Lewis Taylor - Whoever (1996)

Island Records ‎– CID 647, Island Records ‎– 854 747-2

Note: Oops! Just realised I've duplicated an existing post! Oh well, never-mind. Original linked here. - Kym

Andrew Lewis Taylor (born 20 January 1966), better known as Lewis Taylor, is a British multi-instrumentalist musician, born and raised in Barnet, North London. Quite close to me!

He is perhaps the personification on the word underrated.

Prior to making some damn fine Neo Soul music, Lewis was involved in psychedelic rock, something that he brought elements from to his soul recordings. Lewis was such a true artist that it's heartbreaking knowing how little sales success he had outside of those discerning heads like us (I hear his live shows were another level of excellent but I never got to experience one myself). 

He had so much talent and could/should really have been huge. He did some really interesting shit that you didn't find on your typical soul album:  experimental and always innovative, willing to push the envelope in new and interesting ways. It leaves you marvelling at the musicianship involved.

He retired from music as Lewis Taylor in 2006 after 7(?) albums and mild success that belies the dopeness of his musical output, but has been involved with others since such as Finlay Quaye and Gnarles Barkley as musical director, which is pretty damn impressive in and of itself.

Whoever is a slinky Neo Soul track, perfect in every way - the slick production, the vocals and tight harmonising, everything. It screams quality and hooks you from the get-go with a killer, laidback groove that's sounds equally good in a club or in the car. 

It's an excellent track.

Special note needs to be made of the gorgeously schizophrenic track Pie In Electric Sky/If I Lay Down With You which starts as psychedelia (Pie In Electric Sky) and mutates into something almost Marvin Gaye-esque (If I Lay Down With You). I remember having a moment with this tune on headphones many years ago. Eargasmic - but then every track on this CD is a winner, despite Whoever being the stand-out. 

Tracklist

1. Whoever
2. Pie In Electric Sky / If I Lay Down With You
3. Waves
4. Trip So Heavy

Download: LT-W.7z | Filesize: ???MB