Singer Songwriter, Si Taylor has released his newest album, ‘9 Magpies’. No stranger to the industry, Si Taylor has quite the musical history, but this solo project consisting of nine great tracks, will be a beacon that stands out amongst all his other projects.
Starting off strong, ‘9 Magpies’ begins with the track, ‘Black Dog.’ There’s a bit of a dark edge to it, the sound being a mix between Nick Cave and REM. It’s very classic rock, with a jangly element that makes the instrumentals really interesting. The first track is definitely a stand out, and the repetitive outro, which is almost chant-like in the end, makes it that bit more memorable.
The second track, ‘Angel’ is a slowed down track that has an obvious country or folky feel. It also really leans into the REM influence. Of course, without a doubt, the star attraction of the song is the guitar, getting its own moment to shine but remaining consistently brilliant throughout the whole length as well.
The guitar really sticks out in song three as well, ‘Cold Heart’, a melodic number that fits perfectly with the pacing of the album, before the chilled out vibe of ‘Lucky Kid’ which feels even more emotive and thoughtful than any of the other tracks.
A twangy guitar jolts you to life with ‘Prodigal’ which begins a bit slower but quickly gains momentum. The same twangy guitar can be heard in ‘Real Love’ as well, which helps define the genre of the album more as that folk, country sound aforementioned. It’s a very consistent album that feels both like nine individual stories and one long one.
‘VU’ is an opening that grabs you, peppy and more bouncy, it’s got a joyous tone that is once again highlighted by jangly guitars, the instrumentation being absolutely incredible throughout this album. And name dropping The Velvet Underground is a factor you can’t help but hear, and we all love it when artists do it and it’s not even known why.
The penultimate song, ‘Dear Cowboy’ mellows everything out once again, leading up to the finale, ‘Supermen & Traubadours’ which is anything but mellow with that cracking harmonica intro. It’s a bold ending to ‘9 Magpies’, exactly as the first track is a great opening. It both begins and finishes with really noticeable tracks. Considering the album is only nine tracks, it’s important that everything is quality and this does not disappoint at all.
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