Joanne Shaw Taylor 'Black & Gold' album review: UK blues artist prepares for a new musical chapter on her 10th album

Joanne Shaw Taylor's 10th studio album prepares the blues artist for a new chapter. To mark her new decade as a recording artist, 'Black & Gold' feels more personal, as if she's lightening a load. Her songs are of heartache, loss, grief, love—all the usual relatable stuff, combining heavy blues, 70s rock, pop, Americana, country and soul: all of the sounds and styles she's incorporated over the years.

It feels as though she's getting things out of her system to evolve as an artist. It's an authentic and bold album, without getting too embroiled in deep emotions (the exception being 'Who's Gonna Love Me Now?', written about the passing of her mum.)

Ever since she's worked with Kevin Shirley regularly and signed to Joe Bonamassa's Journeyman Records, her growth as an artist has been an impressive upward trajectory. The songwriting has become more melodic and structured, and her guitar work is more considered and multilayered. This time there are hints of Bonnie Raitt, David Gilmore and even Smokin' Joe layered into her fretwork.

Joanne is also a fan of Rod Stewart and a cover of The Faces' 'Love Lives Here' closes the album. Of course they both share a gravely vocal, but also the way that they both get right into the heart of a song. There are flavours of early 70s Americana Rod on tracks like 'Hold of My Heart' and the Python Lee Jacksons inspired 'Look What I've Become', showcases Joanne's skill at combining her influences and solidifying her style in the process.

'Greyer Shade of Blue' is another personal track that dips into the storytelling world of Americana artists like Mary Chapin Carpenter and has a strong focus on melody and pop overtones, taking center stage.

The latter part of the album is more rockier and that's where Joanne takes a leap and shows her newfound confidence with dynamic guitar work - it's some of her best yet.

As she prepares to move forward as an artist in the next era, 'Black & Gold' is a strong contender for the best album from her oeuvre to date. If Joanne Shaw Taylor continues making albums this strong over the next decade, the sky's the limit for whatever comes next.