I was once told that the difference between country music and Americana is the type of boots that the protagonist, and perhaps even the writer, of the song is wearing. It is definitely country music if they are sporting a nice, shiny pair of cowboy boots with tips and, god-forbid, tassels. If, however, the footwear in question is a well-worn brace of mud-caked work boots, you are in the realm of Americana. Not Alone, the debut album from Austin, Texas-based Nick Taylor definitely errs towards such a place.
But that doesn’t mean that it isn’t a set of songs that the country crowd or folk fraternity would be opposed to, not in the slightest; it’s just that when you listen to songs like “Heart on the Run”, you realise that it drives along as much on a rock groove as country-fried energy.
Similarly, “Kentucky Girl”, whilst playing to the more West Nashville crowd, does so in a way that is more reminiscent of crossover bands like Bruce Hornsby and the Range as anything that you might find treading the boards at the Grand Ole Opry.
If Americana is the sound of that great country, then Not Alone is its focal point. If it is music that talks about the experiences and everyday lives of that country’s population, again, put a tick in that box. If it is music of narrative and honesty, this is it. If Americana is the sound of good tunes and great stories, this is it, too. Not Alone is an album that defines what Americana is, and that is a clever thing to be able to do.
