Before this world

"He'll ease into his trademark laid-back pop, opening the proceedings with "Today Today Today" and brightening up the midsection with the happy "Watchin' Over Me," but as the record comes toward its conclusion, he takes detours into traditional English folk on "Before This World/Jolly Springtime" and "Wild Mountain Thyme," while etching out a cinematic protest song in "Far Afghanistan." When a record runs only ten tracks and 41 minutes, these departures amount to nearly half the record and turn Before This World into something unexpected: a record as relaxed as the average James Taylor album but one that's also riskier and richer, the right album for him to make at this date".

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"Han udsendte albummet Covers i 2008, men Before This World er hans første nye sange i 13 år. Og James Taylor skuffer ikke, hvis man har savnet de melodiøse og varmt omfavnende sange. Det er som altid sange præget af eftertænksomhed og stringent fremført med hans strålende sangstemme. Det bliver måske lidt glat undervejs, når optimismen tager over, men smukt er det, når han lader tankerne strejfe tilbage i tiden i Snow Time eller går op i tempo i den soulfyldte Strecth Of The Highway".