Concise melody and emotive lyric paves one unique story after another with The Ben Taylor Band's remarkable debut album, Famous Among the Barns. Raised in a musical family (parents are Carly Simon and James Taylor), lead singer/songwriter Ben Taylor was immersed in music from an early age. Taylor explains, "My first memory's of music blend in with the rest of my senses. I can remember attending the concerts and studio sessions of every one from Carol King to Foreigner by the time I was 7 years old. Nearly everyone I have ever looked up to and have ever known has been a professional musician." Surprisingly, Taylor didn't originally set his sights on a music career. Having traveled extensively all over the globe, from Tibet to the Darien Rain forest, he developed a fierce love for nature. "Up until that point I wanted to be a farmer or a gardener," the now 25-year-old composer and vocalist admits. "It was something that had to evolve in me. I don't think you can just wake up one morning and announce, 'Hey, I'm a songwriter.' Not even coming from my family. I think you have to go through a few life experiences to arrive at a point where you have something to say, something that means something, something that will make a contribution."
Realizing his knack for writing and ready to share his music with the world, Taylor spent time crafting songs on his acoustic guitar, finally letting the lyrics of his life flow. While spending time in Los Angeles the past few years, he met and formed a strong creative bond with drummer, Larry Ciancia. Together they rounded up a group of friends to record the new songs.
The Band's main inspiration is from "everyday happenings": emotions, relationships, even the glory of the great outdoors that surrounds them. Taylor explains, "It's just like every other idea that comes to you-it gives you a little tickle and you go, 'Okay, is this something that everyone wonders about or worries about?' Ideally, what I want to write about are things that have relevance not just in my life but in a universal sense as well. I want people to listen to our songs and feel or discover something new about themselves or the world we live in. That's the power of music: to move, to motivate, to make you ask 'What if?' or 'Why?' I think that music should give voice to people's emotions." This voice is clear in the organic blend of music on Famous Among The Barns.
The songs are an eclectic mix of moods and definitive moments in time. Songs like "Just Like Everyone Else" an upbeat ditty that serves as a reminder to keep things real; "It's a Good Day to Be Alive" a trippy number that celebrates birthdays (and un-birthdays); "I Am the Sun" a deep ballad about "The Guy in the Sky", but also embraces family history; "Let it Grow" the rock driven tune condemning society's wasteland; "I'm An Island" drawing its inspiration from a secluded spot in Panama and a broken heart; "Day After Day" a tribute to all women; "Safe Enough to Wake Up" about opening your eyes to the world around you; "Time of the Season" the interpretive cover of the "cool and sexy" '60s classic.
The Ben Taylor Band's sound is genre defying as Larry explains, "It's extremely difficult to categorize our sound: it's part pop, part rock-and-roll, part folk. But honestly, it's like nothing I've been hearing out there lately-which is either a very good or a very bad thing." Taylor adds, "I couldn't be more proud to sound like either of my parents, physically or stylistically, this is who I am. But I am a different guy and I write different music."
The Ben Taylor Band is poised to release their first album to retail stores in the Winter of 2003. "What we're looking forward to most is getting out there and touring around, meeting the masses," says Taylor. "Connecting with the audience-that's what it's all about."
