Taylor Hollingsworth Folk N’ Roll
Taylor Hollingsworth sets the tone for his new album right from the title track, “Folk N’ Roll.” Blending introspective songwriting with a rock ’n’ roll attitude, plus a dash of blues and a touch of punk, the ten songs were recorded at Dial Back Sound in Water Valley, Mississippi, and produced by Hollingsworth alongside his longtime friend Matt Patton (Drive-By Truckers), who also plays bass.
The tracks evoke the likes of John Prine and early Bob Dylan, with a stripped-back sound carried by bass and percussion that occasionally leans into rockabilly. The Birmingham, Alabama native, who previously toured extensively and played guitar with Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, stepped away from the road after the birth of his daughter, eventually developing his distinctive one-man show and revealing himself as a touching songwriter.
Highlights include the beautiful “Sunday Driver” (“I can be a loving man / I can be a Sunday driver too / I don’t really understand if I’m honest / But I want it / I want it”) and the amusing, bouncy declaration of love for hot dogs: “Oh they’re so cheap / Hot Dogs / Don’t they make ’em good for you / I love hot dogs / They gotta be my favorite food.”
There is also the rockabilly-inflected “Holy Rollers,” with its chanted delivery reminiscent of Chuck Berry’s “You Can’t Catch Me,” and the bluesy “Grover Jones,” featuring slide guitar that reminds us of Taylor’s love for Delta blues.
I can’t wait to hear Taylor Hollingsworth bring these songs to the stage and experience his Folk n’ Roll live. His vocals are authentic and and the music soothes your soul. Folk ‘n roll is a good description.
You can find the music here: https://taylorhollingsworth.bandcamp.com/album/folk-n-roll
Folk N Roll was recorded at Dial Back Sound in Water Valley, MS. It was produced by Matt Patton and Taylor Hollingsworth, engineered by Clay Jones with additional reengineering by Taylor Hollingsworth and percussion engineered by Ricky Burkhead. It was mixed by Starlin Browning and mastered by Clay Jones with vinyl lacquering by Jeff Powell at Take Out Vinyl, album design by Yellowhammer Creative and cover photography by Kate Hollingsworth.
Main vocals and all guitars were performed by Taylor Hollingsworth, bass guitar was performed by Matt Patton, percussion was performed by Ricky Burkhead. Backing vocals on “Bunny Rabbits” were by Van Hollingsworth and backing vocals on “The Boxers Song” were by Matt Patton and Morgan Geer.