Taylor’s Universe

Album Title: 
Worn Out
Release Date: 
Friday, May 3, 2013
Review Type: 

Taylor’s Universe blend elements of prog with RIO, fusion and jazz giving the listener something to think about. The album is very challenging, but never gets too loud or busy to lose the audience. Although probably categorized somewhere in the fusion camp, Taylor’s Universe have a very fresh feel to it and never gets too difficult for my liking.  The result is a very listenable, free jam-oriented album with plenty of chilled-out instrumentals and infectious hooks. Most notably is the band's ability to incorporate an undeniable John McLaughlin/Al Di Meola’s guitar sound in many of the juicier cuts. Here's catchy melodies and acoustic passages, jazzy breaks, thundering drumming, thrilling guitars, sweeping melodies, multi layered sax and keyboards arrangements, majestic trumpet, you name it, it's here. The musical variety “Worn Out”  has to offer is fascinating. There's an infinite amount of musical material here so that everytime you hear it you catch something new that you haven't heard before. It's absolutely stunning. The songs are lengthy efforts, regularly clocking in at over six minutes, but they never get boring or fall into the common prog rock traps of pretentiousness, woozy balladry or pointless instrumental noodling. Let it be known that it will be hard to find a more convincing jazz prog rock album this year.

90/100