Chris Taylor, aka CANT, epitomises the ‘multi-instrumentalist’ tag that only the most talented (or ambitious) musicians aspire to wear. Diminutive and calm, Taylor is the kind of guy who seems to always have something going on in his head; some sort of never-ending musical conundrum spinning wildly 24/7. On meeting him after his Rough Trade in-store last week, we sensed he was retracing his performance in his mind, analysing it song by song and note by note, as if he were searching for musical answers to musical questions.
As bassist of indie-rock mainstays Grizzly Bear, it is not uncommon for Taylor to showcase his skills on five instruments during any one show. If you add backing vocals into the mix, along with the fact that Taylor has expertly produced each and every Grizzly Bear record since their sophomore outing ‘Yellow House’, you soon realise that Chris Taylor is cut from a different cloth. He is extraordinarily talented.
He is also extremely knowledgeable about music. Not just the inner workings of how this or that noise is created, but moreover, he knows exactly what he likes and exactly what he doesn’t. His clear and concise vision of what he wants to achieve with Grizzly Bear, but more significantly, what he was looking to achieve with his debut solo album is testiment to the fact that he is rarely off the mark.
Released under the moniker CANT, ‘Dreams Come True’ is a spectacular debut. A 10-track eclectic/electro offering of the highest order, it showcases Taylor’s plethora of talents as a producer, instrumentalist and lead vocalist. It brims with atmosphere, dreaminess, pedigree and heartbreak.
Meeting people like this, people who have such a deep understanding about the inner workings of music-making is always a pleasure. Talking with musicians of Taylor’s calibre reaffirms the fact that there are too many people in the world who actually rate themselves as accomplished musicians...
Watch Livemusic’s interview with Chris Taylor below and visit our Facebook page to enter our CANT competition.
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Posted 18th November by Livemusic Team
