ALBUM REVIEW: Stranger To The Feeling – Taylor Ashton

Canadian singer-songwriter TAYLOR ASHTON is back with his collaborative project Stranger To The Feeling. Recorded over the course of a 4,000-mile road-trip, the album features a catalogue of fellow musicians which includes, but is not limited to, COURTNEY HARTMAN, THE BROTHER BROTHERS, and RACHAEL PRICE. For Ashton, it boils down to connections and closeness following isolation but more than anything else: “After so much time apart, it was really powerful just making music with friends again.”

And that powerful feeling is perfectly captured throughout this beautiful, whimsical record. Each track feels vulnerable, loving, and gentle; you find yourself at peace. Opening with Strong Hands, featuring Price, the album starts off with gentle acoustic guitar complimented by the sounds of birds. A fun fact is that each song was recorded in a unique location, ranging from friends’ homes and gardens, to half-demolished rooms, to parks with the above-mentioned track being recorded in Prospect Park.

It’s this element that allows the whole vibe of friendship and closeness to be reflected; you can feel the love and happiness captured in that moment in time. In a way, the songs recorded offer a chance of escape from the busyness of everyday life – as to where you escape completely depends. It could be a place of paradise as in Like A Movie featuring THEO KATZMAN; you could be transported into your own coming of age movie soundtrack as in Denis, featuring Hartman; or a simple pleasant afternoon in Love Something Leave Something, featuring BUCK MEEK, which also features a bit of reggae.

There are fun little moments that stray away from the standard formula such as in slow, acoustic songs with the use of upbeat genres like in Beauty Sleep – another one featuring Hartman – that has a funky style and reminds us of a slower HARRY STYLES track, along with the use of brass section in Honey, featuring JACOB SHARP, and the aforementioned Denis. Yet even in moments that are upbeat and happy you remain calm and in a trance as your troubles fade away.

Each collaboration is beautiful, every artist perfectly suits their feature, and the best part is that they had so much fun recording this organically. Stranger To The Feeling is a lovely way to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life that you’re sad when it’s over. Projects like this allow us to have a personal glimpse into the friendship between musicians; in fact, this is how it should be done when possible.

Rating: 8/10

Stranger To The Feeling is out now via Signature Sounds Recordings.

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