JAMES TAYLOR’s
new album
“American Standard”
OUT NOW

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“A crash-course in the lexicon of American songwriting, provided by a man who traces his own artistic lineage directly back to these timeless tunes.”Riff Magazine

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Legendary singer-songwriter James Taylor releases his new album, American Standard today via Fantasy Records/Concord. The new collection marks Taylor’s 19th studio album and his first release since 2015’s Before This World, the first #1 album of his illustrious career. On American Standard, Taylor, reimagines some of the most beloved songs of the 20th century, infusing new sounds and fresh meaning into these timeless works of art. The album is available in a variety of formats including a limited edition 180-gram 45 RPM double LP. Listen and buy American Standard HERE.

James appeared on ABC TV News Breakfast last week, to chat about the new album – you can watch the interview here.

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The 14 carefully chosen selections on American Standard naturally feature Taylor’s one-of-a-kind vocal ability and incomparable musicianship, but what makes the album so unique is the inventive way he and fellow co-producers, longtime collaborator Dave O’Donnell and master guitarist John Pizzarelli, approached the project: beautifully simple, stripped-down guitar arrangements based on Taylor’s and Pizzarelli’s skillful guitar work rather than the more traditional piano. The effect is mesmerizing.

A small sampling of the album’s inspired repertoire includes James’ swinging take on Walter Donaldson and George A. Whiting’s “My Blue Heaven,” Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner’s enduring “Almost Like Being In Love,” from the score of Brigadoon; Hoagy Carmichael and Ned Washington’s enchanting “The Nearness of You,” Frank Loesser’s jaunty “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat,” from the Broadway smash Guys and Dolls; Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II’s piercing social commentary from South Pacific, “You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught,” a superb reading of the Billie Holiday-Arthur Herzog Jr. classic, “God Bless The Child,” and the first ever cover of a song originally featured in the 1938 Merrie Melodies cartoon Katnip Kollege, “As Easy As Rolling Off A Log.”

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AMERICAN STANDARD
Track List:

1.  My Blue Heaven (Walter Donaldson-George A. Whiting)
2.  Moon River (Henry Mancini-Johnny Mercer)
3.  Teach Me Tonight (Gene De Paul-Sammy Cahn)
4.  As Easy As Rolling Off A Log (M.K. Jerome-Jack Scholl)
5.  Almost Like Being In Love (Frederick Loewe-Alan Jay Lerner)
6.  Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ The Boat (Frank Loesser)
7.  The Nearness Of You (Hoagy Carmichael-Ned Washington)
8.  You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught (Richard Rodgers-Oscar Hammerstein II)
9.  God Bless The Child (Billie Holiday-Arthur Herzog Jr.)
10. Pennies From Heaven (Arthur Johnston-Johnny Burke)
11. My Heart Stood Still (Richard Rogers-Lorenz Hart)
12. Ol’ Man River (Jerome Kern-Oscar Hammerstein II)
13. It’s Only A Paper Moon (Harold Arlen-Yip Hardburg-Billy Rose)
14. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top (Richard Rodgers-Oscar Hammerstein II)

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Follow JAMES TAYLOR
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Fantasy Records

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AMNPLIFY – DB