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The US version of Lewis Taylor's album, Stoned (with extra tracks) finally arrives!



Actually, I liked his first two albums and Limited 2004 better, but it's still a great record, IMO...
and it's been gettin' Great reviews so far:

from http://www.myspace.com/lewistaylor:

USA TODAY:

"**** (out of 4) Not since Terence Trent D'Arby's heyday has an artist fused old-school R&B and pop influences and techno-savvy arrangements as seductively or joyfully as this singer/ songwriter. Taylor's sinuous, keening tenor — which can recall D'Arby's voice, as well as Marvin Gaye's — is the perfect instrument for Stoned's searching, substantive ear candy, which fittingly includes covers of The Stylistics and Brian Wilson. From the soaring title track to the lithely beatific 'Til the Mornin' Light, Taylor's tunes remind us that soul can be playful as well as poignant. "

SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER:

"The under-the-radar British singer is an accomplished groovesmith who can swing from electric-tinged funk ("Lovelight") to psychedelic pop ("Til The Morning Light") in the span of one song, never sounding trite or contrived. "Stoned" is a highly listenable soul album that pays tribute to the classic soul musicians — Donny Hathaway and Stevie Wonder — but doesn't sound like a trite retread of their music."

LOS ANGELES CITY BEAT:

"...His principal avatars can be apprehended in the album-opening title cut. After a burbling synth intro, the number rocks in on a rubbery beat and some wah-wah guitar right out of Sly Stone’s book. The love-drugged lyrics (“You stoned me, baby, and I don’t think I’ll ever recover now”) lift a page from Marvin Gaye’s lubricious Let’s Get It On epoch, while his vocal growls evince a familiarity with Stevie Wonder’s classic early-’70s work. As the song reaches its climax, a fat Prince-style guitar solo roars up out of the mix.
Those models, plus a vocal sweetness one associates with Curtis Mayfield and some swirling production out of Norman Whitfield’s classic Temptations period (cf. “Positively Beautiful”), supply the basic template for most of Taylor’s material and sound. But other pop influences clatter around as well: In full cry, his singing tears a sheet from Paul McCartney’s book, and the rising, layered harmonies on tunes like “Back Together” and “Lovelight” manifest the imprint of Brian Wilson. (In a bit of bold homage, Taylor bows deeply to Wilson with a gorgeous a cappella cover of “Melt Away,” from the Beach Boys maestro’s 1988 solo debut.) Taylor’s music is so goddamned brilliant that I have quickly become addicted to his stuff..." (to read the full review, go to: http://www.lacitybeat.com...ueNum=116)

PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS:

"Blue eyed soul singer/multi-instrumentalist Lewis Taylor will leave you "Stoned" (Hacktone/Shout! Factory) by his dreamy, paisley pop music, steeped in the traditions of Stevie Wonder, the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Prince, Brian Wilson and Todd Rundgren. Ride the grooves on "Lovelight," "Positively Beautiful" and "Throw Me A Line." A-"

KANSAS CITY STAR:

"??? 1/2 (out of 4) Taylor is a psychedelic soulster and a do-it-all singer/songwriter/musician/producer from the U.K. who loves Brian Wilson as much as he does Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. On Tuesday, Hacktone Records will release the first U.S.-version of a Taylor album, the bonus edition of “Stoned Part 1,” and what a spacey, lush and creamy record it is, right down to the.. idyllic bonus-cut version of Wilson’s “Melt Away” and the gorgeous cover of “Stop Look Listen (To Your Heart).”
The foundation here is ’70s soul, R&B and funk (a little Thom Bell, some Shuggie Otis), but Taylor the producer craftily accents his velvety compositions with some electronic appliqués and acid rock flourishes that give his music its own subtle distinctions. As a singer, his falsetto is a lot of old-school Philly soul or a heavy shade of Curtis Mayfield. But overall, as much as Gaye and Wonder, Taylor shows a combination of contemporary influences and resemblances — some Cody Chestnutt and lighter shades of Maxwell and D’Angelo"

ATLANTA CONSTITUTION JOURNAL:

"Does anyone else find it puzzling, if not flat-out dumb, that most contemporary R&B artists look to hip-hop for rhythms, vocal stylings and lyrics instead of mining the great old music of their own genre for inspiration?
Thank goodness Lewis Taylor has better sense. The British soul man — whose imports have earned attention from the likes of legendary vocalist Chaka Khan, late R&B singer Aaliyah and Elton John — reaches back to earlier greats on his U.S. debut, "Stoned."
It doesn't have American R&B beat in the ever-important hooks department, but this expanded version of his 2002 "Stoned, Pt. 1" has more groove in some of its individual parts than current chart-toppers have in their whole songs.
"Positively Beautiful" combines a Marvin Gaye-like coo with Curtis Mayfield-style wicked guitar licks. "Lewis IV" sounds like something by Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates, if the blue-eyed soul man traded pop-soul for rock-soul. And "Lovelight" is a masterfully arranged force that shines on Taylor, and Taylor alone."

