October Road

1	September Grass 4:51
2	October Road 3:57
3	On The 4th of July 3:25
4	Whenever You're Ready 4:14
5	Belfast To Boston 4:16
6	Mean Old Man 3:44
7	My Traveling Star 3:55
8	Raised Up Family 4:40
9	Carry Me On My Way 4:30
10	Caroline I See You 4:58
11	Baby Buffalo 4:50
12	Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 3:50

Barnes & Noble

In the time between James Taylor's 1997 outing, Hourglass, and his 16th studio album, October Road, the singer married for a third time, became the proud dad of twin boys, and had his songwriter's notebook -- packed with three years' worth of lyrics and ideas -- swiped by a burglar. Luckily, Taylor was still able to take inspiration from the former events while overcoming the obstacles presented by the latter. Reuniting with Russ Titelman (who produced the JT classics Gorilla and In the Pocket), the celebrated songwriter delivers a dozen songs cloaked in gorgeously crafted musical arrangements and rendered with measured vocal phrasing. Supported by a group of ace musicians -- including guitarists Ry Cooder and John Pizzarelli, organist Larry Goldings, and drummer Steve Gadd -- Taylor waxes poetic on the people and events shaping his life, paying tribute to his wife on the heartfelt "Caroline I See You" and to other loved ones on the snappy "Raised Up Family," while calling for peace on the somber "Belfast to Boston." But most impressive is JT's stylistic range, incorporating jazzy strains on the swingin' "Whenever You're Ready"; the supper-club-style "Mean Old Man," arranged by Dave Grusin; and a lush reading of the holiday chestnut "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," which was a seasonal hit for Taylor in 2001. Proving that Taylor is still in fine fettle at the age of 54, October Road adds another memorable byway to an already impressive road map of work. Dave Gil de Rubio

All Music Guide

James Taylor's 15th studio album of his first new recordings in 32 years is, if possible, even more familiar and self-referential than ever. By now, it is an article of faith that you could take practically any track from any Taylor album and put it on another one without disturbing the mood, and that is as true of the songs here as it is of those on the other 14. That warm (if slightly deepened) tenor, singing in its odd accent which combines New England and the North Carolina Piedmont, and that acoustic guitar, with its sparkling, unhurried fingerpicking, remain the most prominent elements in the sound. But even more, October Road finds Taylor seemingly intent on evoking his own past. The title track, of course, recalls his song "Country Road," and "Caroline I See You," (even if it refers specifically to his wife), inescapably echoes "Carolina in My Mind." Also, Taylor deliberately recycles themes from his earlier work. "October Road" begins, "Well I'm going back down maybe one more time," while "My Traveling Star" ends, "And shame on me for sure/For one more highway song." Throughout, on what seem like the most personal songs he has written in decades, Taylor appears to be commenting on a second chance he feels he has received, and though he couches the negative aspects in humor ("Mean Old Man," whose subject is the singer, ends with a dog joke, and "Raised Up Family," which contains recriminations, tosses in a musical reference to Gilligan's Island), there are strong hints of a man who feels he's been rescued. As such, it is perhaps fitting (if seasonally curious for an album released in the summer) to conclude with "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," a holiday song from wartime that reaffirms the importance of family in a world gone awry. William Ruhlmann

Rolling Stone

The singer's unhurried acoustic guitar picking and calm, steady croon are -- as they should be -- the album's central joys. Barry Walters

Billboard

October Road marks the return of an artist who is as creatively vital as ever.