Julian Taylor over to the Benelux with "Beyond The Reservoir"

Although this album is good musically, with many songs having melodies that grow on you over time, it is the compelling lyrics with such humanity which stand out and are its strength. Julian Taylor comes from Toronto and has both Mohawk and West Indian heritage. He has said that on one side of this heritage his ancestors were taken from their lands, while on the other their land was stolen from them. Although he was not brought up on a reservation, he has strong connections to family who were.

‘Stolen Land’ deals with this very effectively: “This land is your land, This land is my land/This land was made for you and me/A poor choice of words from Woodie Guthrie/This land was taken and now everyone can see.” Taylor is very concerned with the struggles of his ancestors and adds later “This land was taken and built on slavery”. However, he also mentions the injustices felt by his people today: “She cries because her only son was killed by a shotgun/Another senseless tragedy triggered by police brutality”

Taylor states that Beyond The Reservoir “is an adolescence record about moving into adulthood”. Beyond the Reservoir, is an album that addresses identity, loss, sadness, hope, and redemption. The themes of resilience, courage, and strength are prevalent in every carefully-chosen lyric. It contains a gentle spiritual thread that runs throughout the album touching on each of the elements like fire, water, air, and earth as they relate to humanity. It is a coming-of-age story and a beautifully-orchestrated successor to The Ridge, his prevoius release. 

Julian Taylor comes over for a select number of shows:

18/02: Amen, NL - Cafe de Amer
19/02: Utrecht, NL - TivoliVredenburg
20/02: Brussels, BE - Indies Keeping Secrets