Taylor Cole, frontman of the psych-pop supergroup Tayls, sees his work as an act of rebellion “against the Nashville standard.” And on new single “Scarlet Letter,” that spirit is front and center. The track’s unabashed weirdness and relentless positivity give Cole the opportunity to be fully, radically himself. It’s accessible yet subversive, punk but poppy, snarky without being pretentious. Tayls is our Local Artist of the Week!
We’ve covered Tayls in the past, so it’s safe to consider them friends of the station. Also safe to say? “Scarlet Letter” marks a new high for the band, a considerable feat, given our history of loving them. All the oddities we came to love them for are still in full effect here, but they’ve never sounded more polished.
A big part of Cole’s rebellion against social norms stems from the idea of letting loose. “I want to get rid of this half circle of hate in front of every stage in this city,” he says. “Why don’t people stand up front and lose themselves for a night?” And while, yes, we wish we could experience that energy live (don’t we all?), listening to the group is the next best thing. It’s an instant mood-booster, an open invitation to lose yourself in the music.
As far as what to expect from Tayls? Well, that’s a complicated question. The only constant about the group’s sound is how uncategorizable it is. Press on the band compares them to everyone from Springsteen to Bowie to Oasis to Jane’s Addiction. Even the Flaming Lips get brought up at times. But whatever you call it, and however you perceive it, you’re in for a real treat with Tayls. Check out “Scarlet Letter” for yourself below!
We’ll be playing “Scarlet Letter” throughout the week as we feature Tayls as our Local Artist of the Week. Catch it live on-air at 100.1FM on your dial or streaming live at lightning100.com.
