{"id":2088,"date":"2020-04-08T14:36:01","date_gmt":"2020-04-08T14:36:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/skyemediaonline.com\/wordpress\/?p=2088"},"modified":"2020-04-09T12:39:13","modified_gmt":"2020-04-09T12:39:13","slug":"julian-taylor-americana-to-release-new-album-the-ridge-on-june-19th-first-single-title-track-due-out-april-10th-premiering-today-at-american-songwriter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/skyemediaonline.com\/wordpress\/julian-taylor-americana-to-release-new-album-the-ridge-on-june-19th-first-single-title-track-due-out-april-10th-premiering-today-at-american-songwriter\/","title":{"rendered":"Julian Taylor (Americana) to release new album, “The Ridge,” on June 19th | first single (title track) due out April 10th, premiering today at American Songwriter"},"content":{"rendered":"

For Immediate Release
\nApril 8, 2020<\/b><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Julian Taylor (Americana) to release\u00a0new album,\u00a0The Ridge<\/em>, on June 19th<\/strong><\/p>\n

First single \u2013 \u201cThe Ridge\u201d \u2013 due out April 10th; premiering today at\u00a0American Songwriter<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Award-winning Toronto-based Americana singer-songwriter Julian Taylor is set to release his latest album,\u00a0The Ridge<\/em>, via Howling Turtle, Inc., on June 19, 2020.\u00a0 Composed of eight deeply intimate songs,\u00a0The Ridge<\/em>\u00a0was co-produced by Taylor and longtime collaborator Saam Hashemi, mixed by Hashemi, and mastered by Noah Mintz. The album, which was recorded at The Woodshed (the Toronto-area studio owned by a Canadian alt-country stalwarts Blue Rodeo), is the aural result of a songwriter clearly embracing his prime. Originally scheduled for a fall release date, Taylor decided to release the album sooner in the hope that his songs might bring joy to listeners in troubled times. \u201cI hope people can find solace in this music,\u201d offers Taylor. \u201cIt\u2019s meant to draw you in and really touch your heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

The title track, an ode to the idyllic childhood summers Taylor spent at his grandparents\u2019 farm in British Columbia, is being released as the first single from the effort on April 10, 2020. \u201cThe Ridge\u201d\u00a0premiered today at\u00a0<\/a>American Songwriter<\/em><\/a>, who wrote of the song, \u201cLush… poignant… Lyrically, Taylor brilliantly displays the months he spent outside of his more urban school-year home. The seasons shared with his sister working on the farm are definitive to his identity. \u2018The Ridge\u2019 exudes innocence. The sense of place the song represents was the one that protected Taylor during his early life from the steep terrain he would navigate later in life. The song is one of gratitude for the place that gave him the rooted confidence to express his multi-faceted identity as an artist.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHuman Race,\u201d a particularly seductive earworm that finds Taylor shaping his own path beyond the intersecting songwriting crossroads of Mark Knopfler, Gordon Lightfoot, and Robbie Robertson, already made its way to listeners\u2019 ears in February via Taylor\u2019s socials.\u00a0Several more singles will also be released before the album\u2019s street date, including \u201cLove Enough,\u201d which is scheduled to street on May 8, 2020, with a premiere at\u00a0The Bluegrass Situation<\/em>\u00a0on May 6, 2020.<\/p>\n

Taylor\u2019s inherently cinematic approach to his storytelling has a lot to do with his heritage and upbringing. \u201cIt\u2019s an interesting thing to be part Mohawk and part West Indian, because I\u2019ve always had this feeling that I never fit in anywhere,\u201d he admits. \u201cAs a mixed person, it\u2019s like, oh, where do you go, and how do you\u00a0connect with people? That\u2019s all I\u2019ve been trying to do, and my life experience as a person who is mixed helps me do that. These stories are all coming from a person who tries to fit in, but doesn\u2019t quite fit in. That\u2019s really what my work has always been about \u2014 that longing to be a part of something.\u201d<\/p>\n

Each song on\u00a0The Ridge\u00a0<\/em>represents an acoustic-driven mixture of styles that reflects Taylor\u2019s range as a creative force by building upon the templates forged during his tenure fronting the chart-topping alt-rocking collective Staggered Crossing as well as the fine funk and rhythm and blues-driven foundation he continues to mine with the still-active Julian Taylor Band. From the hopeful swoon of \u201cOver the Moon,\u201d to the tribal-energy landscape that permeates \u201cBallad of the Young Troubadour,\u201d to the Tex-Mex Canadian-Western vibe mashup of \u201cLove Enough,\u201d the honest, raw nature of\u00a0The Ridge<\/em>\u00a0enables listeners a myriad of personally relatable entry points into Taylor\u2019s enlightening narrative tales, all of which are about and for his family on this album. \u201cI would go for walks in the forest for meditation, and I made videos of myself talking to all the important people in my life like I was writing them a letter,” Taylor says. “I\u2019d talk about the things they did that might have hurt me and vice-versa, as well as the things they did that were amazing. So, this record is really just like full-on confessionals to the people in my family.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to working with Hashemi, Taylor also enlisted a collective of in-studio collaborators, including pianist\/multi-instrumentalist Derek Downham, and, speaking of family, two of his cousins \u2014 Gene Diabo on drums, and Barry Diabo on bass. Taylor had a specific strategy for keeping each take fresh. \u201cI sent the songs to everyone only 48 hours before we went into the studio, because I didn\u2019t want people to get tired of them,\u201d he observes. \u201cOne of my cousins said it was a great way to do a session, even though I kept him guessing all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taylor plans to donate a portion of the sales from\u00a0The Ridge<\/em>\u00a0to a scholarship he started in honor of Bruce Adamson. \u201cThis is something near and dear to my heart,\u201d says Taylor. \u201cBruce was my bandmate for over a decade before he ended his own life.\u00a0 I started this scholarship in his name to help at-risk children who are interested in pursuing music.\u201d (http:\/\/shineconcert.ca\/bruce-adamson\/<\/a>)<\/p>\n

