Julian Taylor to Release New Album ‘Pathways’ on September 27th

Julian Taylor’s new album, Pathways, will be released on September 27th, 2024, by the Howling Turtle, Inc. label. The album follows on the heels of his most recent solo LPs, 2020’s highly acclaimed, award-winning album, The Ridge (which garnered Taylor’s anointing as Solo Artist of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards) and 2022’s equally lauded album, Beyond the Reservoir (nominated for two Juno Awards and three Canadian Folk Music Awards), as well as his 2023 career retrospective release, Anthology Vol. 1.

Besides the first single, “Weighing Down,” which was released in April 2024 and just cracked the CBC Radio Top 10, Taylor has released two additional singles from Pathways, including “Running Away” (out in May 2024) and “Ain’t Life Strange” (out July 2024). The forthcoming single, the title track, “Pathways” (featuring Allison Russell), will be released on August 21st, 2024.

The journey of life puts us all on our own respective pathways to find out who we are and how we can strive to overcome any of the inner doubts and struggles we all experience. Since the outset of his career, acclaimed Canadian singer-songwriter Julian Taylor has been on his own never-ending quest to answer such big questions in his music — and his latest album, Pathways, candidly captures how he approaches handling his own litany of ever-lingering burdens.

Taylor comments:

“When you feel heavy, you’ve got to get things off your chest. And Pathways reflects the way I was feeling while I was writing it and making it. What any of us are going through at any particular time acts as a stamp, or an imprint, of what we’re battling and trying to heal within ourselves. I’ve been going through it myself — I’m still going through it — and I’m trying to work through a lot of the pain I’ve caused myself and others.”

The eight concise tracks that comprise Pathways find Taylor looking even further inward than ever before to corral a succinct song cycle that attempts to come to grips with the throes of strife that wrack us all, yet somehow find a way to power through it all.

Pathways was co-produced by Taylor and Colin Linden (Emmylou Harris, Bruce Cockburn, Blackie and The Rodeo Kings), mixed by Colin Linden, and mastered by Greg Calbi. The album was recorded in two key locations: Jukasa Studios at the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario and Linden’s own Pinhead Recorders in Nashville. Linden made an immediate impact on the recording proceedings.

Julian Taylor ‘Pathways’ album artwork

Taylor confirms:

“Musically, this particular record is less busy. It’s a very stark statement about going through our own personal struggles, and Colin helped me take this record to a different space. It’s a bluesier record than the previous ones, and that’s certainly part of his pedigree. That’s what makes Pathways a real collaborative effort.”

Ultimately, Pathways lays down the long, winding trail that leads its listeners toward finding their own personal zen amidst much internal discord. In Taylor’s view, three words sum Pathways up perfectly.

He states:

“It’s about righteousness, acceptance, and enlightenment. On this record, I’m sharing in the struggles we all face, and I’m trying to make it better through these songs.”

Taylor plans to tour in support of his new music, with confirmed tour dates in Canada and Europe and also to hit the UK later this year (see confirmed tour dates below). With a live show that always wows audiences, Taylor caught the attention of Jeremy Vine of BBC2 last year at his show in London, who proclaimed that Taylor is “an incredible, profound, thoughtful, musical genius” on the social media platform X. Fans should follow Taylor on social media and his website for announcements of additional tour dates.

Tour Dates:

08/07 – Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada | Marina Park
08/09 – 08/11 – Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada | Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival
08/17 – Toronto, Ontario, Canada | CNE Bandshell
08/22 – Shoreham-by-the-Sea, UK | Ropetackle Arts Centre
08/24 – Lutterworth, UK | The Long Road Festival
08/25 – London, UK | Water Rats
08/28 – Liverpool, UK | The Music Room
08/29 – Shrewsbury, UK | Shrewsbury Abbey
08/30 – Blackpool, UK | The British Country Music Festival
08/31 – Gainsborough, UK | Kirton in Lindsey Diamond Jubilee Town Hall
09/01 – Barnoldswick, UK | Barnoldswick Music & Arts Centre
09/12 – 09/13 – Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada | Harvest Music Festival
10/18 – 10/19 – West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | Kay Meek Arts Centre
10/22 – Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | West End Cultural Centre
10/23 – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada | The Bassment
10/24 – Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada | The Geomatic Attic
10/25 – Calgary, Alberta, Canada | River Park Church
10/27 – Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada | Festival Place
10/28 – Red Deer, Alberta, Canada | Bo’s Bar & Stage
11/02 – Denver, Colorado, USA | Swallow Hill
11/11 – Ottawa, Ontario, Canada | Dear Canada – Letters from the Second World War