Julian Taylor is one of the hardest working Canadian musicians around. The Toronto singer-songwriter has been a part of local scene since the late '90s — by way of roots rock band Staggered Crossing — and his solo efforts, starting with 2013's Zero to Eleven, have marked him as an artist unafraid to meld elements of jazz, folk and R&B sounds to harmonious effect.
"Sweeter" is a hard-driving ditty and "Learn to Love" rocks in a Kravitz-esque fashion. "Gone" slows things down with a smoky blues song, while the rootsy jump of "Take What You Need" goes down easy. The title track comes off a tad earnest with its message, but taken as a whole, Avalanche takes few risks but the Julian Taylor Band are up to the challenge of serving up a solid slice of roots-oriented folk and soul.
(Gypsy Soul)"Sweeter" is a hard-driving ditty and "Learn to Love" rocks in a Kravitz-esque fashion. "Gone" slows things down with a smoky blues song, while the rootsy jump of "Take What You Need" goes down easy. The title track comes off a tad earnest with its message, but taken as a whole, Avalanche takes few risks but the Julian Taylor Band are up to the challenge of serving up a solid slice of roots-oriented folk and soul.