Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

BEWITH141LP


Colour

Black

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Double 140 Gram Vinyl.

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2023-06-30

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

4251804139984


Total Cap

Black LPx2

Artist

Lewis Taylor

Genre GB

R&B / Neo-Soul

Label GB

Be With Records

Be With Records is a reissue record label that specializes in officially licensing and releasing vinyl records. They focus on making music available that is currently unavailable or has never been released on vinyl before. The label works closely with artists to ensure they have as much input as they desire.
Their mission is to bring *unreleased* gems and forgotten classics back into the spotlight, allowing music lovers to experience these timeless tracks in their original format. Be With Records carefully selects each release, ensuring the highest quality sound and packaging for collectors and enthusiasts alike.
With an extensive catalog spanning various genres, *artists* from Be With Records have gained recognition for their contributions to the world of music. From soulful melodies to funky beats, their releases offer a diverse range of sounds that appeal to a wide audience. Whether you're a seasoned collector or new to vinyl, Be With Records offers something special for everyone.

Lewis Taylor is a British multi-instrumentalist musician and artist. He began his music career touring with the progrock band, Sheriff Jack, before releasing two albums of psychedelia music as a solo artist. His self-titled album released in 1996 showcased a departure from psychedelia towards neo-soul and received high acclaim. Although he retired from music in 2006, Taylor remains active in the industry as Andrew Taylor. He has worked as a musical director and bass player for Gnarls Barkley and as a guitarist/backing vocalist for The Drivers.
Similar Artists: Amp Fiddler, Meshell Ndegeocello, Van Hunt, Bilal, Raphael Saadiq, Young Disciples, The RH Factor, Leon Ware, Nuyorican Soul, Peven Everett
José James Galliano Reel People Terry Callier Frank Mccomb Georgia Anne Muldrow Don Blackman Donny Hathaway Jon Lucien 4hero

Lewis Taylor's legendary magnum opus: The Lost Album. "Now you're talking. That's
my favourite LT album. Unlike all of the others, there isn't anything about it that
embarrasses me." Straight from the genius's mouth. What can we say about this?
Well, it's the most requested record ever at Be With Towers. The Lost Album was the
intended follow-up to his first album but Island rejected it for fear of "confusing" the
marketplace and its conception of Lewis as a soul artist. Their loss. It's a breezy
sunset masterpiece.


The genesis of this incredible record needs unpicking a bit. Lewis stopped promoting
the first album after a year and went home to record a completely different record
that was the most un-R&amp;B album you could probably ever hear: "I pushed in such an
extreme direction the other way with what eventually became The Lost Album. It was
a knee-jerk reaction to a perceived ‘trapped in R&amp;B’ feeling I was going through at
the time. Some people around me were in favour of it and others weren’t. In the end I
think I lost confidence in it and did Lewis II instead." We did at least get Lewis II,
which is a remarkable album, and he kept Island happy...for a bit. Not long after,
Lewis was dropped. And what was to become The Lost Album could've
been...er...lost. Forever.


Thankfully, however, Lewis and longtime partner Sabina Smyth revisited those
scrapped demo tracks in 2003. They decided to re-arrange, re-record and then self-release them. So it was that the brand new version of The Lost Album finally
dropped in late 2004. It's sheer perfection, and we don't say that lightly. The Lost
Album was a fully 50/50 collaboration between Lewis and Smyth. As well as
production, Sabina did a lot more writing on it, from the melody to "Listen Here" to
the chord sequence for "Let's Hope Nobody Finds Us." Thankfully, Sabina is credited
this time around.

No, it's not straight up "soul music" in the vein of his previous work. Yet, in its
perfectly formed suite of one dozen songs, The Lost Album is dripping in soul. It's so
warm, so effervescent and so alive with possibilities. It features deep, fresh imprints
on well-loved, accessible sounds. It's a proper 70s style double album. Just one
listen and the musical influences on The Lost Album are fairly self-explanatory, as
Lewis recently told us, but it's always nice to hear that, in case we were in any doubt,
he was definitely channeling Love, Yes, Brian Wilson, CSN, Laura Nyro and, of
course, Todd Rundgren. The influences don't end there: "I’m particularly fond of my
bass playing on that album, there’s a lot of Chris Squire going on which is cool."

