James Talley jumped out of the chute with four rock-ribbed albums for Capitol in the 1970s before breaking his contract with the label on the advice of a fly-by-night manager. Capitol underscored its displeasure with the singer-songwriter by immediately removing his albums from their catalogue, leaving Talley up the creek, paddle-less (and without product on the shelf).
Effectively blackballed by the industry, he scuffled for a few years before launching what would be a successful career in Nashville real estate. But Talley was never abandoned by his muse, and eventually he found safe harbor for his music with Bear Family in the late ’80s and early ’90s. By 2000, he had formed Cimarron Records, regained possession of the Capitol albums (and reissued them), and set about releasing a now-steady stream of fine new recordings.
Journey is the first “official” live disc by Talley in his long career, and it’s a stone beauty. Recorded in Italy in late October 2002, the thirteen-track set finds Talley and his shimmering acoustic guitar supported by an immaculate combo of stalwarts Dave Pomeroy (bass), Greg Thomas (drums) and Mike Noble (electric guitar).
The sound is immediate and transparent, showcasing Talley’s humble, unaffected vocals (which reside on Willie Nelson Street near the intersection with Doc Watson Avenue.) and his rich, organic tunesmithing. Six of the tunes were culled from the remarkably durable Capitol material, but there are five previously unreleased gems (notably the sublimely frank address to September 11, “I Saw The Buildings”) that amply demonstrate Talley’s continuing, unsinkable skills.
