Another Run Around the Sun

Some kids rebel against their parents. Ben Taylor isn’t one of them. As the spawn of James Taylor and Carly Simon, Ben has dealt with the burden of famous parents by impersonating them—particularly his pops. In fact, Another Run Around The Sun may very well be the best James Taylor album we’ve heard in years. It’s not really Ben’s fault that he was born with a voice that sounds eerily similar to his dad’s gentle croon. But when he pairs it with a delicately plucked acoustic guitar on “Nothing I Can Do,” then adds lyrics that hint at darkness without getting anywhere near gloomy, he’s got no right to complain about his dad’s overbearing shadow. “Someday Soon,” “One Man Day” and, well, pretty much all these tunes, work a similar formula, adding the same hints of jazz, funk, and soul that you-know-who has often dabbled in. It’s enjoyable enough if you're jonesing for a Sweet Baby James fix, but if you're looking for anything else, you’ll need to venture outside the Taylor family tree to get it.