Falling in love is scary in the beginning. You know what you are feeling and you know it is real. Ah, but does the object of your affection feel the same way you do? And you know the one thing worse than falling in love is falling when love dies.
Joanne Shaw Taylor takes us on that emotional roller coaster ride in Black & Gold, her new album courtesy of Joe Bonamassa’s Journeyman Records. The album will be available June 6, 2025 on CD, vinyl, and digital download and can be ordered through Taylor’s website.
Many of the tracks have already been released as singles—the most recent, “Summer Love,” follows the moody and emotionally raw “Look What I’ve Become,” the roaring rocker “Hell Of A Good Time,” and the introspective gems “Grayer Shade of Blue” and “I Gotta Stop Letting You Let Me Down.” Taylor wrote each song except the title track “Black And Gold,” written by Samuel Falson and Jesse Rogg; “Grayer Shade Of Blue,” co-written with Philip Whitfield; and “Love Lives Here,” written by Ronald Lane, Roderick Stewart, and Ronald Wood.
Each track tells a story that stands on its own. Yet taken as a whole, they reflect a deeply personal experience, showcasing the depth of Joanne’s artistry.
For those of you who may not know, Joanne Shaw Taylor was 16 when Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics discovered her. He was witness to her incredible skills on the guitar and set the wheels in motion for a musical career that has earned her accolades from the likes of Jimmy Cliff, Joe Bonamassa, Stevie Wonder, and Annie Lennox, among others. Joanne released her first solo album – 2009’s White Sugar – that displayed her soulful voice as well as her extraordinary songwriting ability. Awards and critically acclaimed albums soon followed.
“Summer Love” is an upbeat tune about a couple enjoying a summer romance. But unlike a summertime romance of teenagers, filled with angst and anguish at parting, this couple has no illusions. A real summer love “ain’t meant to last for forever.” Yet just because it won’t last past September, it doesn’t mean the parting won’t be a bit melancholy.
If “Summer Love” comes across as being a nostalgic pop tune, well, that is by design. “I specifically had it in my mind that I wanted to write a summer pop single for this album,” Joanne shares. “It’s just something I’ve always loved—driving around Michigan, now Tennessee in summer and having that one song you love to hear on the radio that years later triggers happy memories. I hope this could be that song for someone out there.”
The album starts out with the jaunty “Hold Of My Heart.” He’s got hold of her heart but should she risk a friendship? And if she doesn’t take the risk will the chance to tell him how she feels slip away?
“All The Things I Said” plays out in her head but so do all the things she should have said instead. Some relationships have everything going for them but pride gets in the way.
If you ever lost the love of someone and you can’t get over it, you might relate to “Who’s Gonna Love Me Now.” If you have ever been angry at someone who always shows up with someone new, knowing in your heart you could have been the one if only they wanted you, well “I Gotta Stop Letting You Let Me Down” may tell your story.
“Look What I’ve Become” is a haunting reflection on addiction, isolation, and the moment of choosing whether to fight or let go. It is a song “about hitting that crossroads,” Joanne shares. “It’s about the moment where you either change everything or disappear. The lyrics came from a very honest place—and I wanted the music to match that intensity.”
Joanne tells these stories of love and loss with a dose of blues, soul, pop, and plenty of rock. And they all come from that same very honest place. Produced by Kevin Shirley – who also produced the Black Crowes, Journey, and Aerosmith – Black & Gold is another strong chapter in Joanne Shaw Taylor’s catalog.
