Livingston Taylor & Tim Grimm

11.22.2005 -- Review by: Stephen Hug

Hugs and Misses

by Stephen Hug

“There You Are Again,” by Livingston Taylor (Whistling Dog Music)—He’ll forever be known as James Taylor’s brother, but those of us following the folk scene in the 1970s remember him as a distinct presence, with snappy singles such as “I Will Be In Love With You,” and “Get Out Of Bed.” Although for some he faded into obscurity, he continued to write, perform and tour and still sells out venues to this day. He taught performance at Berklee School of Music in Boston, sang commercials for the likes of Folgers Coffee, and hosted a national television show in the early 1980s. Recently he played the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, MA, which is where I picked up a copy of his latest release, currently only distributed through his website and at shows. “There You Are Again,” recorded primarily in Tennessee, features his former sister-in-law Carly Simon, brother James and sister Kate, Pam Tillis, Vince Gill and a cappella group Take Six. It’s a lush, pop production that retains a soulful down-home feel that reflects Liv’s upbeat stage presence and fearless embrace of sentimentality. Since Livingston contributed a track to a project I helped produce, I won’t rate this record. Suffice it to say, Liv Taylor is a must-see in concert; the man knows how to entertain! This CD reflects that talent and will brighten your mood if you’re having a cranky day.

“The Back Fields” by Tim Grimm (Wind River Records)—Hoosier Tim Grimm was, to me, just another opening act at the Narrows Center for the Arts a couple weeks back—until I heard his stuff, which made me look up and ask “Who is this guy?” Actually, Tim has had a prolific career as an actor, appearing in films with the likes of Harrison Ford. While I’m usually slow to warm up to singer/songwriter types (I bore quickly, I suppose), something about Tim in concert and on this record caught my furry ears. Maybe it’s the profound simplicity of lyrics such as “sometimes the only thing to do is work/pick up a shovel, pick up an axe/work out in the woods till it’s time to come back.” Maybe it’s his straightforward unaffected vocals. Maybe it’s that he’s not afraid to take chances—such as opening the song about the murderous “Ceely Rose” with a near-rap sound. I guess the bottom line is his songs. They’re worth paying attention to. On “The Back Fields” he wrote or co-wrote the tunes (with his wife) except for one track, Bob Dylan’s “Girl From The North Country.” Give this one 4 big bottle caps, our highest rating. Tasty stuff from the Midwest!