•
Rating:
THE REVIEW
1979: "Flag". An hybrid album between the pure singer-songwriter style of the '70s and the more pop style of a seasoned entertainer of the '80s. The first track "Company Man" is a classic Taylor song, which doesn't particularly thrill but doesn't disappoint either, with a classic Taylor opening: a few plucked strings and then a sweet and velvety vocal melody that paces the song… The first five seconds are enough for us to exclaim: 'It's the same good old James!'. The second track is also nice: "Johhny Comes back".
The same cannot be said for the third track, perhaps the worst piece in the artist’s entire discography: the remake of "Day Tripper". Annoying sound, completely lost the charm of the original, James's splendid voice here really has nothing to say. Fortunately, the album recovers in the second half. In "B. S. U. R." a contagious and truly engaging chorus bursts forth, dealing with the theme of the difficult expression of one's personality, masked by an unreal facade. Wonderful "Millworker", a fantastic song with a tear-jerking melody, about the resigned life of a widow, condemned to the monotony, toil, and tedium of her work to feed her children: "Then it's me and my machine... for the rest of the morning... for the rest of the afternoon... for the rest of my life". Yet another great song with great lyrics: the concluding "Sleep Come Free Me", where a murderous prisoner finds sleep as his only refuge and momentary freedom.
Besides the aforementioned, noteworthy are: "Up On the Roof" by Gerry Goffin and Carol King, "Rainy Day Man" (already included in a different version on the artist's first album), and lastly the delicate, soft and subtly melancholic "Chanson Française". It's not Taylor's best, but his human and musical sensitivity, in some pieces, emerges, making them unforgettable.
Loading comments slowly
Summary by Bot
‘Flag’ is James Taylor’s 1979 album that bridges his classic 70s singer-songwriter sound with a more polished 80s pop style. While some tracks like ‘Day Tripper’ fall flat, others such as ‘Millworker’ and ‘Sleep Come Free Me’ showcase Taylor’s emotive storytelling. The album contains highlights and heartfelt moments, though it doesn’t rank among his best.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
James Taylor
James Taylor (born 1948) is an American singer-songwriter known for his warm, intimate vocal style and acoustic-guitar-centered songwriting. He emerged in the late 1960s (recording for the Beatles’ Apple label) and became a key figure in the singer-songwriter era, with major albums spanning the 1970s through later acclaimed releases like “Hourglass” (1997).16 Reviews
