Given how much of a fixture
Johnnie Taylor
was on black radio in the '60s and early to mid-'70s, it's ironic that one of his best-of collections doesn't contain an abundance of hit singles. Rather, the focus of
Best of Johnnie Taylor on Malaco, Vol. 1
is the veteran
soul
man's work for
Malaco
in the '80s and '90s.
Taylor
may have been long past his peak commercially when these songs were recorded, but artistically, he still sounds like he's very much in his prime.
's choices are generally excellent. Selections like
"Don't Make Me Late,"
"Still Called the Blues"
and
"Everything's Out in the Open"
show why
has fared so well creatively at the label, which has encouraged him to continue taking a classic
approach instead of catering to the
urban contemporary
market (something he has pretty much ignored). For listeners who haven't been exposed to his
output, this collection is the logical starting point. ~ Alex Henderson