Matt Taylor Band

'No Trouble At All’ is a slice of slick, chilled out modern blues from contemporary Blues popsters the Matt Taylor Band. Taylor, as lead singer, guitarist, and frontman is the focal point of the proceedings, and his smooth, quivering vocals are well suited to the band’s clean-cut sound.

Whilst lacking sufficient edge to be legitimately categorized as a blues band in the traditional sense, the influence of the blues can be heard in Taylor’s fluid guitar breaks and the emotive, soulful quality of his voice. The band’s original work is particularly strong and is well arranged to give their sound a thick, rich texture that works perfectly with their glossy sound.

The seven original tracks display clear pop songwriting sensibilities and owe more to Bruce Springsteen or Cat Stevens than to the blues. These singer/songwriter influences are paid tribute to with the inclusion of a number of covers from the likes of Bob Dylan, Sheryl Crow, and Jose Gonzalez.

Whilst these numbers give greater insight into where the band is coming from, and do showcase their ability to put a new spin on cover material, they ultimately feel lacking and disjointed when put alongside the band’s strong batch of original numbers. The band are all well accomplished musicians and, although the name might suggest otherwise, they are not merely a vehicle for their namesake’s guitar pyrotechnics.

The mix is well balanced and the players weave expertly in and out of each other, each getting occasional chances to shine through the mix, though always focused on the needs of the song rather than any individual agenda. Taylor is obviously a strong writer and a very capable guitarist, and has assembled a strong unit around himself. However, this release feels a little underwhelming given the hype, and would benefit from the inclusion of more original material. No doubt a band to watch out for in the future.