Joanne Shaw Taylor: Songs From The Road Review

Many months ago on a mid-May evening at The Borderline in Soho, I found myself sandwiched between several leather jacket, lager-guzzling rockers who were transfixed by the hugely talented Joanne Shaw Taylor. The gig was a one-take, no foul up concert recorded for this long awaited live album Songs From The Road.

The pressure may have been weighing heavily, but Taylor strutted out on stage to give the intimate, sweat-drenched crowd a performance to remember. The first track “Soul Station,” is a belter from her most recent studio album Almost Always Never.  The dense guitar laden tune seems to be where Taylor is at her finest. The thrill of a volcanic live solo is enough to get even those pinned against the back wall head bopping.

Taylor is certainly known for her gutsy guitar work, but there is another angle to her music. “Beautifully Broken” projects a more sensitive side that is wonderfully crafted by the band’s smooth melodies and Taylor’s warm, crisp vocal tone. Admittedly, I am slightly disappointed to see the compassionate track “Almost Always Never,” did not make the final album cut.

Songs From The Road embodies the life and soul Taylor and band put into their music. It has the deep contrast of vibrancy and tenderness that sums up her career to date. It is a performance to be proud of.

The Review: 9/10

Can’t Miss Tracks

– Soul Station
– Beautifully Broken
– Diamonds In The Dirt
– Jealousy
– Going Home

The Big Hit

– Beautifully Broken

Review by George Ward