Taylor Scott is a relatively new artist who has already done some remarkable things. He, along with Warren Haynes, laid down guitar licks on Otis Taylor’s groundbreaking Hey Joe Opus: Red Meat, which wired a web of varying music pieces into a symphonic whole. That experience placed Denver-based Scott in good company.
Perhaps a blues player by inclination and experience, Scott’s latest of three solo albums, All We Have, takes a distinctly country turn as Scott applies his creative microscope to how things work in our modern world. Â Produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos, the album also brings blues and soul elements to the predominantly country album. And there are some great songs here. “Curiosity,” which you can listen to below, dishes out some significant twang with its snappy beat. The introspective “Clearance Bin,” which deals with longing and resignation with a beautiful, infectious rhythm. The laid back “Salted Watermelon” creates a great, relaxed feeling. The infectious “Carry Me Away” could chart in a different time. But the somber “Surrounded,” about those of us who have been left behind in the social media revolution (yeah, yeah, I get the irony as I sit here blogging), is by far the best song. Â “I am surrounded by robots,” Scott starts out, “staring into glowing screens. Â Plugged into the wall they won’t look at me at all, and I guess it’s not for me … Â I would like to know a few more people, I only know 10 or 12 it seems. And if you know any more send ’em right up to my door, we’ll have a drink and talk about these things … where did it go?”
Joining Taylor Scott on the album were John Wirtz on various keyboards, Chris Harris on bass, Ben Rubin on bass on “The Walk,” and Lem Williams on drums. Henry Garza of Los Lonely Boys made a guest appearance on the album to play electric guitar on “Hair of Indigo,” Mark “Speedy” Gonzales played trombones and horns, Josh Levy played baritone sax, Gilbert Elorreaga played trumped, Jesse Brooke played percussion, Nic Clark played harmonica on “Wishing Well,” Sarah Morris Wirtz sang harmony vocals on “Wishing Well,” and Steve Watkins sang harmony vocals.
There is a wistfulness about the entire, excellent album. Give it a listen.
About the author: Bill Wilcox is a roots music enthusiast recently relocated from the Washington, DC area to Philadelphia, PA and back again.