| “The sound they make is so epic.” – Jack Saunders, Radio 1 “Inspired by 60s-psychedelia, power-pop and glam-rock, the pair layer raucous guitars over melancholic lyrics that make us want to wreak havoc on the world, in a fun way of course.” – Wonderland “Pretty amazing.” – John Kennedy, Radio X “Absolutely beautiful.” – Shaun Keaveny, 6 Music “Great melodies.” – Gary Crowley, BBC Radio London “Very lovely stuff.” – Ruban Nielson, Unknown Mortal Orchestra “Sounds great. Like ELO with weirder lyrics.” – Sean Ono Lennon |
| The Taylor Twins’ debut single ‘Lost All The Summer’ took the psychedelic power-poppers onto the Radio X airwaves into Wonderland’s new music round-up, the Wonderlist. It heralded the start of a rebirth for the 22-year-old twins, Ollie (vocals/guitar) and Eddie (vocals/bass), who first came to attention in 2020 under the name Butterfly. The duo’s potential was undeniable even then, picking up support from Radio 1, 6 Music, Ruben Nielson (Unknown Mortal Orchestra), Sean Ono Lennon, Willie J Healey, Blaine Harrison (Mystery Jets), Dave Gregory (XTC) and Rodney Bingenheimer. Next for The Taylor Twins comes their second single, ‘Still Play Your Game’ which is out now on their own independent label Rørvig Records, a name which references their Scandinavian roots. ‘Still Play Your Game’ provides further evidence of The Taylor Twins’ blurring the lines between the contemporary and the classic, providing the feel of an unlikely collaboration between Tame Impala and ELO. The two multi-instrumentalists excel at maximalist production, a flamboyant wall-of-sound in which guitars, synths and bass radiate with an effervescent aura. The brothers’ vocal harmonies are their essential calling card, their tight and intuitive voices adding a distinctive touch to everything they do. The Twins’ glistening summer sound is the counterpoint to their melancholy lyrics. It’s a song that speaks of being in an unequal relationship: as much as you realise you’re the one always compromising to make it work, you’re still irresistibly drawn back to it like a moth to a flame. But the original idea comes from a far darker tale. The Taylor Twins explain, “‘Still Play Your Game’ is a song about a relationship, but with a twist. The song is loosely based on the bizarre case of Henry Lee Lucas, the subject of Netflix’s ‘Confession Killer’ documentary. The more false confessions Lucas gave Small-town Sheriff Jim Boutwell, the more trapped in their strange symbiotic game they became. The ‘singer’ of the song here is Lucas, but you can take it on any level you like… our lives are ruled by games.” That concept also extends to the concept behind the track’s artwork. As they continue, “We’re great admirers of the cover art approach of Sparks, where the band can choose to present themselves in any role, or any situation they please. ‘Still Play Your Game’, with its unique subject matter, inspired this news footage type image, and reflects our drive to be creative in everything we do.” As well as ELO and Tame Impala, The Taylor Twins whip up all kinds of influences into their sonic concoction. From rock classicists to esoteric experimentalists, they’re galvanized by the likes of The Beatles, The Strokes, The White Stripes, Sparks, Neil Young and Kings Of Leon. The result is a blurring of the generations that makes them kindred spirits to Ty Segall, Pond or The Lemon Twigs. Their retro styling and tousled hair makes for an arresting image, but it’s an expression of who they are – they look just the same whether they’re on stage or just passing through an ordinary day. The pair are originally from just north of London. Clearly talented as children, their passion for music took off in their teens and they’d spend most of their free time jamming and experimenting in their rehearsal space, a repurposed garden shed. Putting those hours in purely for the fun of it provided a shared musical telepathy that informs everything they do now. Mystery Jets’ duo Blaine Harrison and Jack Flanagan became the twins’ friends and mentors after they met backstage at an early Butterfly gig. While that band split during lockdown, time revealed it to be a blessing in disguise. Instead they built a home studio packed with vintage and analogue gear, recorded other artists and worked on new material whenever they felt the urge – harking back to the freedom of their teenage years. The Taylor Twins will play their first London show when they hit The Sebright Arms on November 24th. Support comes from Langkamer, while Blaine Harrison will play a DJ set. Tickets are available from DICE. |
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