Wildflower Moon is the captivating new album from Tai Shan, a Seattle-born, Nashville-based artist whose incorporation of pop, soul, and jazz makes for a memorable impact. Her background, which includes classical training and jazz composition, pairs with emotively impactful lyricism and themes — resulting in a thorough success, influenced by aspects of life like motherhood, travel, and self-discovery.
“I’m a stargazer,” the open vocals proclaim on the twangy “Road Back to Me,” quickly establishing Wildflower Moon as possessing a sound full of heart and melodic approachability. A soaring vocal strives to “see the way,” and then into a vibrant central hook; the seamless shift between folk-ready introspection and hooky vigor shows well, and sets up for the quality songwriting ahead. It’s especially evident on “Jump on In,” an open-road anthem with debonair organs, piano, and guitar complements. The “goin’ down to the riverside,” hook is firmly replay-inducing and full of contagious energy.
A more gorgeously subdued character shows on the elegant “How It Flew (The Kite Song),” a tour-de-force of emotional songwriting as trickling guitars, warming brass, and delicate piano (from Danny Mitchell) accompany the dreamy vocal immersion. “Forever in a single afternoon,” the vocals exude with spine-tingling qualities, as twangs complement the heartfelt vocal presence. Wildflower Moon stirs in its abundance of songwriting, from the emotionally vulnerable “How It Flew (The Kite Song)” to more enthused, triumphant successes like “If Heaven Had Waited.”
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We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.
