Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Not as good as "Hourglass" but do buy the limited edition
Being a very big James Taylor fan, I was looking forward to this new release. Unfortunately, it doesn't hold up to his previous work. Sure, the classic JT days are gone, but "Hourglass" was an incredible album, from beginning to end. There are only 4 or 5 noteworthy songs on the "October Road" cd, but the 3 bonus songs that are contained on the 2nd disc of the "Limited Edition" are worth it, especially the awesome tune "Sailing To Philadelphia" a duet with Dire Straits guitarist Mark Knopfler. "October Road" starts out strong, but in the middle it can put you to sleep. "Whenever You're Ready" just flat out annoys me and "Mean Old Man" is a bit [weak]. But hey, I did buy it :) I'm a fan so it's still worth having.
Rating: - JT Is Finally Back With "October Road"
"October Road" is one of those typical JT albums like "Hourglass" that at first you go huh? You think to yourself when you first listen to the album that you don't hear a memorable song. But then as you are outside doing yardwork or maybe just walking along, one of the songs such as "September Grass" or "Whenever Your Ready" suddenly pops into your head and then you think to yourself that it's actually a pretty good song and/or album.
For those who have not heard "Sailing to Philadelphia" which he first sang with Mark Knopfler, formally of Dire Straits, on Knopfler's album of the same title, it is well worth buying the bonus cd, because this is the best song of the bunch. Not to say that "September Grass" and the other songs on the album aren't fine, but "Sailing to Philadelphia" is one of the most relaxing songs I know.
This is a cd that I found I could put the repeat button on and listen to it a few times over and not get sick of hearing the same songs over and over again. It offers a nice mix of James although there are no real stir you up songs like "Sweet Potato Pie" or "Steamroller" except for maybe "Belfast To Boston" which is in a way a stir you up song but it is done very mellowy. The album is more of the modern James, and you can hear the influences of his classical background on quite a few of the songs.
The only two songs I did not like were "Mean Old Man" which I found annoying, and pardon my Grinchness, but I am sick of hearing remakes of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" even if they are done by JT. Unlike "You've Got A Friend", or "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence" which were remakes of someone else's songs that sounded very different then the originals, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is not very new sounding. Overall I found this album to be a nice addition to my JT collection. -Wesley Spahr
Rating:  - Worth the Wait
It's always presumptuous to write anything about great music...you need to listen to it to understand. But this latest effort by someone whose skills don't need too much explanation is worth the wait since "Hourglass".Lots of the familiar in the work, but not formula riffs or chord progressions...not just old favorites remixed or rewritten. If you would like some deeper insight into some of the places and themes that you'll find in "October Road", then maybe you should read at least one biography of the artist...it's well worth the time. You can sometimes hear the ocean or feel the movement of a ship in this music. You can detect the air getting a bit cooler as autumn approaches. Some of the tracks may stir feelings of sadness or longing, but there are other songs to lighten your heart as well. The lyrics range from the roguishly clever to the outright nostalgic. Musically, you can expect the very fine production and sound quality that we've grown accustomed to when James Taylor shares his special gifts with us. But aside from such "mundane" technical considerations, "October Road" is another wonderful work from an artist who pays particular attention to lyrical and musical excellence....and who understands a great deal about the fall of the year.
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