''Before This World'' is the nineteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, havi ...
. Released on June 15, 2015, it was Taylor's first new studio album of original material since ''
October Road'' (2002) and first studio album of any kind since ''Covers'' in 2008. He recorded the album in a barn on his property in western Massachusetts with
Steve Gadd
Stephen Kendall Gadd (born April 9, 1945) is an American drummer, percussionist, and session musician. Gadd is one of the best-known and highly regarded session and studio drummers in the industry, recognized by his induction into the '' Modern ...
on drums and Jimmy Johnson on bass.
In April 2015, he announced a short U.S. tour running from July 2 to August 6 to promote the album, which then continued into 2016 and 2017.
''Before This World'' became Taylor's first album to reach number one on the
''Billboard'' 200 chart. The album arrived on top of the chart of July 4, 2015, more than 45 years after Taylor arrived on the list with ''
Sweet Baby James
''Sweet Baby James'' is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter James Taylor, released on February 1, 1970, by Warner Bros. Records.
The album includes two of Taylor's earliest successful singles: " Fire and Rain", and " Country ...
'' (on the March 14, 1970, list). The album launched atop the ''Billboard'' 200 with 97,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending June 21, 2015. Of its start, pure album sales were 96,000 copies sold, Taylor's best debut week for an album since ''October Road''.
Background
James Taylor's previous original album, ''
October Road'', was released in 2002, following which Taylor did not prioritize writing new material for many years. Concerned he might never create another original album, Taylor convinced family, friends, and manager he needed to cut off all communication and lived alone in a waterfront apartment in Newport, Rhode Island while composing the album.
Lyrics from a song on Taylor's 1981 album,
Dad Loves His Work, appear in the title of the opening track:
Recording
Basic tracks were recorded at The Barn in Massachusetts during ten days in January 2014. This was followed by some dubbing of backup vocals at Ocean Way in Los Angeles during March 2014.
Live performance
On his
2014 All Star Band tour, Taylor performed several tracks from the album prior to its release. "Today Today Today", "You And I Again" and "Stretch of the Highway" were debuted at the May 30, 2014, show and played throughout the tour; the traditional song "Wild Mountain Thyme" also earned a regular place in the shows (it had been previously performed by James Taylor occasionally in concert). At Toronto's show on July 24, 2014, James Taylor performed "SnowTime" specially and explained that the song was written about Toronto. "Angels of Fenway", "Montana" and "Before This World / Jolly Springtime" were all performed during his shows in his spring and summer tour of 2015, to coincide with the album's release.
Commercial performance
''Before This World'' debuted at number one with 97,000 units moved on the week ending June 21, becoming Taylor's first number-one album on the US
''Billboard'' 200 chart. This made Taylor surpass
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
to become the second-longest waiting artist for a number-one album – 47 years since ''
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, havi ...
'' (1968) — behind a 54-year wait by
Tony Bennett
Anthony Dominick Benedetto (born August 3, 1926), known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American retired singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, and jazz. Bennett is also a painter, having created works under his birt ...
.
Also, he had scored 11 Top 10 albums before achieving his first No. 1, just behind
Neil Diamond.
The following week, the album came in at No. 5, selling 50,000 copies in its second week.
On the
UK Albums Chart
The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...
, the album started at number 4 with 13,801 copies on sales, became Taylor's fourth top 10 albums. It also tied with ''
The Best of James Taylor
''The Best of James Taylor'' is the fourth compilation album by American singer-songwriter James Taylor released by Warner Bros. Records in 2003. The same album was released in Europe as ''You've Got a Friend: The Best of James Taylor''.
The a ...
'' (2003) for his highest-ranking album on chart, while both are peaked at number four.
Track listings
All tracks written by James Taylor, except as noted.
Personnel
All songs feature James Taylor's All Star Band.
* Baritone Saxophone – Roger Rosenberg
* Bass –
Jimmy Johnson
* Cello – Emily Brause,
Yo-Yo Ma
Yo-Yo Ma ('' Chinese'': 馬友友 ''Ma Yo Yo''; born October 7, 1955) is an American cellist. Born in Paris to Chinese parents and educated in New York City, he was a child prodigy, performing from the age of four and a half. He graduated from ...
