Canadian folk singer Julian Taylor has released a stunning acoustic version of his song ‘Seeds’ featuring Carsen Gray today. The song featured on 2022’s ‘Beyond the Reservoir‘, one of our Folk Albums of the Year and one of Mike Davies’s Top 10 Albums of 2022.
An album steeped in deeply personal growing pains that touch on universal feelings, veined with sadness and joy, anguish and hope, touching on the confessional spirit and resonant emotions of a Springsteen or Browne, it confirms Taylor as one of the finest voices in contemporary Canadian folk music. Mike Davies, Folk Radio
This stripped-back version, especially with Gray’s harmonies, totally transforms the song into a moving resilient anthem. Julian shared the following on how the song came to be:
“Horrible events drove me to write this song. It was written because of the discovery of the deaths of thousands of Indigenous children sent to residential schools and learning of the people who committed these crimes. It was written because of police brutality and systemic racism that people like me face and have faced. North American governments and the church tried to erase the identity of thousands of people, but despite these efforts, Indigenous culture and Black culture have remained steadfast and strong.
“It was important to try and do this song acoustically so the lyrics would really be heard. When Carsen Grey offered to sing on it, that was an incredible gift. Her voice is very gentle, and I even think it sounds childlike at times, which suits the song very well considering the meaning of it.
“‘Seeds’ is a message of resilience, strength, and the ability to overcome the greatest of obstacles. I always write about hope, and these lyrics celebrate the strength of the human spirit and convey a message of the potential for growth and achievement. They encourage perseverance and the belief that one can rise above challenges to fulfill their dreams.”
At the same time, he is also releasing an acoustic collection that includes the new single and the previously released singles “Opening The Sky (Acoustic)” and “It’s Not Enough (Sunset Version).” Listen here.
Don’t miss Julian’s UK Summer tour dates:
Jul 27, 2023 – Maidenhead, UK | Norden Farm
Jul 29, 2023 – Cambridge, UK | Cambridge Folk Festival
Jul 30, 2023 – Twickenham, UK | The Cabbage Patch, High Tide Festival
Jul 31, 2023 – Manchester, UK | Band On The Wall
Aug 3, 2023 – London, UK | Water Rats
Aug 4, 2023 – Kirton in Lindsey, UK | Town Hall Live
Aug 6, 2023 – Inverness, UK | Under Canvas