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CD Review by Ian Chiclo LEWIS TAYLOR Lewis II Island · Psychedelic soul man’s sophomore release. Possessed by the spirit of Marvin Gaye, Lewis Taylor’s debut album was an intoxicating mix of psychedelic guitars and lovelorn lyrics. Unfortunately, the record suffered distribution problems and, despite his inclusion on the ultra-hip Rebirth of the Cool Volume Six and being name-dropped by the likes of Bowie, the Londoner remains obscure to North American audiences. Lewis II trips on many of the stumbling blocks associated with sophomore releases. A one-man show, the record gets caught in the mire of production and vocal overdubs and the songwriting is weak in parts. That said, Taylor’s voice, coupled with the ability to mould his ceiling-spinning sound, makes this an impressive, sexy soul record that never gets weighed down by gold chains or ego. 4/5

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