Will Taylor & Strings Attached

Collaborations (Heart Music)

Will Taylor’s idea is a novel one and his intent admirable. He backs some of Austin’s most renowned singer-songwriters, his band Strings Attached interpreting their catalogs with violin, cello, and viola in the unique downtown setting of St. David’s Church. It’s turned into a concert series that Taylor produces on a monthly basis and has resulted in the aptly named Collaborations. Featuring a virtual who’s who of local songwriters, including Shawn Colvin, Eliza Gilkyson, Sara Hickman, Slaid Cleaves, and Jimmy LaFave, Collaborations is an all-star Austin songwriter sampler. Unfortunately, despite the marquee and musicianship, there’s a sameness to the arrangements that lends the disc a sleepy aura belying its spiritual objective. With her gospel background, Ruthie Foster’s “Ocean of Tears” rises above the persistent drone with a well-placed shout. Tracks from Gilkyson (“Easy Rider”) and Barbara K (“My Name Is Truth”) also stand out since they’re not far afield from what each artist normally sets out to accomplish.

**

This article appears in November 4 • 2005.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US