Material: Danielle Taylor knows how to write a chorus; consistently throughout her set, her choruses are powerful, focused, pop-oriented,
and catchy. “Countdown,” “Queendom” and “Big House” are particularly notable, providing melodies that stay in your ears into the following days. However, the quality of her verses can fall short in comparison. If she can make her verses as enjoyable as her choruses, she’ll be a force to be reckoned with. Additionally, a lack of ballads is notable. Emotional, down-tempo songs are not to be feared, which is a trap that Taylor seems to
fall into. Musicianship: Danielle Taylor’s voice is strong, pleasant and familiar. It would certainly fit right into pop radio. This would be easily enhanced if she stepped out from behind the piano when she wasn’t playing it. Taylor's players are excellent, with her guitarist and rhythm section standing out among the many people on stage. They all have an impeccable musical intuition, with dynamic changes and tonal shifts coming naturally. However, noticeable at this show was a lack of interaction between players; at times this was distracting and uninspiring, giving the players an isolated feel during a hyper-enthusiastic show.
Performance: The 23-song set was tiring at best and overly indulgent at worst. Taylor’s songs were almost completely overshadowed by the sheer number of them, making great songs much more easily forgotten. Her personality is captivating, she is a front woman in nearly every form. However, an explanation was given for every song. Songs can certainly speak for themselves and should be allowed to do so. Despite all of this, all the players seemed to enjoy themselves in the bubbles they were in. Songs can only imagine the electricity that would be created if they were allowed to get closer together and play with each other.
Summary: Danielle Taylor, where she shines, shines brightly. She is charming and her songs are catchy and impactful. The players are expert, the energy and passion are there. Still, a lack of dynamics can make music very difficult to swallow; too many upbeat, positive songs in a row, too many slow songs in the center of the set… an act of this caliber needs balance above all else. Danielle Taylor has talent and she knows it; what comes next is restraint. There’s something to be said for remembering that you can have too much of a good thing.
