Our old friend Sean Taylor takes aim and fires at a host of deserving and familiar adversaries on his new album, First Light.  But, amongst the polemic, he reminds us that the power of nature remains undiminished, despite the efforts of those seeking to destroy it.

RETURN OF THE POLEMIC

It seems like a while since we last heard from our old friend, Sean Taylor.  It fact, it was August 2023 when the plain-speaking troubadour of truth last crossed our radar.  At the time we surprised, yet not altogether dismayed that, for his album Short Stories, Sean eschewed his trademark polemic and, instead, embraced the somewhat gentler art of storytelling.

It was, as we now know, a temporary diversion.

The world of early 2026 is an altogether more unpredictable and dangerous place that in was in the summer of 2023.  The ongoing unrest in places such as Ukraine, Palestine and elsewhere is now compounded by a petulant orange man-child determined to see the entire Western Hemisphere submit to his whims, as well as a far-right resurgence that gains footholds wherever anyone would care to look.  It’s time to hear what Sean Taylor thinks about it all, don’t you think?

SCORN AND CELEBRATION

And, with First Light, Sean shares his thoughts – and leaves little to the imagination as he does so.  But, as he sprays his scorn over those most deserving of it, he also issues a firm reminder that, even amidst of these desperate times, there is still much around us worthy of celebration.

As with Short Stories, Sean is joined on First Light by his stalwart accomplices, Mike Seal (double bass) and Paulina Szczepaniak (drums and percussion).  And the sound is given a further boost by contributions from a group of friends that includes Justin Carroll (Hammond organ), Ben Walker (electric guitar) plus a few other very special guests who step up to the mark whenever required.

A DANGEROUS TIME TO BE ALIVE

Speaking about First Light, Sean says: “I feel pretty good.  Without doubt, it’s the most creative I have ever been.  In contrast, the world feels violent, scary and unhinged.  This is mirrored by a music industry that is increasingly corporate, conservative and desperate.  Venues and festivals are struggling like never before.

Inside my music, I bear witness to the unfolding apocalypse of climate change, escalating wars and the dominance of the far right.  This is a dangerous time to be alive.”

He’s right, of course and, on First Light, Sean says much that needs to be said.  And repeated regularly.  All we need now is for far more people to heed his messages.

TAKE AIM… FIRE!

Whilst Sean is more than willing to lash out at those who deserve such treatment, he is, primarily, a believer in the love and goodness of people – and that belief is exposed in First Light, the album’s tender title track.  The song’s title came from a conversation that Sean had after a concert in Low Newton, Northumberland – a village that Sean regards as one of England’s loveliest places.  It’s a celebration of sunrise and the dawning of a new day and that vision is firmly evoked by the rich sound of Brian Standefer’s cello.  Sean plays piano to accompany his tentative, withdrawn vocals (imagine a compassionate Lou Reed) and the mood is serene and contemplative.

Sean paints his “…brutal picture of a broken society” with the searing Artificial Intelligence.  Social media, social privilege, the misogyny of Andrew Tate take the brunt of the vitriol.  Elon Musk comes in for special treatment, with Sean suggesting that we “…send the Nazi-saluting pig off to Mars.”  And, so far, he’s merely warming up…

The cover art to the single release of Britain’s Got Talent features the faces of Kier Starmer and Nigel F*rage, so that’s a clue as to where we’re headed next.  Again, the protagonists seem to be queueing to be shot at: Andrew Mountbatten, GB News, F*rage, Tommy Robinson all take a hammering.  Even Thatcher doesn’t dodge a Sean Taylor bullet, and she’s been dead for nearly 13 years!  The song itself is slow, sweet and jazzy, with Justin Carroll’s Hammond organ blending nicely with Sean’s piano and Mike Seal’s bass.  Sean’s vocals take precise aim at his targets and his payoff: “Scapegoats, xenophobes, stop the boats, make us choke, riots smoke, wasted votes, I’m proud as woke – What say you?” wraps things up nicely.

A GIVER OF HOPE – AND A ‘RACIST CROOK’

Written by Victor Jara, a Chilean songwriter who was murdered by the dictator Augusto Pinochet, Manifesto is a song that serves up messages of hope and resistance.  Sean delivers the Spanish-language lyrics in his best North-West London tones and leaves the listener in no doubt of their relevance.  And the song is treated with all the respect it deserves, with the intertwined guitars of Edina Balczo and Chris Woods and Paulina’s soft-yet-insistent percussion.

Sean believes that: “In the face of authoritarian oppression, we have an obligation as artists to stand against fascism” and he demonstrates exactly what he means by that with Little Donny Returns – an Exocet of a song.  It’s actually the sequel to Little Donny, Sean’s 2017 ode to “…racist crook, Donald Trump.”  With lines like: “The law does not apply/ Little Donny will always lie” and “Xenophobic deportations/ Mar-a-Largo abominations,” Sean nails his colours firmly to his mast.  And the song was written before Trump’s latest antics in Venezuela and Greenland!  But, concluding with the lines: “’Tis the star-spangled banner – O long may it wave, O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave,” Sean gives reassurance that the stature of the United States will survive MAGA efforts to undermine it.  It’s another jazzy number, helped along by Paulina’s shuffling drumbeat and Michael Buckley’s velvet sax. 

PLACIDITY OVER ANGER

And we continue with the swipes against authoritarianism with Seeds – and, this time, Sean has spread his net to take in the crimes committed beyond the confines of Europe and North America.  That isn’t the last of the rhetoric but, with Everything – a co-write between Sean and Mike Seal – Sean takes time out to issue another reminder that, despite concerted efforts to ruin it, the power of nature prevails.  And he issues that reminder so very gently to a backing of shimmering electric guitar, a subtle drum rhythm and discrete bass.  A timely demonstration of the power of placidity over anger.

With lines like: “We can podcast our sweet decline/ We can live every second of our lives online,” Sean next laments society’s growing addiction to mobile phones (and he’s no hypocrite – he includes himself in his criticisms).  It’s a quiet – but potent – shuffle, with just Sean and Mike providing the pared-back accompaniment.

 The second of the album’s two Taylor/Seal co-writes, Poverty has lyrics that will resonate with anyone who has, during the past ten years, walked through a UK town centre (just about all of us, I guess…)  It’s another glorious shuffle and I love Sean’s piano solo.  The song concludes with the words: “Poverty bites.”  And so do these lyrics.

PEACE IN THE END

“One of my favourite songs ever written,” says Sean, in relation to All Along the Watchtower.  It’s an inspired choice for an album that dwells so intently on the abuses being perpetrated by the strong, against the weak, all over the world and Dylan’s lyrics provide a neat summary to all that.  Sean’s respect for the song is evident from the pared-back instrumentation and the whole thing is set alight by Richard Moore’s wonderful gypsy violin.

First Light is brought to its peaceful, calming close with Murmurations, a final, meaningful, nod to nature’s endurance and the love that continues to exist in the world despite everything.  Sean’s brought a full band into play for this final song, including a cameo from the waves on Brighton beach – in honour, I’d guess, of the starlings that perform their stunning maneuvers around the Palace Pier head.  “They shine as poems, starlings so high/  Love inside this world – please never die.”

Watch the official video to Little Donny Returns – the album’s most biting track – below:

Sean Taylor: Official Website

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