- Bryon Harris
Scarlett Taylor - 'Churches'
Scarlett Taylor is a unique artist with an undeniable talent for original material packed with exceptional story telling and raw emotion. Drawing her influences from artist like Amy Winehouse, Lana Del Rey, Banks, Tame Impala, Nick Cave and Halsey, Scarlett creates a musical experience that is all her own. After releasing her first successful album, ‘Lucid,’ Scarlett has released yet another breath-taking album ‘Churches,’ a haunting showcase of songs that are like reflective pools filled with moving music.
The first song featured on this album is “Fucked Up.” As the song begins, we are invited inside Scarlett's musical soul with eerie synths that immediately set a chilling vibe. When Scarlett’s vocals come in, they are slightly distorted with an echoing effect combined with her dark, warm tone that makes for a haunting sound which goes hand-in-hand with the instrumentals. “Fucked Up” sets the mood for the rest of the album and serves as a great introduction to Scarlett’s unique indie sound. 'Fucked Up' is followed by "Crazy." Scarlett talks about "demons in her head" and asks "Will somebody help me...I'm going crazy." Like the opening song, Scarlett offers intimate and honest song-writing with lyrics that bite and bleed.
Next, I’d like to take time to mention the song “Off.” The fantastic intro starts off with a melodic strings line which is soon complimented by resonating booming sounds like a heartbeat adding a dramatic and intense effect to the music. From song to song you can hear the range of emotion in Scarlett's vocals in how sings certain passages which creates an experience unique to Scarlett’s music. “Confessional” is the next track on the list and it is a personal favorite of mine. From the beginning, Scarlett’s voice comes in with shocking crisp and clean clarity, showing off the shimmering quality of her tone. 'Confessional' has a beautiful melody and in this particular song, Scarlett opens up her poetic journal to the world, "My bones are frail... please I'm begging on my knees...pick me up and show me there's more to life than this. I know he'll only want me for a minute or two."
"Confessional" if followed by the heartbreaking ballad, "Ignite" which drips with passion and a fire that burns. "Fire around me...and it burns for you." The song "Ignite" is gorgeous. Scarlett ends the album with the song “Cutting.” As the song begins we hear some solemn chords from what sounds like a form of synth strings setting the foundation for this well-produced track. Soon the drums kick in, setting the groove, while simultaneously Scarlett’s voice comes in and she shares the story. "No matter where I go, no matter what I do, you're stuck in my head. I think of you. Life is not the same without you, you, you." The albums ends with a solid bang and "Cutting" will most certainly be a song that will cut into you long after it’s over.
Overall, Scarlett’s album ‘Churches’ is chock-full of emotional, raw and intimate tracks that captivate with songs that will strike you deep inside, like a match, and set your heart on fire with poetic lyrics, passionate vocals, great production and a stellar performance for this genre. Scarlett is currently working on her next album which is to be released sometime next year. Her first album ‘Lucid’ is available for purchase on all major digital music retailers, and her newest music from ‘Churches’ can be found on soundcloud.