Joanne Shaw Taylor is pleased to announce details of her fourth studio album "The Dirty Truth" released in the UK on Monday 22nd September on Joanne’s boutique label Axehouse Music. The highly anticipated new album sees Joanne reunited with Jim Gaines who produced her 2009 debut album "White Sugar".
"I wanted to go back into the studio in Memphis with Jim to retain the same vibe that we captured on the first album", says Joanne. "The new album is a combination of rock and blues. It’s an exciting collaboration, and hopefully my fans will love the more stripped down sound".
Tracklist:
1. Mud, Honey
2. The Dirty Truth
3. Wicked Soul
4. Fool in Love
5. Wrecking Ball
6. Tried, Tested and True
7. Outlaw Angel
8. Shiver And Sigh
9. Struck Down
10. Feels Like Home
Fans will also be able to pre-order the following formats of the new album from JST’s official website www.joanneshawtaylor.com.
Available Formats:
Signed Digipack CD, Standard CD, Limited Heavy Weight Blue Vinyl, Heavy Weight Black Vinyl, A2 Art Print & Signed Digipack, Art Print & signed Blue Vinyl.
The new album dovetails Joanne’s 14-date November UK Tour with former Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden as special guest. The tour kicks off on Saturday 1st November at Norwich Epic. Click here for further details for all the tour dates.
The new studio album and forthcoming UK tour follows 2013’s live album "Songs FromThe Road" that burst with first class guitar playing, soul power, gritty blues and rock roots.
In May 2013, when Joanne originally performed at London’s Borderline, Classic Rock’s The Blues magazine said, "Joanne slips from bursts of muscular rhythm to searing riffs rooted in the blues but not dominated by it… JST bristles with self-confidence, energy and excitement".
In 2013 during an in-depth interview, The Blues magazine asked Joanne if she enjoys playing live. "How can you not enjoy that job?" she smiled. "I get on stage, turn my guitar up really loud and I shout in the microphone for two hours. It’s the best therapy in the world".
In November 2013, the Sunday Times said, "Who said white gals can’t play the blues? Killer licks, soaring solos and heart-wrenching vocals", while the Sunday Telegraph observed, "A Brummie blues singer? Yes, really. Joanne Shaw Taylor has enough soul to compete with the best the Mississippi Delta has to offer".
Album track by track:
Mud, Honey:
I had the song title "Mud, Honey" for several years and intended to write an instrumental under that name. I originally wanted my second album "Diamonds in the Dirt" to be called "Mud, Honey." When we went in to the new album with Jim Gaines, I took a demo of this in and told him it was going to be an instrumental, however, when I heard how it sounded with the band, it was so big and heavy it seemed a shame not to write some lyrics for it.
I decided to go with a darker subject matter for the lyrics as I felt that’s what would do the heavy track justice. It’s a fictional song about a gangster style character whose burned too many bridges.
The Dirty Truth:
When I sat down to write the song that would become "The Dirty Truth" I was actually attempting to write a country track. I’m a big country fan and had been listening to it a lot around the time I was writing. I hit upon this riff which obviously has a slightly more blues feel to it but decided to keep the lyrics more in a story telling vain that’s obviously common in country/Americana.
Again another fictional song about trying to get out of a relationship with a violent partner and the admission from the narrator that they know the only way to do so would be with the other person "winding up dead". It’s a fictional song. I haven’t shot any of my boyfriends.
Wicked Soul:
I often struggle when writing with what direction to take a song in when it comes to the melody and lyrics. I had the music written for a little while but just couldn’t figure out what else to do with it. The chorus just popped into my head one day. It wasn’t until we we’re in the studio and it came to record the vocals that I managed to write the verses and bridge.
It’s part autobiographical. Since I was struggling so much with finding what to say in the verse lyrics I decided to draw upon an experience I had last year with myself and a friend parting ways.
Fool in Love:
This track took a little longer for me to figure out the chorus lyric but I’m very happy with it. A story about the new sensation of falling in love with someone that you know is the right relationship you’ve been waiting for.
Wrecking Ball:
This is the one song on the album that was changed quite drastically from my demo version of it. I originally wanted it to be a rock song and it was similar to "Jump that Train" off my second album, Diamonds in the Dirt. However when we got in the studio there we’re too many changes in it and it became obvious it would benefit from being stripped back. I made the rhythm guitar part less busy, and it really gave the vocals more room.
It’s basically about falling in love with someone and the concerns about not being open to the prospect of getting hurt that go along with that. The chorus lyric summarizes with the realization that you’re already to "far gone" to not run with it.
Tried, Tested and True:
I describe this as a soul ballad. I had the title of this song written down for some time and always intended to write a slow blues track for it. I came up with the music to this song and the front part of the chorus lyric and realized it was the lyrical conclusion I needed for that chorus.
I actually wrote this about a long term relationship I ended last year. I guess it’s an apology of sorts and it also gave me the chance to explain my reasons for leaving the relationship.
Outlaw Angel:
A Texas style blues shuffle. I wanted it to be a little heavier i.e. more in the Billy Gibbons style so I played it on a Les Paul cranked through a crate head and 4 X 10 cab. The lyrics are about someone realizing their own immortality and questioning where they will go in their next life having lived a less than seraphic existence.
I grew up listening to a lot of gospel music and have always enjoyed the use of words and stories involving redemption that feature heavily in that genre.
Shiver and Sigh:
I co-wrote this song with Kevin Bowe over a decade ago and up until the past few years it had been a main staple of my live set list but I was never able to find the right album to put it on until we began this album. It’s a song about an unrequited love and for that reason I wanted the vibe of this song to be quite dark though the chorus is slightly sweater.
Struck Down:
A straight up 3 piece rock song based around a driving riff. The lyrics are about being cheated on. I really love the vibe of this song and I felt it sounds closely related to the vibe on the opening track "Mud, Honey".
Feels Like Home:
I wrote this song and previously recorded it for my 2009 debut album, "White Sugar". However I also wrote "Kiss The Ground Goodbye" for that album and I felt the Hendrix feel of both songs made them a bit too similar to include on one album.
It’s obviously heavily influenced by Hendrix, and the way he used to play a rhythm part that was almost a rhythm/lead hybrid. That’s also the reason we decided to keep this song a three piece track. It’s about finding love.
Produced and Mixed by Jim Gaines.
Recorded at Bessie Blue Studios in Counce, TN.
Guitars and Vocals: Joanne Shaw Taylor
Bass Guitar: Dave Smith
Drums: Steve Potts
Keyboards: Rick Steff
All songs written by Joanne Shaw Taylor
*Except "Shiver & Sigh" written by K. Bowe and Joanne Shaw Taylor
Record Label: Axehouse Music Ltd.
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