Bobby Taylor: "Taylor Made Soul"

One of the more obscure Motown albums…I’d never seen it before, and so when I spotted it in Portland a few weeks ago, being a Motown fanatic, I picked it up and asked no further questions.  I don’t get why this wasn’t a hit, the Motown chart-topping recipe is in full effect here, and Taylor is a soulful, talented vocalist, sounding like a less gravelly-voiced David Ruffin, leaping effortlessly from his normal register to a clear-as-the-blue-sky falsetto, punctuating the songs with a smooth yet heartbroken yearning.  There are several minor masterpieces on this LP, from the gorgeous, soaring opener “Out In The Country” to the classic Motown swing of “Oh, I’ve Been Bless’d” to the dark, psych-funk version of “Eleanor Rigby” to the vocal acrobatics of “It Should Have Been Me Loving Her.”  This is one of those last beautiful Motown albums that still reflected the Detroit feel, before the whole operation pulled up roots and sought the sunshine of L.A.  An unsung gem from the end of a classic era.