James Taylor - American Standard

American Standard is the twentieth studio album by American singer-songwriter James Taylor, released in February 2020 via Fantasy Records.

It takes an extraordinary artist to re-imagine some of the most beloved songs of the 20th century and make them completely their own. And that's precisely what James Taylor has accomplished with his brand new album, American Standard.

Recalling the best of James' early work, he infuses new sounds and fresh meaning into these timeless works of art. While these fourteen carefully chosen interpretations naturally feature James' warm, one- of-a-kind vocal ability and incomparable musicianship, what makes this collection so unique is the inventive way James and his fellow co-producers, long-time collaborator Dave O'Donnell and famed musician John Pizzarelli, approached the project.

Unlike most who have tackled similar material, American Standard is beautifully simple, with stripped-down arrangements based on James' skilful acoustic guitar work rather than piano, and the effect is mesmerising. It harks back to an early James Taylor where his guitar and vocals are very much the focus of the album.

This is an essential addition to the record collection of any fan of James Taylor.

This LP record is on 180 gram heavyweight black vinyl with a printed inner sleeve, pressed in Germany via Fantasy Records.