http://floatingworldrecords.co.uk
Back at the start of the 1970s, prior to singer-songwriter (Chip) Taylor becoming a solo act you had an emergence of what has been listed among other things as adult contemporary (Carole King, Neil Young, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon). The best music of the trio could easily fit in there and not be intimidated by those more successful.
By the time these two albums were made Taylor had already earned a good few plaudits through the many songs he had already written. Lasting songs “Wild Thing”, “I Can’t Let Go”, “Anyway That You Want Me” and “Angel Of The Morning” to name but a few, and had by this time seen covers and hits too in the pop charts and some by country acts with more to follow; as the likes of Emmylou Harris, Anne Murray and Waylon Jennings from the latter genre covered his work. Taylor was soon to embark on a solo career, and the veteran Americana act is still making records too, his latest Little Prayers is a poignant and spare (with an infinity to Johnny Cash's American Recordings), contemplative triple CD feast fast gaining approval, with media and fans, both old and new alike.
As for other members of the trio you have session man, Al Gorgoni (Neil Diamond, Shirley Ellis, The Four Seasons, Dixie Cups, The Shangri-Las etc) and Trade Martin (songwriter, Ricky Nelson, Eric Anderson, Ian & Sylvia Tyson; film score writer etc).
Martin and Taylor share duties on lead vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, background vocals (Martin also plays bass, French horn) while Gorgoni adds 12-string, acoustic and electric guitar which is added to by Bobby Sandler on drums. It is a compact sound and on occasions understated as is the case of Taylor’s wistful “Dirty Matthew”, and on others a little soulful. Martin in particular caught my attention with his strong, unbending lead vocals on “Baby” and the excellent “Carolina Timber” (arguably the best track). As for Taylor he shines best on “Fuzzy”, the cheery “Toly Toly Guyuesha” and reflective ode “Mama Write A Song”. While of a true pop feel Martin leads the boys through a piano tinkling and brass warmed “I Can’t Let Go”; there are others too, and with a little tweaking and luck the trio may have enjoyed a good deal more success, but they were really little more than a transitional band, and never likely to last more than two or three records.
Maurice Hope