Published on Aug 16, 2000
Sally Taylor has the musical lineage that many people would kill
for. Her mother is ’70s pop diva Carly Simon. Her father is ’70s
pop star James Taylor.
Interestingly enough, Taylor’s vocal style is more like Natalie
Merchant than either of her parents. Her new release,
Apt. #6S, features a young woman who wants to establish her
own identity as a singer/songwriter. But it shows that she’s still
very much growing into her own skin.
To be sure, there are moments where Taylor suggests that she’s
destined for greatness, just like her parents. Tracks like “March
Like Soldiers” and “4 Kim,” the latter a possible lament over a
lost love, are incredibly powerful and captivate the listener from
the first note.
Regrettably, the bulk of
Apt. #6S doesn’t have this same magical property. Many of
the songs are passable and enjoyable enough, like “Give Me The
Strength,” “All This Time” and “40 Years.” But a good portion of
the album is comprised of half-baked concepts that are just not
executed well enough to convince me that Taylor has achieved her
full potential.
Songs such as “Convince Me,” “Without Me” and “Nisa” just fail
to light up the speakers the way that some of the earlier material
does. Maybe it’s because of the stronger start that Taylor displays
on this album that leaves the better part of the second half as
somewhat of a disappointment.
And it’s not that I expected Taylor to come out sounding like
either of her parents; in fact, I’m glad that she doesn’t. This
way, Taylor is given the chance to succeed or fail on her own
merits without seeming like she’s riding Mom or Dad’s coattails
musically. By no means is she a failure with
Apt. #6S, but I’d hardly qualify this disc as a success,
either.
Taylor has the potential to be a great songwriter, and she
already has a fine voice.
Apt. #6S is a step in the right direction for her, but
Taylor still needs seasoning in her craft before she’s ready to
ascend to the levels her parents reached in their heyday. Can she
do it? I don’t doubt it… but she’s not there yet.