Spun: Maria Taylor

By Darren Young

Artists often spend most of their careers attempting to recreate past success, subsequently releasing 62 consecutive albums, each sounding like the last. In the case of Maria Taylor’s Lynn Teeter Flower, past success is examined and reworked, but not beaten to death.

On her debut 11:11, Maria Taylor’s ability to sing stories with her silky voice shone through quiet instrumentation and dreamy pop grooves. Lynn Teeter Flower shows a subtle progression from 11:11, containing all of the same elements in a more mature, relaxed realm. The production is thicker, the vocals are layered and the storytelling is as vivid as ever. This is not to say that Lynn Teeter Flower is recycled material from 11:11. Maria Taylor is simply getting comfortable with herself, both musically and personally. On the track “Smile and Wave,” Taylor quips, “She’s got a rich sense of style / a believable smile / I don’t.”

There was no need for Lynn Teeter Flower to spin Maria Taylor in an entirely new direction. She would much rather take one elegant step forward at a time. Although this may not indicate that she will ever progress far beyond the style she has crafted for herself, it is a safe bet the formula will never be tagged and bagged.

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