STRANGER TO THE FEELING

Description

Recorded during a 4,000-mile journey across the country, Canadian Taylor Ashton's new album is a sonic odyssey at the heart of America, making its way geographically from coast to coast while reflecting on the meaning of closeness and connection. The performances are warm and inviting, anchored by Ashton's skillful guitar and banjo work and her rich, laid-back melodicism, and the recordings—led by producer Jacob Blumberg and captured with a wide range of collaborators, including Courtney Hartman, Buck Meek from Big Thief, Rachael Price from Lake Street Dive, Theo Katzman from Vulfpeck, and Louis Cato, conductor of Late Show—are alternately sparse and lush. From a cover in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, to a spiritual vortex in Sedona, AZ, the settings are inextricable from the songs, resulting in an evocative collection that evokes both the sweet virtuosity of Nick Drake and the dynamic spirit of Paul Simon.