Overlook by Maria Taylor

Guided by her indomitable inner compass, Maria Taylor moved home to Birmingham, AL, last year, back to her family and to the South. It was surprising to her then that after settling in, she was unable to write any songs for an entire year. She finally began writing again during a month-long break from touring in support of Azure Ray's Drawing Down the Moon, and the floodgates opened. Taylor finished writing and demo-ing the nine songs of her fourth LP over two weeks in her bedroom.

With a distinct, raw sound in mind, Taylor self-produced for the first time and called upon friend and neighbor Lester Nuby III (Verbena, Vulture Whale) to engineer Overlook. She sought to capture the sound of the South, of Alabama and its music scene, enlisting a host of local musicians to flesh out the album. The sessions ran loose and easy, with family and friends often stopping in and spending time as she recorded.

Much of Overlook is about the searching and uncertainties that come with growing up and growing older. The songs vary in sound from alluringly bold and immediate to softer contemplation. All throughout, Taylor's voice is illuminating, drawing listeners in with its warm and resolute yet vulnerable grace.

Maria Taylor is a singer-songwriter and founding member of Azure Ray, known for her hushed vocals, cinematic arrangements, and emotionally intimate songwriting. Her forthcoming album Story’s End unfolds like a reflective narrative, shaped by years of writing and profound personal change, where sweeping strings and quiet melodies trace loss, resilience, and transformation.

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