23.10.08

Maria Taylor with Andy LeMaster - Savannah Drive (2008)

I remember a few years ago when Azure Ray broke up, I was so disappointed that Saddle Creek’s best duo wasn’t going to make any more music. But then we got two amazing solo albums (the folksy and at times electronic 11:11 and the equally great follow up Lynn Teeter Flower) from Maria Taylor, one of the most amazing songwriters to ever come to Omaha.

Savannah Drive is really stripped down, a lot of the times just light guitar and vocals carry the songs. Four of the tracks (”Leap Year”, “Birmingham 1982″, “A Good Start”, and “Song Beneath the Song”) are remakes from her previous albums. Unlike with a lot of remakes, however, Taylor goes at the songs from a completely different angle, taking them apart and giving them to us slowly and honestly. What you’ll hear are almost entirely new songs.

There are no effects here, no percussion or electronics, just straight-up great songs. She’s still got the nostalgic lyrics, the shaking vocals, and the folk guitar melodies that echo on forever. LeMaster haunts the background, supporting the music to perfection. When you hear him come in on the chorus of “Leap Year” you’re bound to get chills. This music is like the best, most calming dream you’ve ever had. Is it possible to actually feel rested and revitalized from a 7 song EP? Is Maria Taylor the best thing to come from Alabama since the Civil Rights Movement? Hell yes, on both counts. Buy it. amazon.com


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