Taylor Rae – Mad Twenties
On Mad Twenties, Taylor Rae presents an uneven yet triumphant album. “Never Gonna Do” bristles with nearly unbridled energy with an arrangement reminiscent of Larry Campbell’s approach to Levon Helm’s solo work, “Something Familiar” combines mellow guitar and poignant piano over longing lyrics delivered with casual confidence, and “Forgiveness” embraces the ominous nature of regret in the face of relationship mistake with a sonic weight that imbues a battle of higher stakes – a battle her powerful delivery assures the listener she’ll conquer. “Fixer Upper” and “Home on the Road” on the other hand, present a singer hiding in the shadows of Kacey Musgrave’s Same Trailer era of country-folk. This brief misstep belies the songwriter and performer that Rae is and will, hopefully, continue to grow into – a woman of insight with a knack for engaging melodies, relatable lyrics, and vocal strength to match.
Recorded at OmniSound Studios in Nashville with producer William Gawley and engineer Bryce Roberts at the helm, Mad Twenties features performances from Dave Francis (bass), Wayne Killius (drums, David Flint (acoustic guitar, mandolin), Chris Nole (piano, keys), and Rae (vocals, harmonies, acoustic guitar). Jazz, blues, folk, country, and rock inflections appear throughout Mad Twenties landscape with precision while avoiding the type of hodgepodge tones that into which an eclectic approach can at times devolve. Rae and her compatriots show restraint and bombast in appropriate measure when necessary with the swagger of seasoned veterans.
With Mad Twenties Taylor Rae simultaneously establishes herself and marks a path forward; I can’t wait to hear where her journey takes her! Pick up a copy of Mad Twenties today – out now – and allow yourself to be consumed by her siren song.
2 thoughts on “REVIEW: Taylor Rae “Mad Twenties””