For those enchanted by the rhythmic chordal melodies Joanne Shaw Taylor’s been slotting into a whole batch of songs over her last few albums, the video for newly released single ‘All The Things I Said’, proves a treat because you can see just what is she’s doing. That it looks deceptively simple yet so effective is small reward for those less talented.
That it’s just chinking away in the mix within what’s another in Taylor’s radio-friendly crossover tunes is cool. More revealing, once you start listening properly is the direct openness of the words she sings, recalling a past relationship. As background chorus vocals start repeating the title, like some dream one can’t escape, a brief guitar solo cuts through, dancing lightly but with deliberate purpose.
“This is the first song I wrote for the new album,” said Taylor of an upcoming new studio set. “It’s about reflecting on a past relationship and accepting your part in its failure as well as asking your ex-partner to do the same. It’s also about how you can reflect on a love relationship and with the benefit of time you can see how you could have done things differently.”
Candid, it’s a powerful testament to her ability to translate deeply personal experiences into universally relatable stories. The song also sees Taylor expanding her songwriting prowess, channelling influences reminiscent of John Mayer while seamlessly blending them with pop sensibilities for a fresh, contemporary sound. This track follows the recent release of, ‘Black & Gold’, a soulful, blues-gospel rendition of Sam Sparro’s 2008 Grammy-nominated hit, and was produced by Kevin Shirley (Black Crowes, Aerosmith).
With praise from legends like Stevie Wonder and Annie Lennox and a career that has spanned over a decade, Joanne Shaw Taylor continues to solidify her status as one of today’s most prominent voices in blues rock. Her next studio album is set to be released early next year. We can but hope it delivers more of the fearless songwriting and stirring performances that have earned her critical acclaim and a worldwide fan base.
