Chip Taylor: The London Sessions Bootleg : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

Who the hell is Chip Taylor?" asks the man himself in the liner notes to The London Sessions Bootleg+. This singer-songwriter's name may not be well-known, but nearly everyone has heard two of his compositions: the garage-band chestnut "Wild Thing" and the heartbreak-pop smash "Angel of the Morning." After penning those Sixties hits for the Troggs and Merilee Rush, respectively, Taylor went on to record a handful of country albums in the 1970s, then became a professional gambler for the next two decades. His fourth release since his return to music in the Nineties proves that he hasn't lost his chops: This two-CD set, consisting of one electric and one acoustic disc, spotlights Taylor's lived-in, smoky voice and sharp songwriting. Distinctive harmonies from Lucinda Williams add pathos to bittersweet ballads such as "Annie on Your Mind" and "The Ghost of Phil Sinclair"; Taylor's conversational tone brings to life the compelling story-song "The Healer" and the bluesy self-examination "Holy Shit." Las Vegas' loss is our gain. (RS 837)

HOLLY GEORGE WARREN