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Maria Taylor

Before you listen to her new album, Maria Taylor suggests you prepare yourself. Listen to it, she says “in a dark room, with a candle or two with headphones, maybe in the bath, but definitely horizontal.”

Though much of the deliciously diverse LadyLuck is inspired by the end of a relationship, it’s not dripping with sadness and grief, nor is it in-your-face empowering. Rather, Taylor strikes a stunning balance between melancholy (aching strings, hushed vocals) and uplifting (rolling rhythms, shimmering keys), highlighted by sharp lyrics that draw optimism out of sadness. This is not a woman down on her luck.

LadyLuck, Taylor’s third solo effort, is about “personal growth and the change that comes with it,” she says. Much of the album was written as Taylor was preparing for a move (to Los Angeles) and immediately after arriving. “This change in my life was so so needed,” she says, “that, whereas lots of older songs have happy words but a sad undertone, these songs have sad words but with hopeful undertones of renewal.”

Change is something Taylor has welcomed in her career, which started at age 15 in the Birmingham, AL-based band Little Red Rocket. Taylor later became one-half of the dream pop band Azure Ray and left in 2005 to strike out on her own. “I just listen to my gut…always,” she says of the move. “Something said it’s time to try something different.” In 2005 she released the bold and critically-acclaimed solo album 11:11 which featured vocals by Conor Oberst. In 2007 she delivered Lynn Teeter Flower, which showcased her growth as a solo artist, as well as her aptitude for inventive beats and featured Doug Easley (Cat Power, Pavement) and Spoon’s Jim Eno.

On LadyLuck, Taylor changes things again, trading beat-centric tracks for more guitar and vocals (though she does get behind the drums on “It’s Time”). As on previous albums, she works with Now It’s Overhead’s Andy LeMaster as well as new contributor, REM’s Michael Stipe, both of whom collaborated on the album’s final track, “Cartoons and Forever Plans.”

First single “Time Lapse Lifetime,” with its orchestral strings and grand melody, is about how fast life moves and how in a moment everything can change. Appropriately, the song is punctuated by both a driving beat and lingering plaintive vocals, with breaks of near-silence for poignant turns of phrase. “Oh, we dreamed a life / and it was just like that, and just like that it’s gone,” Taylor sings as lone strings fade out.
Intimate, earnest, and complex, LadyLuck is Taylor’s most stunning effort to date. Whether you listen to it in the dark or light, with headphones or on the stereo, horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, LadyLuck will move you to cry, to dance, to sing, and everything in between.

Latest bulletin 04.07.09

Cartoons and Future Plans video on youtube

The official video for "Cartoons and Forever Plans" by Maria Taylor with very special guest vocalist MIchael Stipe. Watch Maria mend broken hearts in this video that also features Soko.

Photos posted by Maria Taylor

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Blog posts

Maria's interview with Thetripwire.com May 26
Maria on "Morning Becomes Eclectic" today! May 12
LadyLuck is out today! Mar 31

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Bulletins

Apr 07, 10:17 AM

Cartoons and Future Plans video on youtube

The official video for "Cartoons and Forever Plans" by Maria Taylor with very special guest vocalist MIchael Stipe. Watch Maria mend broken hearts in this video that also features Soko.
Mar 31, 08:59 AM

LadyLuck is out today!

LadyLuck is available everywhere today!
Mar 24, 03:12 PM

New song in the player

We've just added a new song from LadyLuck called "My Favorite Love" .
LadyLuck comes out in exactly one week! Pre-order your copy today at amazon.
Mar 17, 11:54 AM

Maria Taylor new song available today on itunes!

"Cartoons and Forever Plans" the new single (co-written by Michael Stipe) from LadyLuck is available today on itunes and amazon!
Feb 27, 09:46 AM

New US tour dates + New song!

heLLO!!
For the last few months I have been ANXIOUSLY awaiting the release of my new record LadyLuck. I truly can't wait for it to come out so that I can get on the ROAD and play these songs every night!!! Luckily, I don't have to wait much longer:) the second single " cartoons and forever plans" ( which I co-wrote with Michael Stipe and Andy LeMaster ) comes out March 17 on iTunes and you can hear it now in my songs. We will begin the US tour as soon as I get back from europe on April 4th. My dearest friends Whispertown 2000 will be opening up every show. You will LOVE them.

See you SOON!

xo
maria

P.S. Have you seen the wonderful video that Alan Tanner directed for "Time Lapse Lifeline"?
Feb 10, 10:46 AM

New European Dates w/ Joshua Radin!

Hi guys!!
My friend Joshua Radin just asked me to open up for him on his upcoming European tour. I'm so excited to tour with him AND to get back to all my favorite cities!! All of the cities are listed below....
I will also be touring in the US in the spring, I can't wait to get out and see all of the lovely US folks again, stay tuned to myspace for more details!

The first single from LadyLuck, "Time Lapse Lifeline", is available for download now, along with a bonus track, "Orchids", if you jump over to iTunes.

hope to see you guys very very soon.
xo
maria

3/15 Dublin, IE @ Sugar Club
3/17 Liverpool, UK @ Academy 2
3/18 Birmingham, UK @ Academy 2
3/19 London, UK @ Shepherd's Bush Empire
3/20 Glasgow, UK @ King Tut's
3/22 Paris, FR @ Sentier des Halles
3/23 Cologne, DE @ Studio 672
3/24 Munich, DE @ 59:1 9
3/25 Berlin, DE @ Lido Club
3/27 Hamburg, De @ Prinzenbar

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