‘Loving Everywhere I Go’ – Hudson Taylor Album and Gig Review

It’s been a long time coming but it’s about time Niamh covered a Hudson Taylor Gig and what better way than dedicating this blog post to ‘Loving Everywhere I Go’. If you are new to my mega posts tying in an album and a gig, this is what you need to know: all thoughts are my own! As always I urge you to listen to the music and make up your own mind. So, with the formalities out of the way, let’s get down to business. 

Who are Hudson Taylor? 

Hudson Taylor is made up of brothes Aflie Hudson-Taylor and Harry Hudson-Taylor. The duo hail from Dublin, Ireland. Their music can be summed up as being under the folk genre umbrella but, honestly, it’s Hudson Taylor. ‘It’s Hudson Taylor?’ You may be asking yourself. Yes, it is. Their music stands out that I have named an entire genre of music after them. 

‘Loving Everywhere I Go’ is the second album from this band of brothers released on February 28th. Previously they have released ‘Singing For Strangers’ in 2015 and a number of E.Ps ranging from the ‘Feel It Again’ EP,  live recordings and acoustic versions of their songs. 

‘Loving Everywhere I Go’ 

The best description I can give about this album is: It is a calming and chilling treasure trove. It is filled with every essence of Hudson Taylor’s sound. It is an album that you can listen to in any mood and in any situation. In the few days it has been out, this album has been played in my workplace, blaring in the car, getting ready in the mornings, my chill out music, doing homework with the kids background music and cleaning music. 

Usually this is the part where I say something about the album design itself. At the moment I only have a digital copy on my phone. I have to get into town because I am me and I love going into a record shop and buying the physical copy in person. So, at the moment, I can only comment on the album cover, I will come back and edit this paragraph when I get into buy my physical copy over the weekend. The album cover itself I love it! If you haven’t been to a Hudson Taylor gig you may not be aware that the lads always have a carpet on stage. It always makes it seem more home-y for me. There probably is a musical reason why they do this but I have never asked them. On the album cover you can see a carpet and a sitting room; along with Alfie and Harry. This picture truly sums up the vibes and the feelings I get from their gigs; home and loving being there in the moment with them. 

Some of the album will be familiar to Hudson Taylor’s regular listeners with three tracks from the Album already being released in 2018 on their E.P entitled ‘Feel It Again’. Eagle eyed listeners might recall ‘Back to You’ dropping last September as the first single from this Album, as we all began to countdown the days to ‘Loving Everywhere I Go’. Lastly ‘What Do You Mean?” was the second and most recent single off of the album. 

To sum up the album as a whole in one sentence I would say: It is a journey through every type of love; the hopes, the joys and the heartbreak. 

But, let’s take a deeper look at the music shall we? 

Feel It Again: Starting off the album strong and with a fan favourite; ‘Feel It Again’ is the anthem for anyone who has been heartbroken and found the courage to try to fall in love. Anyone who has heard the E.P of the same name from the lads will recognize this one instantly. 

Nothing but a Stranger: This song will hit you like a tonne of bricks from the opening note of the piano. The lyrics get me every time on this one and, with the addition of the violin, try not to be transported to a previous relationship where it didn’t end well. Keep an ear out for backing vocals from Halli. 

Pray for the Day This one is a fan favourite and I think I speak for everyone when I say I am delighted that this song got recorded. One issue I do have with this one is that it is a lot more powerful live. I spent the entire song waiting for the audience to come in for the chorus. 

Where Did It All Go Wrong? The chorus of this one is the standout lyrics on this album for me. The use of instruments on this track also works extremely well with Harry and Alfie’s harmonies. 

Sound the Alarm: Honestly, after almost an entire week I am not 100% sure how I feel about this song. It is stunningly captured on this album but it always leaves a tightness in my chest. Not sure if it is from the emotions in Alfie’s voice when listening to it or if it is unlocking some memories in me. This is the song off the album I would love to hear others thoughts on!

