• ‘Knuckleball Prime’ by Willie Tea Taylor

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    James G. Carlson Posted On October 15, 2015
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    With his debut solo album, 4 Strings, folk singer-songwriter Willy Tea Taylor showed that he has a remarkable ability to translate life’s experiences into song in such way that they resonate in the hearts and minds of listeners all over. He has achieved this yet again, and more, with his latest album, Knuckleball Prime. This is decidedly a more produced and involved album in that it is more of a full band effort, and has less of a stripped-down and organic singer-songwriter feel, but remains a quality album nonetheless.

    Produced by multi-instrumentalist Michael Witcher, the songs on Knuckleball Prime feature a number of highly skilled and recognizable musicians, including Benmont Tench (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers), Greg Leisz (Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton), and Gabe Witcher and Noam Pikelny (The Punch Brothers). The musicianship is undeniably impressive, as are the core song structures around which the additional instrumentation revolves. Even more impressive still is Willy’s lyrical content and heartfelt vocals, as he has a knack for taking the little things in life and making them considerably bigger and more meaningful, making them deservedly profound. He touches on some of the more major areas also, and in doing so gives each song a revealing and personal element that is altogether affecting. Willy’s songs capture the feeling of the lost America of bygone years, offering a degree of nostalgia, but travel a handful of roads to the present.

    To list standouts tracks on Knuckleball Prime would be unkind to the album since the entire thing is a standout; a triumph from start to finish.

    The definition of the term knuckleball prime, as explained in the album’s booklet, is: “When old age and treachery meet youth and skill, then sit down and discuss the future over a bottle of 18 year old scotch.” Taylor was also quoted as having said, “Most baseball players peak in their twenties, but knuckleball pitchers tend to blossom in their late thirties and early forties. I’m staring down my knuckleball prime.” And one can certainly see that theme in the material on this album.

    Willy and company teamed up with Blackwing, the pencil manufacturer, presumably because of the company’s dedication to artistic creativity, to release Knuckleball Prime. The album will be available on CD, LP and digital download formats from Blackwing Music on October 23rd, 2015.

    Knuckleball Prime is further proof that Willy Tea Taylor is easily one of the finest folk singer-songwriters of our time.

     




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