Deep orchestral opener "Lost" is a sublime, harp-laced, string drenched gem, a
cinematic, melancholic Axelrod-esque mini-epic that simply beguiles. Written by
Smyth, it evokes Donny Hathaway's celestial "I Love The Lord, He Heard My Cry"
from Extensions Of A Man. The only problem is the brief 90 seconds running time. It
segues into the classic Brian Wilson-meets-power-pop-rock splendour of "Listen
Here" which, with its outstanding extended harp-licked beatless intro, sounds like the
younger cousin to Boston's "More Than A Feeling". We then drift into the ringing
guitars of classic 70s rock anthem "Hide Your Heart Away". It's Lewis's personal
favourite, "especially the multi-tracked guitar solo – I was listening to Boston at the
time, which was fun." A-ha!


A new version of the heart-stopping, shoulda-been-a-massive-pop-hit "Send Me An
Angel" opens Side B before the arrival of, in Lewis's completely correct words, "the
clear standout, "Leader of the Band"; the perfect distillation of everything that album
was trying to achieve." Soaring, piano-led Rundgren-esque power pop that makes
the hairs on the back of your next stand on end. Truly, otherworldly. This is pure pop
for now (and then) people. The simple jangly brilliance meets experimental prog-rock
of "Yeah" sounds like simultaneously like prime CSNY and late 90s Radiohead (if
they'd had a slightly more accessible bent and could write better tunes).


Oh, you wish The Beach Boys had continued writing amazing songs beyond
Holland? Well, allow us to point you in the direction of the downlifting stunner
"Please Help Me If You Can" and the warm textures and brilliant atmospherics of
goosebump-inducer "Let’s Hope Nobody Finds Us". Words can't really describe the
sheer beauty of these songs. So we'll stop trying. Just listen. Listen, listen, listen.
Closing out this remarkable side of music, the accidentally Balearic "New Morning"
should be blasting out at every sunrise set in Ibiza, this summer and forevermore.


The final side opens with the vaguely Beatlesey "Say I Love You". It's just classic,
soaring pop-rock songwriting and should strictly be canonical. It's that good. The
sassy, Stonesy swagger of "See My Way" injects enough rock'n'roll attitude to
compensate for the rest of record's peace-loving, AOR sun-dappled vibe whilst
album closer, "One More Mystery", emerging out of the rubble of the previous track,
comes on initially like a Baroque-Pop George Harrison before piling crunching drums
and screeching guitar solos atop the dreamy harmonies til close.


When asked what it means to have these records available on vinyl for the first time,
Lewis is in no doubt: "It’s great and it’s really nice to be able to offer fans a different
listening experience. There’s a whole other dimension with vinyl that taps into that
whole nostalgia thing, well for me anyway. Something about the physical aspect of
pulling it out of the sleeve and putting it on, it does tend to make you feel like you’re
more engaged."


Lewis was adamant that he wanted all new artwork for The Lost Album vinyl sleeve
and his brief was just the sort of classic tropical-beach-at-sunset you’d want to see
on the front of a record that sounds like this. On the finished sleeve, the beach at
sunset is just where we start out, before heading up through the painterly clouds and
heading out into the stars. And yes, the lettering is a definite subtle nod to all those
in-between-period Beach Boys bootlegs we all love. Simon Francis's sensitive
mastering combines with Cicely Balston's precise cut for Alchemy at AIR Studios so
the album sounds appropriately outstanding. The immaculate Record Industry
double LP pressing will ensure this previously lost masterpiece stays forever found.

RIYL : Love, Brian Wilson, CSN, Laura Nyro and, of course, Todd Rundgren. 