of "Yeah" sounds like simultaneously like prime CSNY and late '90s Radiohead. Downlifting stunner "Please Help Me If You Can" and the warm textures and brilliant atmospherics of goosebump-inducer "Let's Hope Nobody Finds Us" are reminiscent of The Beach Boys' Holland. Closing out this remarkable side of music, the accidentally Balearic "New Morning". The final side opens with the vaguely Beatlesesque "Say I Love You". It's just classic, soaring pop-rock songwriting. The sassy, Stonesy swagger of "See My Way" injects enough rock n' roll attitude to compensate for the rest of record's peace-loving, AOR sun-dappled vibe. Album closer, "One More Mystery" comes on initially like a baroque-pop George Harrison before piling crunching drums and screeching guitar solos. Mastered by Simon Francis. Cut by Cicely Balston precise cut for Alchemy at AIR Studios.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
2LP
|
|
BEWITH 138LP
|
First time vinyl issue. Lost soul phenomenon Lewis Taylor's Numb finally arrives on double vinyl. One of UK soul's most fascinating artists, most enigmatic figures and most under-appreciated talents, Andrew Lewis Taylor is a prodigious multi-instrumentalist and eclectic polymath. Numb is Taylor's sixth album, initially released on his own label Slow Reality (an anagram of his name) and licensed to Be With for this physical edition. Lewis wrote and recorded these ten brand new tracks after a 17-year break from making music, although the album came together over a two-year period. Numb marks a return to the darker, more mysterious side of his output: "Brian Wilson-channels-Smokey Robinson atmospheres," as Mojo put it recently. In June 2021, news emerged out of the blue that he was readying new music alongside Sabina Smyth with whom he had worked first time around. On Numb, Lewis deftly balances stark, soul-bearing lyrics with moody mid-tempo pop-soul sheen. He deals candidly with depression, mental turmoil, even thoughts of suicide -- clearly more personal than Taylor's earlier songs. The music is rich, warm, and layered, with infectious melodies and hooks that stick with you. Triumphant dubwise horns ring out yet, almost instantly, "Final Hour" takes on a dark, downbeat vibe. Woven around delicate yet insistent piano and subtle strings over a killer bassline, the title track "Numb" is a good example of the lyrical themes throughout the album. "Feels So Good" is sophisticated '90s-sounding soul of the highest order. The music and vocals feel simultaneously optimistic and despondent. "Apathy" is a mini-epic, a symphonic-soul gem which builds and glides and, eventually, soars. "Worried Mind" is another slow-builder, creeping out the gate in a sketchy, discordant fashion before climbing to half-crescendo but never quite breaking free of its disorientating restraint. The brighter "Please" presents a more hopeful mood. "Brave Heart" quietly struts from step one, as Lewis's falsetto swaggers over a downtempo backdrop with ace echoey drums, beautiful strings and serene electric guitar. "Is It Cool" answers its own (non-) question with a spellbinding deep soul that oscillates between a restrained, barely-there backdrop and a lushly full musical accompaniment of acoustic and electric guitar and organ over bass and slick drums. "Nearer" is a magical, soul-stirring ballad in which Lewis sings of reaching a sweet salvation and achieving a peace of mind. "Being Broken" places Lewis's gorgeous voice high in the mix and the wordless falsetto and melodies invite you to ponder what Pet Sounds might sound like if it were refashioned as a dubby 21st century electronic soul album. Mastered by Simon Francis. Cut by Cicely Balston at Air Studios and pressed at Record Industry.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
2LP
|
|
BEWITH 139LP
|
Stoned Part I was the first self-released album from lost soul phenomenon Lewis Taylor. His third album proper, it was initially released on his own label Slow Reality in 2002. First ever vinyl edition. After parting ways with Island, and without a label deal, Lewis went back to his home studio and began to record Stoned Part I in 2001. Co-written and co-produced with longtime collaborator Sabina Smyth, Lewis sings and plays all the instruments on this beautiful, emotional and very human album. It represents Lewis at his most accessible and finds him in the middle ground between his two Island releases. In some ways, Stoned Part I distills the best of his musical sensibilities. The flawless production is dense, layered and very early-2000s slick. The bottom end is thick, funky and sexy. The complex, proggy-soul of title track "Stoned" opens the album with deep swinging funk and sweet soulful vocals, complemented by wah-wah guitar and swelling acidic synths. "Positively Beautiful" has shades of Curtis and Marvin; its richly layered harmonies propelled by a simple, metronomic click-track that gives way to a more fully fleshed beat for the magnificent coda. The slow, sweeping majesty of "Lewis IV" is all moody atmosphere, featuring dense, richly textured music and heavenly multi-tracked harmonies. "Send Me An Angel" is beautifully crafted sophisticated soul-pop songwriting in the vein of the very best Sade records. The smooth, psychedelia-lite "Til The Morning Light" is a gorgeous, sun-dappled love song, layered with Lewis's distinctive honey-drenched vocals. "Shame" packs so many shifting styles into one song; opening in a laconic, breezy style, not unlike a Dallas Austin or Rodney Jerkins produced R&B hit of the day, it morphs into a heavy psych-soul Soulaquarians wig-out before elegantly sliding into string-assisted symphonic soul and then back around again. The sublime, gentle head-nod funk-soul of "When Will I Ever Learn" (Part 1) is a neat, sweet bass-driven guitar-soul jam. "Lovin' U More" sounds like a classic turn-of-the-century Neptunes production. A Latin-tinged groover with more than a little Nile Rodgers-driven slick funk stylings, it's yet another instant Lewis bomb with those gorgeous harmonies and chart-friendly irresistible key-changes to boot. The funky seductive swagger of "From The Day We Met - Part II" opens the final side of wax, giving way to the gigantic buzzing synth-funk beast "Lovelight", a track so insouciantly mighty it should have been a massive hit for someone. To close this phenomenal album, the twisted electronic soul of "Sheneverdid" marries Lewis's beautiful falsetto to his virtuoso playing and an easy-cum-ominous musical backdrop. Mastered by Simon Francis. Cut by Cicely Balston at Air Studios and pressed at Record Industry.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