, Peter Sachon
* Drums –
Steve Gadd
Stephen Kendall Gadd (born April 9, 1945) is an American drummer, percussionist, and session musician. Gadd is one of the best-known and highly regarded session and studio drummers in the industry, recognized by his induction into the '' Modern ...
* Guitar –
Michael Landau,
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, havi ...
, Henry Taylor
* Flugelhorn – Tony Kadleck
* French Horn – Larry Di Bello, David Peel
* Percussion –
Luis Conte
Luis Conte (born 16 November 1954) is a Cuban percussionist best-known for his performances in the bands of artists including James Taylor, Madonna, Pat Metheny Group, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Phil Collins, Rod Stewart and Shakira. He began ...
* Piano, Keyboards –
Larry Goldings
Lawrence Sam “Larry” Goldings (born August 28, 1968) is an American jazz keyboardist and composer. His music has explored elements of funk, blues, and fusion. Goldings has a comedic alter ego known as Hans Groiner.
Life and career
Golding ...
* Trumpet – Walt Fowler, Barry Danielian,
Randy Brecker
Randal Edward Brecker (born November 27, 1945) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, and composer. His versatility has made him a popular studio musician who has recorded with acts in jazz, rock, and R&B.
Early life
Brecker was born on No ...
* Saxophone –
Lou Marini
Louis William Marini Jr. (born May 13, 1945), known as "Blue Lou" Marini, is an American saxophonist, arranger, and composer. He is best known for his work in jazz, rock, blues, and soul music, as well as his association with The Blues Brothe ...
, Dave Mann
* Trombone – Randy Andos,
Michael Davis
* Viola – Katharine Kresek, Philip Payton
* Violin – Jonathan Dinklage, Rachel Golub, Hiroko Taguchi, Entcho Todorov, Orlando Wells,
Andrea Zonn
Andrea Elizabeth Zonn (born 1969) is a singer and fiddle player who grew up in Urbana, Illinois. She grew up in an environment surrounded by music. She sings, and plays classical violin, and is fluent in numerous other musical genres. Zonn first ...
* Vocals – James Taylor,
Dorian Holley
Dorian Jose Holley is an American musician, backing singer and a vocal coach. He began his professional career as an on-stage backing vocalist for American entertainer Michael Jackson during his Bad World Tour in 1987. He staged a series of live c ...
,
David Lasley
David Eldon Lasley (August 20, 1947 – December 9, 2021) was an American recording artist, singer, musician and songwriter. He was best known as a touring background singer for James Taylor, as a session singer on recordings by artists including ...
,
Kate Markowitz
Catherine Judith "Kate" Markowitz (Born 28 April 1956) is an American singer-songwriter known as a backup singer who has recorded and performed with a number of singers, most notably James Taylor but also Willy DeVille, Shawn Colvin, Mylène Farm ...
,
Arnold McCuller
Arnold McCuller (born August 26, 1950) is an American vocalist, songwriter, and record producer, born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He was active as a solo artist and session musician, but is perhaps best known for his work as a touring back- ...
, Andrea Zonn, Kim Taylor, Henry Taylor
* Arrangements (strings, brass, horns) –
Rob Mounsey
Rob Mounsey (born December 2, 1952) is an American musician, composer, and arranger.
Music career
Mounsey was born in Berea, Ohio, and grew up in Seattle, Washington, spending a few years each in Findlay and Granville, Ohio. At the age of 17 ...
Production
*
Dave O'Donnell – producer
*
Ted Jensen
Ted Jensen (born September 19, 1954) is an American mastering engineer, known for having mastered many recordings, including the Eagles' ''Hotel California'', Green Day's '' American Idiot'' and Norah Jones' ''Come Away with Me''.
Biography
T ...
at Sterling Sound, NYC – mastering
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Release history
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
James Taylor albums
2015 albums
Albums recorded in a home studio
Albums recorded at United Western Recorders