With all tour dates currently on hold due to COVID-19, Taylor is doing regular livestreaming for his Patreon supporters (https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/juliantaylormusic<\/a>). Additionally, he plans several free public livestreams in the coming days:<\/p>\n

* April 10th at 7 pm EP\/6 pm CT for the \u201cNAC Canada Performs\u201d livestream series on his own Facebook page (https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/juliantaylormusic\/<\/a>)<\/p>\n

* April 18th at 1 pm ET\/12 pm CT for\u00a0TheBoot.com<\/em>‘s Social Distancing Shows \u201cNoon Tunes\u201d series on TheBoot.com\u2019s Facebook page (https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thebootcountry<\/a>)
\nPraise from other artists for\u00a0The Ridge<\/em>:<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201c…beautifully recorded, performed, and sung, but the real triumph is the raw honesty at the heart of these stories.\u201d \u2013 Rhett Miller<\/p>\n

\u201c…a fine record… In these times, we could use a little heart and soul, and Julian Taylor\u2019s latest is all heart and soul. Warm wrap-around-you sounds with that velvety voice. A very beautiful record.\u201d \u2013 Jim Cuddy (Blue Rodeo)<\/p>\n

\u201c…comforting… precise, thoughtful wordplay… These songs were dug for. One of the standouts is the timbre of Julian\u2019s voice. At times reminiscent of Neil Diamond, the title track presents a haunting incarnation of the late Willie Dunn. The songs are delivered honestly, and it presents itself as an easy keep amongst today\u2019s Americana.\u201d \u2013 William Prince<\/p>\n

\u201c…refreshing… To see an artist unapologetically be themselves is exciting, and I can’t wait for him to share this body of work.\u201d \u2013 AHI<\/p>\n

About Julian Taylor:<\/b><\/p>\n

A major-label veteran, Toronto music scene staple, and a musical chameleon, Julian Taylor\u2019s versatility as a songwriter is signature; one minute he\u2019s on stage playing with his band spilling out electrified rhythm and blues glory, and the next he\u2019s featured at a folk festival delivering a captivating solo singer-songwriter set reminiscent of Jim Croce. He is a prolific artist who has released ten studio albums since 2001. Via his many musical endeavors, Taylor has toured across Canada numerous times and has shared the stage with such world-renowned acts as Nickelback, Jeff Healey, Midnight Oil, Collective Soul, Blue Rodeo and many others. He was personally invited to perform at the Olympic games in Salt Lake City and Vancouver. Perpetually playing live, Taylor has regularly performed just shy of two hundred shows a year. His songs have landed on TV screens everywhere in shows as varied as \u201cElementary,\u201d \u201cPrivate Eyes,\u201d \u201cKim\u2019s Convenience,\u201d \u201cHaven,\u201d \u201cThe Good Witch,\u201d \u201cYounger,\u201d and others.<\/p>\n

Past press and radio support for Julian Taylor\u2019s music:<\/b><\/p>\n

No Depression<\/em>: \u201c…outstanding music front to back. Album of the Year? I think so.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cashbox Canada Magazine<\/em>: \u201c…one of my favourite albums of all time. This is music I will be listening to for years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

CBC Radio<\/em>: \u201c…eclectic and all-encompassing; well-crafted songs…\u201d<\/p>\n

TorontoMusicReviews<\/em>: \u201c…euphoric… Taylor’s voice is passionate, versatile, completely soul driven\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Toronto Star<\/em>: \u201cJulian Taylor revels in versatility… electrifying and soulful…\u201d<\/p>\n

Spill Magazine<\/em>: \u201c…a stunning record.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maverick<\/em>: 5\/5 stars – \u201cTaylor is clearly the driving force… a delightful and distinctive vocal style.\u201d<\/p>\n

Classic Rock Magazine<\/em>: \u201c…airtight…\u201d<\/p>\n

102.1 The Edge<\/em>\u00a0– Alan Cross: \u201cI\u2019ll say it again: Julian is Toronto\u2019s best undiscovered star.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jazz Global Media<\/em>: \u201cliterate, witty, acerbic, poignant… a first-class ride from start to finish.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cashbox Canada Magazine<\/em>: \u201cIt’s raw, passionate, gritty, beautiful…\u201d<\/p>\n

https:\/\/juliantaylormusic.ca\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For Immediate Release April 8, 2020   Julian Taylor (Americana) to release\u00a0new album,\u00a0The Ridge, on June 19th First single \u2013 \u201cThe Ridge\u201d \u2013 due out April 10th; premiering today at\u00a0American Songwriter   Award-winning Toronto-based Americana singer-songwriter Julian Taylor is set to release his latest album,\u00a0The Ridge, via Howling Turtle, Inc., on June 19, 2020.\u00a0 Composed … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Julian Taylor (Americana) to release new album, “The Ridge,” on June 19th | first single (title track) due out April 10th, premiering today at American Songwriter”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[6],"class_list":["post-2088","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-press-releases","tag-press-releases"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/skyemediaonline.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2088","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/skyemediaonline.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/skyemediaonline.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/skyemediaonline.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/skyemediaonline.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2088"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/skyemediaonline.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2088\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2090,"href":"http:\/\/skyemediaonline.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2088\/revisions\/2090"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/skyemediaonline.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2088"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/skyemediaonline.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2088"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/skyemediaonline.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2088"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}