James Taylor - American Standard (2020)

On American Standard, Taylor applies his gentle magic to classics like “My Blue Heaven” and “The Nearness of You,” refashioning their well-worn melodies into the friendly and inviting mode that is his signature. Wisely eschewing the orchestral big-band approach, he stays on familiar ground, recording on a smaller scale at his barn studio in Western Massachusetts and working with his regular stable of players. He also downplays the role of the piano, opting instead to base the material around the nimble intertwining of his own acoustic guitar and that of jazz guitar wiz John Pizzarelli. The result is a relaxed musical conversation that perfectly underscores Taylor’s tender vocals, especially on his sweet rendition of “Moon River,” a song so well-suited to him it seems like it should have already existed before now. This sense of pleasant familiarity more or less guides the entire album as he turns “Teach Me Tonight” and “It’s Only a Paper Moon” into James Taylor songs written by other artists. Horns and lush backing vocals do appear here and there, as does a slightly misguided dip into a borderline cartoonish vocal baritone on the otherwise strong “Ol’ Man River,” but the best parts of American Standard occur in the intimate moments that constitute Taylor’s wheelhouse and of which there are more than enough to satisfy. ― Allmusic

Tracklist
01. My Blue Heaven – 02:43
02. Moon River – 03:13
03. Teach Me Tonight – 02:59
04. As Easy As Rolling Off a Log – 02:50
05. Almost Like Being in Love – 03:43
06. Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat – 04:11
07. The Nearness of You – 03:52
08. You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught – 02:26
09. God Bless the Child – 03:22
10. Pennies from Heaven – 02:52
11. My Heart Stood Still – 03:27
12. Ol’ Man River – 02:54
13. It’s Only a Paper Moon – 03:12
14. The Surrey with the Fringe on Top – 03:20

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