What Do You Mean?: This song was released as the debut single from the album. With it’s infectious chorus you will be singing along after the first chorus. It is the first of the songs on the album that you can lose yourself in the music by dancing! 

Old Soul (acoustic): The second song that will be familiar to ‘Feel It Again’ E.P listeners. Do you all see (acoustic) in the title? Yeah? That sums up this song. A stripped back song with a fabulous meaning behind it. It makes me wish I was an old soul. 

Favourite Song: At the moment this one currently stands as Alfie’s favourite song off of the album and, honestly, I think you need to hear this one live to know why. It is the sweetest song off of the album, in my opinion, and makes you think of your someone special. 

Just Like That: The violin!!! Just the violin! I am also such a sucker for Harry and Alife’s harmonies in this one. You don’t have to listen closely to the lyrics of this one to know that it is an emotional one. Personally, I think it is the most emotional song on the entire album. Well done Alfie, I always tear up because of this one! 

Six Last Words:  *spoiler on the words* “Sorry but I don’t love you”. This one will hit you right in the feels more than watching the scene in Titanic where the mother was putting the two kids to bed while the water gushed into their room. Well, if you are anyway emotional this is your warning when listening to this one. Well done to both Harry and Alfie on the raw emotions that shine through when performing this one. 

I Will Be There for You: Arguable the quietest song on the album. This one is my personal favourite! This track can be summed up as a sibling promise. It has a lovely arrangement  and captures the best vocal ranges of both Harry and Alfie along with; their sister Halli who features on the track. 

Back to You: From the opening bar of this song it draws you in! I dare each and every one of you dear readers to give this song a listen and tell me if it didn’t put a smile on your face. Especially for the “You’re coming back for more” part – when you hear it you will know. This one is composed of powerful lyrics but, honestly, it’s the upbeat music in the background that I adore about this one! 

Run with Me: The last song on the album that will be familiar with fans who know the ‘Feel It Again’ EP. This one in my opinion will always start a singalong. From the ‘ooooo’ at the beginning of the song until the very last “I won’t let you down,” you are brought on a journey of hope. Listen closely to the lyrics in this one especially when it comes to the harmonies. 

Hiding from Love: I honestly think this one is the easiest one to sing along to! “Loooovvvvveeee” sing it with me people! The instrumental opening in this one is my favourite one on the album. The harmonies, the harmonies and did I mention the harmonies? This one you are gonna find yourself bopping away to and singing along without realising it. 

Portlaoise March 1st 2020

I’ve been to my fair share of Hudson Taylor gigs so, I like to think for the benefit of this post that I can compare the different experiences I have had throughout the years at their concerts. I always sum up a Hudson Taylor concert as ‘the feeling of home’ and you always have the biggest smile on your face; this gig was no different in this respect but it has topped the long list of my favourite Hudson Taylor gig so far. 

The Venue: Kavanagh’s Pub 

It was my first time being in Kavanagh’s for a gig. I really had no clue what to expect. Overall I have glowing reports for the venue as a whole. The drink I bought was nicely priced and the outdoor area where the gig venue is was lovely. The heating was on to keep us nice and warm. The stage set up was intimate but not overly small. Will it suit every act out there? Probably not but, overall, it is an intimate venue with a fun atmosphere. 

The one downside was whoever decided that the smoke machine was a great idea! The smoke had a weird smell off of it and was causing many people to cough uncontrollable. A number of people who started out in the second and third row moved to the back because they couldn’t handle the air with the smoke. Regardless of the smoke machine, I am looking forward to going back to Kavanagh’s for another gig in the near future. More Irish Artist should come down to our neck of the woods. 

Before looking at the musicians themselves I had to take this opportunity to point out how friendly and welcoming the Hudson Taylor fans are. Especially the couple who ended up behind me for Hudson Taylor set, the women who I ended up beside from the beginning of the support act and also Katie and Co. for taking the time for a catch up while we waited for the musicians to do their thing!

