According to the biography page on his Web site, Lowell singer/songwriter Melvern Taylor “writes happy songs about miserable people,” and “his instrument of choice is the ukulele.” The two statements may be simple, but they also happen to provide a near-perfect summation of more than 20 years in the life of this talented musical storyteller.
As recognizable for his signature porkpie hat as he is for his ukulele, Taylor perfectly encapsulates the spirit of a seemingly detached, yet keenly aware, musician. His songs are built from simple, upbeat melodies, but their lyrics tell dark stories of lost love, depression and lots and lots of alcohol. “My mother liked music that was really sad, but catchy,” Taylor explains, referring to his early influences. “Her musical tastes and my musical tastes are pretty much the same, which I didn’t realize until about six months ago.”
Born and raised in a rural area of Andover, Taylor moved to Lowell in the mid-1990s and instantly took to the city’s thriving music scene. “There was this friendly competition going on at the open mic nights,” he recalls, “and everyone drove each other to get better.” This dynamic musical atmosphere inspired the young songwriter to push himself. He eventually recorded “Handsome Bastard,” his 1999 debut album, and a follow-up two years later called “The Spider and the Barfly.”
But it was during the recording of his album “Fabuloso” in 2002 when Taylor stumbled upon the instrument that would change the course of his music, giving him the perfect melodic backdrop for his bittersweet stories. “It’s really mellow, and it has a lot of really cool sonic characteristics that appeal to my personality and songwriting style,” he says of his ukulele. The instrument is front and center on both “Fabuloso” and his latest album, “Love Songs For Losers,” recorded live in the studio and released in 2008.
More than just a signature instrument, the uke was a catalyst that forced Taylor to reconfigure his support musicians to better fit his sound. Currently made up of slide guitarist Dave Livingston, upright bassist Johnny Grant, and drummer/producer Bob Nash, the outfit Taylor fondly calls his Fabulous Meltones adds the perfect touch of soft accompaniment, landing the sound somewhere between 1950s lounge and 1960s folk.
Left to right: Dave Livingston - Guitar, Melvern Taylor - Ukulele, Matt Berlin - Upright Bass, Sir Bob Nash - Snare Drum. Photo by Adrien Bisson.
Songs like “Two Bottles of Beer” and “Salisbury Beach” evoke grins with their shuffle beats and catchy singalong choruses, while slower numbers like “The Night We Met” and “French for Goodbye” wear their emotions on their tear-soaked sleeves. But regardless of the mood, it’s Taylor’s undeniable knack for a good hook that makes all of his songs timeless and unforgettable.
If Taylor can be faulted, it’s for his lack of self-promotion. “I’m a horrible self-promoter,” he says, conceding that he markets himself less and less at a time when online marketing vehicles are in the hands of artists more than ever before. “As soon as I’m done with a record, I’m ready to move on. I don’t even know how to go about promoting it.”
Given that he splits his time between music and the ongoing demands of being a stay-at-home dad, Taylor’s lack of focus is almost forgivable. But it’s probably safer to say that his “happy songs about miserable people” are the perfect vehicle to do the talking for him.
For more information about Melvern Taylor and his music, visit his Web site at www.melverntaylor.com.
Musician Profile – Melvern Taylor
According to the biography page on his Web site, Lowell singer/songwriter Melvern Taylor “writes happy songs about miserable people,” and “his instrument of choice is the ukulele.” The two statements may be simple, but they also happen to provide a near-perfect summation of more than 20 years in the life of this talented musical storyteller.
As recognizable for his signature porkpie hat as he is for his ukulele, Taylor perfectly encapsulates the spirit of a seemingly detached, yet keenly aware, musician. His songs are built from simple, upbeat melodies, but their lyrics tell dark stories of lost love, depression and lots and lots of alcohol. “My mother liked music that was really sad, but catchy,” Taylor explains, referring to his early influences. “Her musical tastes and my musical tastes are pretty much the same, which I didn’t realize until about six months ago.”
Born and raised in a rural area of Andover, Taylor moved to Lowell in the mid-1990s and instantly took to the city’s thriving music scene. “There was this friendly competition going on at the open mic nights,” he recalls, “and everyone drove each other to get better.” This dynamic musical atmosphere inspired the young songwriter to push himself. He eventually recorded “Handsome Bastard,” his 1999 debut album, and a follow-up two years later called “The Spider and the Barfly.”
But it was during the recording of his album “Fabuloso” in 2002 when Taylor stumbled upon the instrument that would change the course of his music, giving him the perfect melodic backdrop for his bittersweet stories. “It’s really mellow, and it has a lot of really cool sonic characteristics that appeal to my personality and songwriting style,” he says of his ukulele. The instrument is front and center on both “Fabuloso” and his latest album, “Love Songs For Losers,” recorded live in the studio and released in 2008.
More than just a signature instrument, the uke was a catalyst that forced Taylor to reconfigure his support musicians to better fit his sound. Currently made up of slide guitarist Dave Livingston, upright bassist Johnny Grant, and drummer/producer Bob Nash, the outfit Taylor fondly calls his Fabulous Meltones adds the perfect touch of soft accompaniment, landing the sound somewhere between 1950s lounge and 1960s folk.
Left to right: Dave Livingston - Guitar, Melvern Taylor - Ukulele, Matt Berlin - Upright Bass, Sir Bob Nash - Snare Drum. Photo by Adrien Bisson.
Songs like “Two Bottles of Beer” and “Salisbury Beach” evoke grins with their shuffle beats and catchy singalong choruses, while slower numbers like “The Night We Met” and “French for Goodbye” wear their emotions on their tear-soaked sleeves. But regardless of the mood, it’s Taylor’s undeniable knack for a good hook that makes all of his songs timeless and unforgettable.
If Taylor can be faulted, it’s for his lack of self-promotion. “I’m a horrible self-promoter,” he says, conceding that he markets himself less and less at a time when online marketing vehicles are in the hands of artists more than ever before. “As soon as I’m done with a record, I’m ready to move on. I don’t even know how to go about promoting it.”
Given that he splits his time between music and the ongoing demands of being a stay-at-home dad, Taylor’s lack of focus is almost forgivable. But it’s probably safer to say that his “happy songs about miserable people” are the perfect vehicle to do the talking for him.
For more information about Melvern Taylor and his music, visit his Web site at www.melverntaylor.com.