Listening

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All Music Guide - James Christopher Monger
Listening, the fourth full-length studio album from singer/songwriter/actor Ben Taylor, the son of Rock & Roll Hall of Famer James Taylor and multiple Grammy Award-winner Carly Simon, is also his first for a record label. Written and recorded over a four-year span, the 11 tracks run the gamut from quiet, introspective folk ("Listening") and shimmery, gospel-infused Americana ("Next Time Around") to soulful, late-night blues rock ("Oh Brother") and breezy, west coast country-pop ("Giulia"). Held together by Taylor's deep, expressive voice and deceptively simple guitar playing, Listening feels less like an amalgamation of styles and more like a guided tour ...
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Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - James Christopher Monger
Listening, the fourth full-length studio album from singer/songwriter/actor Ben Taylor, the son of Rock & Roll Hall of Famer James Taylor and multiple Grammy Award-winner Carly Simon, is also his first for a record label. Written and recorded over a four-year span, the 11 tracks run the gamut from quiet, introspective folk ("Listening") and shimmery, gospel-infused Americana ("Next Time Around") to soulful, late-night blues rock ("Oh Brother") and breezy, west coast country-pop ("Giulia"). Held together by Taylor's deep, expressive voice and deceptively simple guitar playing, Listening feels less like an amalgamation of styles and more like a guided tour through the genres that have inspired the self-described "kung folk" artist (he has extensive training in multiple martial arts) over the years. Polished but retaining the weathered edges of someone who has spent their career employing a fairly strict, D.I.Y. set of studio ethics, the album plays by its own set of rules within an already established game -- the tuneful title cut is clearly the work of the son of James Taylor, while the sleek, trip-hoppy "America" reflects a more urban, less urbane perspective of the world. That said, incorporating reggae ("You Could Be Mine") and hip-hop ("Dirty") into an already busy cocktail can be a bit jarring, even for fans of the increasingly cosmopolitan world of commercial folk-pop (Dave Matthews, Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson), but Taylor's laid-back delivery, everyman lyrics, and familiar melodies lend each stylistic digression an air of unpretentiousness that eventually wins the listener over.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 8/14/2012
  • Label: Sun Pedal Recordings
  • UPC: 857333003099
  • Catalog Number: 90001
  • Sales rank: 13,550

Tracks

Disc 1
  1. 1 Listening (2:51)
  2. 2 Oh Brother (3:32)
  3. 3 Not Alone (3:27)
  4. 4 Giulia (5:02)
  5. 5 Worlds Are Made Of Paper (3:26)
  6. 6 Vespa's Song (4:58)
  7. 7 America (3:59)
  8. 8 Dirty (3:13)
  9. 9 Burning Bridges (5:18)
  10. 10 You Could Be Mine (3:20)
  11. 11 Next Time Around (4:18)
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Album Credits

Performance Credits
Ben Taylor Primary Artist, Guitar, Autoharp, Vocals, Sampling
Carly Simon Background Vocals
Sally Taylor Background Vocals
Larry Ciancia Percussion, Drums, Keyboards
Jeff Babko Piano
Mike Rowe Keyboards, Clavinet, Hammond B3
John Forté Vocals
Faith Background Vocals
David Saw Guitar, Electric Guitar, Background Vocals
Chet Lyster Pedal Steel Guitar
Koool G Murder Bass, Strings
Chris Thomas Upright Bass
Jess Denicola Background Vocals
Jessica Dinicola Background Vocals
Holly Martin Background Vocals
Beatzy Organ, Bass, Percussion, Strings, Drums, Keyboards, Background Vocals
Technical Credits
Ben Taylor Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Engineer, Executive Producer, Horn Programming
Larry Ciancia Producer, Engineer, Executive Producer
John Forté Composer, Lyricist
Ray Garraway Composer, Lyricist
Russell Klyne Composer, Lyricist
Dave Williams Composer, Lyricist
Ben Thomas Composer, Producer
David Saw Composer, Lyricist, Producer
Koool G Murder Engineer
Kevin Brereton Composer, Lyricist
Sam Destefano Engineer
Jacob Detering Mastering
Beatzy Engineer, drum programming, Horn Programming
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