Support on the night was from an up and coming local Laois band Paper Planes. It was the first time in a long time that I didn’t already know the support act or had time to check out any of their music online. My first impression was that this is an incredibly young band and they must be only starting out. The band consists of four members: Tadhg, Maeve, Lloyd and Anna. The saying going “never judge a book by its cover” and when it comes to music I live by this ethos. So, what is Niamh’s thoughts on Paper Planes? They did a fantastic set. Yes, they started off nervous but opening to a ¾ ways full Kavanagh’s bar would be daunting to anyone I feel.

By their second song the confidence was blooming, they did a cover of The Academic’s “Bearclaws” which had the entire room singing along. A few more covers were in their set including Coldplay but the real treat was to hear their two original songs. The first was “Movie Star Girl.” The lyrics of this one will transport you back to your teenage days while their latest song “All I Wanna Do Is Dance” is a universal ‘Bop’ as Emma would describe it. “Movie Star Girl” is out now while, “I Wanna Dance” drops March 16^th. This band is just starting out but, personally, I think they are showing a lot of promise. I’d urge everyone to go give their singles a listen. If they continue the way they are going, these guys promise to get bigger and bigger every year. They can be found on Instagram @bandpaperplanes or, you can give their music a listen HERE.

Now on to the reason why we were all there, Hudson Taylor. It was my first gig of theirs in a long time that they did not bring their band with them. Overall the gig can be summed up as being quite a surprise! Harry even stated it himself that he wasn’t expecting more than 20 people to be in the room. The look on both Alfie and Harry’s faces when they realised the venue was sold out and packed to the brim with enthusiastic fans is indescribable. Honestly, I have never seen either brothers look so starstruck at their fans. Throughout the gig, it seemed to be a huge never-ending sing-along. Everyone was singing along and dancing along without a care in the world. 

The setlist was an interesting mash-up of old favourites and trickles of the new music intertwined between those golden oldies. My favourite moment at the beginning of the gig was when they sang ‘Care’. Other songs off the the first album included ‘Butterflies,’ ‘Battles,’ ‘World Without You,’ and ‘Chasing Rubies’. New songs that made an appearance included ‘What Do You Mean,’ ‘Favourite Song,’ ‘Back To You,’ and ‘Where Did It All Go Wrong’ – to name a few. One new song I did miss off the setlist was “I Will Be There For You,’ it truly is my favourite song off of ‘Loving Everywhere I Go’ but it really wouldn’t have been the same without Halli. I also feel that the song would have been swallowed up in Kavanagh’s so it was a good choice not to perform it.

As always for me the main highlight of a Hudson Taylor gig was during the encore – ‘Feel It Again’ that song holds an incredibly special place in my heart and hearing the entire audience sing loudly to it and dance like no one was watching was an incredible moment. What would I ask anyone who has not seen Hudson Taylor live before? What are you waiting for? To fully enjoy Hudson Taylor’s music you must see it live. As an avid solo gig goer, when it comes to Hudson Taylor I can reassure everyone that everyone will be welcomed with open arms. Their music is catchy and they have kind, happy and loveable personalities. 

Lastly, if you don’t come out of a Hudson Taylor gig without a massive smile on your face did you truly lose yourself in the music? The gig finished just after 11pm and, with the excitement and buzz after their gig, I didn’t pass out until after 3am. This happens everytime I see Hudson Taylor live. Being at their gigs is one of my happiest places. I willingly go out of my comfort zone and attend their gigs by myself just to feel that feeling… of home and to support them! 

What’s next for Hudson Taylor I hear you ask? Harry and Alfie have a busy few months ahead of them with a UK and European tour, their Dublin headliner in the Olympia Theatre before heading to a stream of festivals across Ireland for the Summer months. More information can be found here. 

There is only one way to finish up this post and here it is: Honestly, Alfie and Harry, I am delighted this album is finally out in the world. Hoping it gets to no.1 and I look forward to seeing you live again soon. Roll on the Olympia Theatre gig on April 24th!