By Will McGuirk

Singer/songwriter Julian Taylor has just released a compilation album, ‘Anthology Vol 2’, which stretches over twenty five years from his time in Staggered Crossing up to his very successful solo career. Interestingly the single is ‘Hunger’, a track written by Graeme Williamson of the band, Pukka Orchestra. Frank Davies, founder of the Canadian Songwriters’ Hall of Fame, and a pal of ours here at Slowcity, was the one who shared the track with Taylor.

Its a lilting number on a traditional Irish sounding air, different from much of Taylor’s own work but yet there’s a deep understanding of the words in Taylor’s delivery.

“When I first heard the song, it was the lyrics that really struck me. With everything going on in the world right now, hunger remains such a devastating and unnecessary reality. There are people with enough money to eradicate it in 24 hours, but they choose not to. Frank and I decided that we would donate a portion of the song’s sales to the Band Aid Charitable Trust.” says Taylor in a press release.

Taylor bring a soulful authenticity to all of his work; he has played Oshawa at least once, at the Crossing Point festival (I introduced him on stage) and I have always enjoyed his voice and the presence he brings to songs. The track ‘Seeds’ is my favourite I think. So good. Highly recommend this comp and I hope to have it at the record shop asap.