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Personnel: Chip Taylor (vocals, acoustic guitar); Lucinda Williams (vocals); John Platania (acoustic, electric, classical & national steel guitars); Bruce Koplow (guitar); Tommy Spurlock (dobro, bass); Tammy Rogers (fiddle); Zoe B. Zack (accordion); Robert Harbron (concertina, bass); Warren Vache (trumpet); Tony Mercadante (bass, background vocals); Seth Farber (organ); Dan Hale, Anton Fig, Brian Doherty (drums); Audrey Martels, Anna Guigui, Evie Sands, The Demanto Chrorus (background vocals). Engineers: Paul Middleton, Robert Harbron, Ed Solan. Recorded at Berwick Street Studios and University of Westminster Studios, London, England; Train Wreck Studios, Mamaroneck, New York; Station Sound, Nashville, Tennessee. Singer-songwriter and brother to actor Jon Voight, Chip Taylor has quite the resume. After penning 1960s pop standards such as "Angel of the Morning" and "Wild Thing," in the 1970s he moved into a more folk-oriented country style. After becoming disillusioned with the music biz he became a professional gambler, returning to music circa 1999. The 2-CD LONDON SESSIONS is a wonderfully rough-hewn comeback that finds Taylor bearing comparison to peers Kris Kristofferson, Guy Clark, and Townes Van Zandt, a troubadour straddling the genres of country and folk, crafting songs like miniature short stories. Some are bitterly reflective ("Farmer's Song"), others joyously defiant of love's trials ("Head First"). One CD is electric, where Taylor is given lean, boisterous backup by a small band; the other disc is more acoustic, with spare, minimal backing. Taylor's voice sounds like a younger, smoother Willie Nelson; as comfortable--and as comforting--as a pair of well-worn, yet sturdy boots.
