Bobby of Don't Stop The Pop and Paul of My Fizzy Pop have been largely responsible for getting me to fall for the balladeering of British singer Sam Taylor. After featuring on a television soundtrack and revealing several songs last year, Sam went quiet for a little while, but he returned recently with what's easily my favorite song from him yet. "Beautiful" and "heartrending" may be overused words in the music industry courtesy of overhyped press releases, but "It's A Mistake" is the rare song that earns them.Sam's singing conveys a desperate need and a deep fear without actually sounding desperate. He shows the skill of a good actor: allowing us to sense his emotion and the strength of it without overplaying his hand. "It's A Mistake" swells as that emotion threatens to overcome him before backing off as Sam regains control of himself for a few more seconds to continue his plea to his lover to reunite. The instrumental backing of the song, based mainly on piano and kept simple but filled out so it's more than a sketch, feels timeless, which is appropriate: the song's melody, narrative, and Sam's voice deserve nothing less.
The only place you can buy Sam Taylor's music so far is on the Beautiful People soundtrack, which is available here (physical).
