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PRICE:
$36.50
$36.50
IN STOCK
ARTIST
TAYLOR, LEWIS
TITLE
Lewis Taylor
FORMAT
2LP
LABEL
BE WITH RECORDS
CATALOG #
BEWITH 099LP
BEWITH 099LP
GENRE
ROCK
RELEASE DATE
9/10/2021
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.
Other releases on BE WITH RECORDS
Other releases by TAYLOR, LEWIS