Like so many Texas songsmiths before him, The Lone Star State-born country and Americana craftsman Nick Taylor is coming onto the scene to bear his honest self within his music.
His upcoming debut album, Not Alone, is a 10-song collection that honor his rural upbringing and depict the minutiae of romanticized life. Taylor hopes that these tracks will help his listeners to feel less alone in their struggles.
Recorded at OmniSound Studios, Not Alone will debut June 21st, 2024, and is a departure from the traditional outputs of Taylor’s previous musical exploits. This newer direction features the combined efforts of many musical professionals in the Austin area whose collaboration made his vision possible.
Taylor opens the record with “Dogs,” his latest single and a track that inspired the album’s title. A reflection and metaphor on his experience with anxiety, this tune is unafraid to tackle topics that society often deems taboo. “Dogs” carries a message of hope to listeners, encouraging them to continue going through life even when things seem unbearable, and does so in a catchy Red Dirt Americana fashion. One particularly stirring lyric states, “Don’t know how I got here today / But I’m somewhere, and I’m makin’ my way.”
“Dead Land Future”, Taylor’s April single, draws inspiration from his time in the agricultural industry. While doing farm labor at several locations and studying to earn a master’s degree, much of his learning was devoted to the crisis of farmland in Texas. This tune is heavy on the fiddle, evoking nostalgia for the land that is being swallowed up by rapid urbanization. He sings about escaping the sprawl of cities as well as a toxic work environment, emphasizing “the past that’s sleeping in the soil under heel.”
The reflective track and March single, “Kentucky Girl” pays homage to perhaps a special someone Taylor once knew. This one captures the frustration and hurt that comes with the pain of a failed love that you tried so hard to make work.
In a fast-paced world, it is easy to get swept up in the demands of everyday life. “Heart on the Run” speaks to the precious and fleeting nature of life as well as the desire to live as best you can while you’ve got the time. This track is packed with a gripping blend of acoustic and electric guitar that, reminiscent of a heart warring with the mind.
The concluding track, “Songs About the Glory,” is another reflective piece inspired by a past life of Taylor’s. It sums up the intended message of Not Alone in its entirety and speaks to the weariness of a person whose hopes are continually disappointed. About the track, Taylor himself says, “It describes a situation where someone who has worked those hard hours for years is constantly exposed to songs they hear on the radio which describe the glory that’s promised for effort they expend.” In this case, he’s directly speaking about the lives of early morning and late night delivery drivers, like those he once worked alongside.
And for those who may miss the hidden Easter Egg, here’s a hint: Taylor and his pals have left listeners a treat at about 3:14 in “Songs About the Glory” — the bonus track, “Lover’s Dream,” offers a tender acoustic ballad about dreaming of the future with someone you love, a heartfelt way to end such an emotionally charged album.
As an artist who values integrity, authenticity is a key component of Taylor’s acoustic-driven music. Born and raised in Southeast Texas, his rural roots are palpable in his storytelling abilities and Americana style guitar melodies. Connection is always at the center of his craft, a feeling which he hopes his listeners will experience.
Taylor states, “I’ve always believed that music connects us all on an emotional and spiritual level, all I can do is put this music out into the world and hope others feel that connection too,” a notion that certainly presents itself in Not Alone.
