Sean Taylor has a superb new album The Only Good Addiction Is Love due for release on Monday 15th June. Recorded in Texas it features 11 new songs including an adaptation of a Yeats’ Poem set to music by Sean, whose own poet style is also getting better and better. The last album Chase The Night found him exploring aspects of city life, while here he sets his sights beyond the urban landscape, journeying inward as well as outbound.
Sean was able to call on some expert help to support his smoky drawl and excellent finger style guitar playing, giving these songs a lush and verdant musical setting. Amongst the guests is old friend Danny Thompson, who brings his distinctive bass style to a couple of the songs on the album. One of them is the gorgeous Rothko (our Song of the Day), which we have here to give you a first taste of the album.
Talking to Sean he told me, “The inspiration behind the song Rothko derives from the dark ambient beauty of Mark Rothko’s paintings. I’m not a student of art so when I go to a gallery my response is a very unmediated. As a full time touring musician sometimes when I go to gigs or listen to music I tend to deconstruct everything and spend forever lost in a vocal delivery or a bass line. In contrast when I look at paintings I just absorb them.
“I was drawn to Mark Rothko’s work after spending many an afternoon in the Tate Modern in the Rothko room which is like a cathedral of beauty. I always describe Rothko as ambient. I find the same thing with certain John Martyn songs like Small Hours from the One World record. These unique artists have the ability to stop time and move us in the same way that night streets touch our souls.
“With all this in mind I had to have my friend and touring partner Danny Thompson on the track. Danny is the master. He always surprises you and he bends the notes of his instrument in a similar way to Miles Davis. They both make their instruments sing.
“I was recently asked what musician I would most like to play with and I said I already have. Danny Thompson.”
We’ll bring you a full feature on The Only Good Addiction and a longer interview with Sean to come, but in the meantime immerse yourself in Rothko.
Pre-Order the Ltd Autographed Art-Card Edition via:
http://www.seantaylorsongs.com/
Photo Credit: Kim Ayres