Otis Taylor’s latest record earns praise in Spin

It’s not unusual to read a review of Otis Taylor and see the words bluesman. In fact, it’s as about as commonplace as reading a piece on the Broncos during the ’90s and seeing the name John Elway — the two are virtually synonymous. That said, it was somewhat refreshing to come across a review of Taylor’s latest disc, Pentatonic Wars and Love Songs, in the most recent issue of Spin (the one with Jeff Tweedy on the cover) and read these lines: “Sometimes pigeonholed as a bluesman, Otis Taylor can’t be defined by any single category.” A local treasure who constantly pushes the boundaries of traditional blues, Taylor is indeed so much more than a bluesman. And Spin also got it right by giving Pentatonic Wars and Love Songs a rating that’s just two dots shy of being considered a classic.