Julian Taylor Revisits His Musical Journey on Anthology Vol. 2, Anchored by Mellow Ballad “Hunger”
With over two decades of genre-spanning work behind him, acclaimed Canadian songwriter Julian Taylor unveils Anthology Vol. 2; a reflective, wide-ranging collection that traces the evolution of an artist who has never confined himself to a single lane. Featuring songs recorded across a 25-year period, the album captures Taylor’s enduring commitment to storytelling, live musicianship, and emotional honesty.
Across Anthology Vol. 2, Taylor revisits songs recorded in vastly different contexts from early-career material to recent collaborations, unified by recurring themes of love, resilience, kindness, nature, and perseverance. Much of the album was recorded live off the floor with real instruments, a deliberate choice that reflects Taylor’s belief in authenticity over polish.
“This album has taught me that it’s really important to venture in all sorts of new directions and always go back to see where you came from so that you can forge a path to where you’re going,” he shares.
Anchoring the release is the focus track “Hunger,” a traditional folk song with a very Celtic feel originally written by Graeme Williamson. Taylor was inspired to record the song after it was shared with him by friend and Canadian Songwriting Hall of Fame-inductee Frank Davies.
“When I first heard the song, it was the lyrics that really struck me,” Taylor explains. “With everything going on in the world right now, hunger remains such a devastating and unnecessary reality. There are people with enough money to eradicate it in 24 hours, but they choose not to. Frank and I decided that we would donate a portion of the song’s sales to the Band Aid Charitable Trust.”
Recorded in England with longtime friends Sian, Rae, and Michele, and engineered by Dave Williams, Taylor’s version of “Hunger” expands the original acoustic arrangement into a full-band performance. Recorded live and organically in the studio, the track leans into a Celtic-influenced folk tradition, creating a sound that feels at once timeless, gentle, and deeply unsettling.
“It was recorded in one day at a studio in Great Britain on a lovely property where we all got to stay for a couple of nights,” Taylor recalls. “We weren’t really sure which direction it was gonna take, but I’m really proud of the one that it went. It’s haunting, it’s mysterious, it’s touching, and it’s real.”
Anthology Vol. 2 stands as both a retrospective and a reaffirmation: a reminder to follow your path, keep learning, and continue building forward with curiosity and care.