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With just two singles to their name, The Taylor Twins have earned the support of Radio X and Wonderland, adding to the initial backing they received under the name Butterfly, which included Radio 1, 6 Music, Ruben Nielson (Unknown Mortal Orchestra), Sean Ono Lennon, Willie J Healey, Mystery Jets, Dave Gregory (XTC) and Rodney Bingenheimer.
Now The Taylor Twins - Ollie (vocals/guitar) and Eddie (vocals/bass) - continue their colourful, multi-genre adventures with their new single ‘El Capitan’. As with their previous singles ‘Lost All The Summer’ and ‘Still Play Your Game’, ‘El Capitan’is released via their own Rørvig Records. Listen HERE.
‘El Capitan’ finds the 22-year-olds diving into a kaleidoscopic melting pot of muscular alt-rock, exuberant power pop and stylish psychedelia. It’s a sound which is sweet and stinging in each measure, their space-age synths, celestial harmonies and raucous riffs bringing a flash of effervescent colour as winter approaches. Entirely written and produced by the duo, ‘El Capitan’ was recorded at Laurel Sound Studios in Hertfordshire.
Once the immediacy of the track takes hold, it soon becomes clear that The Taylor Twins’ talent for ear-catching unorthodox lyricism is again present. Lyrically it was inspired by a National Geographic feature on Alex Hannold, the climber who became the first person to complete a free solo climb (i.e. without any supporting equipment) of El Capitan, the immensely challenging rock face in the Yosemite National Park. The song also quotes some of the quirky names given to its routes, such as “Hockey Night in Canada.”
The Taylor Twins commented, “The climbing world is very different to ours, but we saw huge parallels between the passion, single-mindedness and obsession that Alex and other climbers have, and how we ourselves feel about making music. Although, obviously unlike us, they’re in a world of real danger!
‘El Capitan’ continues a mode of writing in which we find scenarios to place ourselves in, rather than base lyrics upon our own experiences. It’s something which has been done in the past by other artists we admire, such as The Beatles with ‘Sgt. Pepper’ or ‘Magical Mystery Tour’, or Sparks in practically everything they’ve released. What is important to us is not only making music for people to get into, but to inspire our audience’s imagination with every release.”
The inspiration for the single’s cover art was to reflect the ‘70s aesthetic of Wings, ELO and Gerry Rafferty - all retro influences which they meld with echoes of more modern artists such as The Strokes, The White Stripes, Ty Segall, The Lemon Twigs, and Kings Of Leon. The artwork was illustrated by their father, Phil Taylor, whose own career in music included session work for numerous big name artists in the ‘80s.
The Taylor Twins spent much of their teenage years jamming in their improvised rehearsal space, a repurposed garden shed. That devotion gave them a musical tightness and cohesion rarely heard in other young bands. Mentored early on by Blaine Harrson and Jack Flanagan of Mystery Jets, their previous band Butterfly split during lockdown but instead provided the duo the opportunity to take their music in an ever more fantastic direction with this project.
After playing summer festivals including Reading, Leeds and the Eden Project as part of Lucy Blue’s live band, The Taylor Twins are set to play The Sebright Arms in London on November 24th. Tickets are available HERE.
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