Genetics can be such a b!tch. Think about the progeny of some famous musicians who took stabs at music and failed miserably-Julian & Sean Lennon, the kids of 3T, Nona Gaye. For every Jakob Dylan or Wilson Phillips who makes it big there’s always the artist who will forever remain in the shadow of their more famous relative.

Enter Ben Taylor and his band. Ben is the son of not one-but TWO famous musicians-sensitive folk-rock troubadour James Taylor and Bond-theme singin’ siren Carly Simon. The CD “Famous Among The Barns” may be credited to the Ben Taylor Band, but we know who’s callin’ the shots here. And even if he wasn’t the band’s focal point, his name alone would assure that he got the lion’s share of the attention, no matter what he played or whether he sang or not.

So, on to the point, is Ben Taylor talented? The answer is a definite yes. He sounds almost exactly like his father, which is a good thing for me, since James Taylor’s soothing tones have been calming me down for a few years now. Picture JT, in his 70’s heyday, with 21st century production values and you have his son. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. The music never goes above a steady hum, with Ben preferring folk-inflected guitar-pop songs. Like his dad, he sounds just a little corny when he tries to "rock out". Although Ben’s lyrics border on silly at times, that doesn’t take away from the soothing mood of his songs and his ace 5-piece band.

One funny thing about Ben is that he is very obviously pro-drug, which I guess isn’t so strange coming from the son of a former heroin addict. The rollicking “Let it Grow” (probably the most aggressive song on the album) is a not-so-subdued ode to the green ganja (“Deep green inhalations/they give me such fantastic vibrations”). “The Mushroom Song” is about exactly what you think it’s about. What’s strange is that the mushroom song is breezy and relaxed while the weed song is a bit more spacey and aggressive.

“Promised Land” marries sunny Beach Boys melodies with dark sounding instrumentation, including a static-y sound that runs throughout the track, kind of like a radio frequency. Strangely, that song is the only one whose lyrics do not appear in the album insert. I wonder if the lyrics "Who's your daddy?/Bet he ain't rich like me" are supposed to mean something. Ah, well. The songs themselves don’t cover any major topics other than love (and drugs, of course!). While many of the songs are easygoing, folk-pop, some of the songs have a slight jazz influence (album opener “Island’ and the easygoing “Safe Enough To Wake Up”), and “Just Like Everyone Else” is pretty much a country song.

The album is best on the moody ballads. “Rain” is a ballad as easygoing as it’s title subject, while “A Good Day To Be Alive” juxtaposes a positive message against mournful sounding, bare instrumentation-and a guest vocal for Dad! Ben’s voice merges seamlessly with Sweet Baby James to create a memorable track, even if it’s only 2 minutes and 20 seconds long. (Carly also appears on here, although the liner notes don’t say where and I can’t pick her out). The album ends with an uncredit bonus track which is a well-played, quiet instrumental jam. Despite a lengthy running time (6 minutes plus), it’s got an ambient quality to it that draws you in.

Ben and his band can most easily be compared to acts like John Mayer or matchbox twenty, who derive a lot of their sound from what is Ben’s birthright (Mayer himself called JT ‘The Blueprint” at this year’s Grammys). While the lyrics are a bit loopy and there are a couple of misguided musical adventures (leave the country-tinged stuff to Dad, OK?), “Famous Among The Barns” is a quietly elegant (and promising) pop album from a talented musician who had two of the best teachers in the world.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Key tracks: "Rain", "Island", "A Good Day To Be Alive"

Great Music to Play While

Seeing fire and seeing rain.

Recommended: Yes