The James Taylor reissues from Music on Vinyl continue with the release of ‘Flag’, the singer-songwriter/musician’s ninth studio album. Originally released in 1979, ‘Flag’ wasn’t well-received by critics and it only spawned one hit single – a cover of the Carole King and Gerry Goffin penned ‘Up on the Roof’. The album did eventually go on to reach Platinum in the US and it reached the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 upon release. This new reissue is pressed on 180-gram pink coloured vinyl and it follows the recent reissue of ‘JT’ on vinyl.
I’ll start off with ‘Up on the Roof’ given it’s the song that the album is known for. Taylor’s version of the classic song, which was originally recorded by The Drifters, is definitely in his wheelhouse. In Taylor’s hands, the song is a soft-rock easy listening number and honestly, it sounds like it was meant for him to record. It’s perhaps the only real straightforward Taylor moment on the album too, with the other tracks seeing him pushing the boundaries a little more. Two of the songs here – ‘Brother Trucker’ and ‘Millworker’ – were part of Taylor’s music score for Stephen Schwartz’s Broadway musical ‘Working’, and ‘Rainy Day Man’ is a re-record of a track from Taylor’s self-titled debut album.
The album opener, ‘Company Man’, is an autobiographical tale of the trappings of the music industry with Taylor seemingly commenting on how little autonomy he had in his career. The song marks a lyrical departure for the singer-songwriter, as does much of the record which sees Taylor discontent with aspects of his life and career. On ‘I Will Not Lie For You’, Taylor calls out a woman who’s fooling around on his friend, warning that he’ll tell his friend the truth if the situation to do so arises after she tries it on with him. The song features a darker instrumentation and isn’t quite as chipper as the melody suggests.
A cover of The Beatles’ ‘Day Tripper’ fits neatly into the lyrical themes of the record and Taylor puts his own stamp on the song. Elsewhere on the album, Taylor takes on the role of a tripping truck driver on the punchy ‘Brother Trucker’, puts himself in the shoes of a widow on the album’s most emotional moment ‘Millworker’, and shows off his ability to sing in French on ‘Chanson Française’. The album’s closing track, ‘Sleep Come Free Me’, leans into Country sensibilities as Taylor sings from the perspective of a prison inmate who is hoping one day to never wake up from sleep. It’s a startling end to the record but one that is deeply affecting.
I find myself once again very impressed with Music on Vinyl. ‘Flag’ has been given the deluxe gatefold treatment, bringing the colourful artwork to life fantastically. The album’s cover is a signal flag (O for Oscar, meaning man overboard) and it’s wonderfully bright. The gatefold features pictures of Taylor and his band, and there’s a full-colour insert with a picture of Taylor on one side and the lyrics and album credits on the other. The quality of the pressing is astounding too. 180-gram vinyl is the definitive way to listen to any music and you can hear lots of little things you’ll likely have missed on previous releases thanks to the crystal-clear sound.
‘Flag’ might not be up there with the best of Taylor’s work but it certainly didn’t deserve the reception it got back in 1979. Even when he’s not delivering his best work, Taylor is always listenable and he always has something to say that’s worth listening to. While there are superior albums in Taylor’s collection, ‘Flag’ is an experimental collection of songs that more than deserves its place in the icon’s catalogue. If you’ve never been a fan of the record, try this new pressing and you might change your mind.
Track listing: Side A – 1. Company Man 2. Johnnie Comes Back 3. Day Tripper 4. I Will Not Lie for You 5. Brother Trucker 6. Is That the Way You Look? Side B – 1. B.S.U.R. 2. Rainy Day Man 3. Millworker 4. Up On The Roof 5. Chanson Francaise 6. Sleep Come Free Me Record label: Music on Vinyl Release date: 1st September 2023 Buy ‘Flag’ on vinyl now
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