Sally Taylor has the musical lineage that many people would kill for. Her mother is '70s pop diva Carly Simon. Her father is '70s pop star James Taylor.
Interestingly enough, Taylor's vocal style is more like Natalie
Merchant than either of her parents. Her new release,
Apt. #6S, features a young woman who wants to establish her
own identity as a singer/songwriter. But it shows that she's still
very much growing into her own skin.
To be sure, there are moments where Taylor suggests that she's destined for greatness, just like her parents. Tracks like "March Like Soldiers" and "4 Kim," the latter a possible lament over a lost love, are incredibly powerful and captivate the listener from the first note.
Regrettably, the bulk of Apt. #6S doesn't have this same magical property. Many of the songs are passable and enjoyable enough, like "Give Me The Strength," "All This Time" and "40 Years." But a good portion of the album is comprised of half-baked concepts that are just not executed well enough to convince me that Taylor has achieved her full potential.
Songs such as "Convince Me," "Without Me" and "Nisa" just fail to light up the speakers the way that some of the earlier material does. Maybe it's because of the stronger start that Taylor displays on this album that leaves the better part of the second half as somewhat of a disappointment.
And it's not that I expected Taylor to come out sounding like either of her parents; in fact, I'm glad that she doesn't. This way, Taylor is given the chance to succeed or fail on her own merits without seeming like she's riding Mom or Dad's coattails musically. By no means is she a failure with Apt. #6S, but I'd hardly qualify this disc as a success, either.
Taylor has the potential to be a great songwriter, and she already has a fine voice. Apt. #6S is a step in the right direction for her, but Taylor still needs seasoning in her craft before she's ready to ascend to the levels her parents reached in their heyday. Can she do it? I don't doubt it... but she's not there yet.