Album Name: Between Ground and Sky
Artist: Steph Taylor
Year/Label: 2007 / Independent
Review by Amy Lotsberg Producer of Collected Sounds
Obtaining this record was a little different for me than the usual. Usually I get a CD in the mail and give it a listen and if I really like it, I will investigate the artist more and probably write a review.
But I met Steph Taylor before hearing this record.
It was Gregory Douglass who suggested her to me. When he was in town he was raving about this great artist that he wanted to tour with and suggested I check her out. I did, I thought she was good and thought I’d look forward to seeing her when she came through town with Gregory next. But my musical ADD being what it is, I didn’t give her a lot of ear time and moved on to the 30 or so CDs collecting dust on my desk.
Well, Gregory and Steph came to town and did a show (that I was unable to attend) but they stayed at the house. So I spend an evening getting to know Steph (she’s very cool) and just as they left for the show, she handed me her CD. I popped it in right away and was enchanted.
It was Super Bowl Sunday so my other half was otherwise busy watching TV that night, but when he heard it he gave the ultimate approval, “This is going in our personal rotation!”
OK so onto the music…there is a sort of low-fi sound to the record in general. But the music is pretty lush. It’s very hard to describe and to “picture” if you aren’t hearing it first hand. Luckily you can hear sound samples on CDBaby before you buy it, oh and buy it you will!
Steph is a great songwriter and I know one reason I enjoy her…she is almost like a female Gregory Douglass. The songs are sweeping, sometimes haunting, always interesting and intelligent.
She also plays both the piano and guitar amazingly well. Her piano parts are intricate and melodic and the guitar parts are rhythmic and also really intricate (she doesn’t just strum).So jealous.
I also love her use of minor keys and chords; it makes the listening experience so emotional. She plays with rhythm quite a bit too making for a very interesting listen.
I don’t think I could pick out a favorite song since they’re all good, though today I am really grooving on, ‘My Love’.
I am also very excited, as it appears that both Gregory and Steph will be playing the house concert series in May (2007). I can hardly wait!
Posted on March 16, 2007
Track Listing
Listen to track samples
1. Anything For You
2. Goodbye
3. Give Ourselves Away
4. My Love
5. How True
6. Loving Expressions
7. Helmet and Sword
8. Fly
9. Collide
10. My Love Reprise
[wp_campaign_1]