Rock Revival's Classic Albums (1971): James Taylor Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon

James Taylor's Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon is one of those fantastic albums that works best when played in summer, on a relaxed afternoon, like America's first brilliant acoustic album, like Manassas, or the first Eagles album, Joni Mitchell's Blue

Mud Slide Slim was Taylor's third record, a follow up from Sweet Baby James, but without steel guitar and only a little electric.

It has been critisised for being boring (Rolling Stone), for having no standout tracks (hello.... You've Got a Friend), for being too sad, but I couldnt agree less.

It's beauty lies in it's mood, in the fact that the songs blend together seemlessly, like one complete story. Comfortable is a much more accurate description than boring; reflective is better than sad.

If you have been listening to it for thirty years, like I have, it's an old friend, an album that you can return to every now and then, one that won't challenge you, but will bring back all the memories it's attached to......