Hiss Golden Messenger reveals new album ‘I’m People,’ preview “In The Middle Of It”
MC Taylor’s previous release as Hiss Golden Messenger was the 2023 album Jump For Joy, but his upcoming project, I’m People, is set to change that. Scheduled for release on May 1st, Taylor describes the album as a compilation that seeks to encapsulate the breadth of human experience. The songs on I’m People touch on various themes such as pursuing and avoiding things, maintaining reasonable and realistic hopes, expectations, parenthood, aging, love, lust, luck, and music. They also delve into topics like solitude, heartbreak, spiritual poverty, and the potential healing power of community. Shedding old layers, embracing mystery as a necessary beauty, reminiscing about personal experiences like his grandmother Lucy’s Cadillac, filled with smoke, or the vast lightning fields of Santa Rosa, NM at midnight. Late nights spent drinking wine, running wild, exploring ideas of bondage, fealty, devotion, the complexities of relationships, and the cyclical nature of breaking and making connections. Taylor reflects on moments of peace, like summertime in the mountains, observing wild roses scaling fences, and finding a serene mind amid the chaos of life.
Our introduction to the album comes in the form of the opening track, “In The Middle Of It.” This genial folk-rock tune carries a hint of War On Drugs dreaminess, but it exudes clarity rather than ambiguity. Taylor describes it as a “Santa Fe song,” written while situated at the El Rey Court hotel, where he drew inspiration from the passing landscape of Highway 10 desert towns between Los Angeles and El Paso. The song also references Art Bell’s Coast To Coast program emanating from a hidden bunker in Nevada, invoking imagery of ghosts, UFOs, and wandering souls. The engine’s melody blends with the vast lightning fields to create a sense of being immersed in the heart of the country and its captivating stories and relationships.
The album’s tracklist showcases an array of titles that hint at the diverse themes explored within the record. Titles like “Who You Gonna Run To?,” “Shaky Eyes,” “Mercy Ave,” “Seneca,” “Last Orders,” and “Spirit Cat” suggest an exploration of internal and external struggles, relationships, time, and subjective experiences. Through tracks like “Gabriel,” “Heavy World,” “Alright,” and “Depends On The River,” Taylor seems to navigate deeper emotional and philosophical territories within the human condition.
Set to be released via Chrysalis on May 1st, I’m People promises to be a deeply introspective and heartfelt journey through the complexities of life and relationships. The album is now available for pre-order, offering a glimpse into MC Taylor’s latest musical endeavor and his ongoing exploration of the human experience through the lens of Hiss Golden Messenger.