What kind of country outlaws record a tender wedding song? Jackson Taylor & The Sinners are the answer to that question. His “Circle Of Trust” comes across as a cross between Waylon Jennings and Heartland, in which the chorus is comprised of beautiful, heartfelt self-written vows, “I do, take you, to have and to hold ‘til the end of the road.” Fortunately, Taylor & The Sinners are pleasantly unpredictable with their 14-song album influenced by the experiences of life in both California and Texas.
“Sunset” paints a lonely, depressing picture of southern California – the non-glamorous tale of aspiring stars who struggle to reach the limelight.It’s an interesting perspective given that Taylor has lived in New York, Nashville and Los Angeles before settling in Austin – not far from his hometown of Moody, Texas. Taylor paints a more positive picture of the Golden State in “Goin’ Back To California” where he sings about returning to the state from Mexico; the song has a welcoming Waylon-esque groove.
On “Highway 101”, he sings of the palm trees and driving on the boulevard. But fear not, Texans, Taylor gives plenty of props to his home state, especially with “Sex, Love and Texas” – a straight-up honky-tonk song that’s just as humorous as the title would have you believe. And with a growing audience, Taylor had no problem attracting fellow stars as diverse as traditionalist Dale Watson, punk rocker Jonny “2 Bags” on “Back On The Bottle” and Red Dirt stalwart Jason Boland on “Ball & Chain.”The former is a drinking song that would have fit well on any Merle Haggard or Johnny Paycheck album. “Country Song” pokes fun at the shortcomings of country, rap and rock establishments, with most of the melodic criticism directed at Nashville and its Grand Ole Opry.
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