2LP
|
|
BEWITH 140LP
|
Stoned Part II is Lewis Taylor's pure, perfect dance-pop album. His second self-released album and fourth album proper, it initially appeared on his own label Slow Reality in 2004. First ever vinyl edition. An experiment in the sounds of contemporary pop and dance music, Lewis's wonky take on funky pop would annihilate anything kicking around the charts, then or now. If only it were given half a chance. Roughly half the tracks are absolutely essential, fascinating re-workings of tracks from the eternal Stoned Part I, as Lewis explains: "When we were doing Stoned we were trying different approaches with everything so we ended up with more than one version of nearly all the songs which left us with more than an album's worth of material. There was a lot of really cool house tunes around at the time which we were both really into and that shaped the sound and production, some songs more directly than others." The swoonsome, string-drenched opener "Madman" is quite the departure, a bleepy, bumping soulful disco-house record. It's followed by another huge dancefloor stomper, "Keep Right On". There's no let-up with the sparkling "Reconsider" which sounds an awful lot like Daft Punk meets Nile Rodgers. "When Will I Ever Learn 2" really slaps, presenting a breezier, more upbeat funk take on the brilliant original and incorporating "From The Day We Met" from Stoned Part I. "Out Of My Head Is The Way I Feel" is one of Lewis's very best songs. The vocals, self-harmonizing and virtuoso playing are next level. "Carried Away" is a real standout, Lewis's gorgeous falsetto riding a quasi D&B groove to begin with before adorning a more classically funky 2-step rhythm. The funky, Rhythm King drum machine soul of "Stoned Part 2" refashions the original in the style of an unearthed Sly Stone classic, circa There's A Riot Going On. Then glide to "Positively Beautiful 2" which, if it's even possible, manages to be better than the original. The epic, orchestral opening truly captivates before Lewis gets down with kaleidoscopic dancefloor-slaying Philly soul-funk. "Throw Me A Line" closes out the side "Shame 2" is a blissful, restrained version of the massive original, without the crazy psych-soul wig-out. The gorgeous mellow vibe continues with "Won't Fade Away", featuring Beach Boys harmonies over a barely-there pulse. The album bows out with a psych-soul wig-out, "Keep On Keeping On", a real highlight. Mastered by Simon Francis. Cut by Cicely Balston at Air Studios and pressed at Record Industry.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
2LP
|
|
BEWITH 099LP
|
Be With Records present a reissue of Lewis Taylor's self-titled album, originally released in 1996. D'Angelo lost his shit over it. Aaliyah's third favorite track of all time is on it. David Bowie rocked up with it to a TV interview, declaring it "the most exciting sound of contemporary soul music." In 1996, Lewis Taylor released his self-titled masterpiece. An effortless blend of neo-soul, sophisticated pop, smart grooves and laid-back white funk, it enjoyed rapturous reviews from critics and music legends alike. But the album never managed to make an impact and given what was likely a token vinyl release at the time, the original records have long since been near-impossible to find. Lewis Taylor's impeccable influences created a dazzling sonic palette: the LP as a whole suggests the visionary brilliance of Prince; the vocal stylings evoke the yearning power of Marvin Gaye; the effortless guitar playing shares the virtuosity of Jimi Hendrix; the haunting tones conjure Tricky; the innovative production and engineering invite comparisons to studio mavericks like Todd Rundgren and Brian Eno; the multi-layered, complex harmonies flash on Pet Sounds-era Brian Wilson; the dark, drama is reminiscent of both Scott Walker and Stevie Wonder; the complex arrangements create textures and moods with the feel of Shuggie Otis on Inspiration Information; the bold experimentation is akin to progressive artists like Faust and Tangerine Dream; the atmosphere is in conversation with Jeff Buckley's Grace. Sabina Smyth gets an executive producer credit on the original sleeve, but in fact she worked with Lewis on the production and arrangements, did a lot of the backing vocals and she co-wrote "Track", "Song", "Lucky", and "Damn" with Lewis. Together they created an exquisite and sensually-charged record, with a freshness to the writing that makes the songs catchy, melodic-yet-deep and sometimes even funky. The music is predominantly guitar-led and a mixture of organs and synths, live drum loops and electronic percussion make for a sort of modern soul backing orchestra. On the surface the album is gorgeously laidback, but beneath the lush, sometimes slick, production there's a murkiness in the seriously gritty funk/hip-hop instrumentation. This sprawling psychedelic soul opus really is a forgotten should-be-classic. Cut by Pete Norman and pressed at Record Industry.
|
|
|
|