WINSTON SALEM JOURNAL:

"***1/2 (out of 4) Lewis Taylor has reached almost legendary status in his native England, largely because his previous two albums of psychedelic soul were accepted at face value as the work of a visionary. It’s different in the United States, where experimentation and originality led to no one taking a chance on Taylor’s increasingly mind-boggling albums.
With Stoned, Taylor has reached a funky level of soul invention that is too high to ignore. Few modern discs have expressed the joy of unbridled creativity as well as this marvel. Taylor’s influences are easy to spot - Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Brian Wilson, Jimi Hendrix. He writes, sings and performs everything, and he does it all with an painter’s eye. Sonic panoramas mix organic instruments with machines, rock with soul, and layer sound in ways that slowly reveal details that build to shuddering climaxes. Even more impressive is how Taylor adds complex, stacked vocal harmonies reminiscent of Brian Wilson over slow-funk grooves that Prince would be proud to claim. It’s unusual. It’s funky. It’s insanely inventive. It’s essential."

SOUTHERN FLORIDA HERALD TRIBUNE:

" In his native Great Britain, this psychedelic-soul star has garnered the praise of Elton John, David Bowie, Chaka Khan, Paul Weller and D'Angelo.
It's easy to see why: He's the closest thing to Marvin Gaye reincarnate.
Like Prince, Brian Wilson and Stevie Wonder, Taylor does it all -- writing, singing, playing and producing almost every note. He swims in a sea of multilayered harmonies on "Stoned (Part 1)," "Positively Beautiful," "Send Me an Angel" and "Til the Morning Light," and faithfully tackles the Stylistics' "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)." Originally released in the U.K. in 2002, the moody "Stoned" is repackaged for the U.S. market, with five bonus tracks. Now it's America's turn to embrace, in the words of the usually cranky Sir Elton, "an undiscovered genius.""


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[Edited 9/7/05 14:03pm]

It's about time! Lewis Taylor is a truly underrated talent who deserves A HELL OF A LOT of props!

The album cover is a lot better than the UK version that's for sure! Limited 2004 is one hell of an album!

'dre

Thanks Pali...When does this hit the streets? I'm dying to hear this.

SPYZFAN1 said:

What up Spyz! Dig, pali turned me on to this cat awhile back. I couldn't believe I wasn't hip to this dude. pali hooked me up too, player. Lewis is no joke. I hope his ass plays live at The House of Blues or The Roxy. I'll have to see that.

Thanx for the reviews, pali!

SPYZFAN1 said:

say player, get in on my thread over in Music and More "Your Top All Time Favorite P songs".

What's up, Brutha B?..I'm on my way there now!

Lewis IS the shit. I hope summa yall learn this time.

And next year when some of you need late passes, remember that paligap tried to told yall.

paligap said:

Right on

Onto the list it goes.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

AntonioFargas said:

I gotta thank YOU for tellin' ME, AF!! You, DreZone, and a few others were yellin' about him before I got hip!




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[Edited 9/8/05 0:41am]

SPYZFAN1 said:

It's in the Streets now...or at least online....


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blackguitaristz said:

Ndeed!! I'm crossing my fingers for some live dates here on the east coast!!



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Thanks,dude!!I really appreciate y'all hipping everybody to different music. Y'all are absolutely killing my bank account,but my soul is very happy!!I'm gonna get everything he has.As a matter of fact,I just ordered 3 of his cd's minutes ago. I always pass stuff on to others so they will grow musically,too.

Thanks for the info. I was expecting a domestic release.

everyone should own this album!

JonSnow said:

*bump* They didn't hear you!

AntonioFargas said:

Yeah, Say dat a little louder!!


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paligap said:

If he can throw down live, then that's when I'll really put him with the other's that he's always compared to in the media. All of those cats were able to slang in the studio AND the stage.

blackguitaristz said:

Yeah, we haven't had the opportunity on this side of the pond, but I've seen some pretty cool live footage from some of his UK shows, and heard some nice live cuts!


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I'd like to thank Manki for turning me onto Lewis a few years back. I will definately be picking this up.