Jim Capaldi – The Outside Years (Esoteric Recordings)

 

Jim Capaldi came to be known as a member of Traffic.  He was the drummer, but in reality, he was a lot more than a drummer.  Here we have the two final solo albums from Capaldi.  They come in a very nice box, and there are some extra goodies as well.

Living on the Outside, and Poor Boy Blue are the two albums in question.  Originally released in 2001, and 2004.  In 2005, Jim Capaldi, sadly passed away.  This fact makes the albums in this box his final recordings.  The boxset includes 4 discs total.  Both albums come in expanded versions with bonus tracks.  In addition, there is a disc of various live recordings dating back all the way to 1993.  It’s a very nicely put together compilation of shorter segments.  The final disc is perhaps the most unique, it’s a live show from Cologne, Germany, in 2002.  It’s a very cool show that reflects the Living on the Outside release.  All of it sounds very good, and creates a very special mood.

Jim Capaldi was a very capable songwriter, and his solo output supports it.  He was not an accidental writer either.  There are 12 solo albums that prove that point quite clearly.  The two albums here capture him at the end of his musical journey.  Living on the Outside is an interesting record.  It has some great people playing on it.  For starters, George Harrison, plays guitar on Anna Julia, a cover track by a Brazilian band Los Hermanos.  In addition to Harrison, the album features, Steve Winwood, Gary Moore, Ian Paice, and Paul Weller.  Poor Boy Blue is less flashy when it comes to such appearances, but it’s a solid album that will keep you humming along. 

The Outside Years allows you to come back and reexamine records that might have been put on the backburner, or completely skipped due to small runs in the first place.  As is with such releases, often a hidden treasure gets discovered.  It’s definitely the case here.  Each listen becomes more enjoyable, and you wonder why you stopped listening to those albums, or why you never got them in the first place when they were first released. 

Mark Kadzielawa