Roger Taylor, Outsider (Nightjar, 2021)

Review by Null

It seems that I tend to write reviews of novelty records, as opposed to albums by bands that have been my lifeblood. Such is the case with this unexpected discovery, Roger Taylor’s Outsider. I happened upon this release when I was doing a little research for the last review I wrote on Queen’s 1977 record, News of the World.

To start with, I had almost no knowledge that the members of Queen made solo albums. Why would I? Apparently, they’ve made quite a few. Nor did I realize that the drummer from Queen shared the same name as the drummer for Duran Duran. Who knew? Likewise, the fact that this album was made by a member of Queen really has no particular importance to me. It is a mere triviality, so I approached this record with no preconceptions.

I’ll assume you know as little about this release as I do. Here are the basics. Outsider is an album that Roger Taylor recorded in his home studio during the height of the pandemic in England. He wrote all the songs and plays all the instruments. For the most part, it is a meditation on mortality, or it at least feels that way, considering that the album is bookended by two its best tracks that deal with this theme, “Tides” and “Journey’s End.” 

The album does vary in its subject matter. Some of the issues addressed are the thrill-seeking days in his youth, regret and apologies to loved ones, and the fact that “Gangsters Are Running This World.” However, the record feels as though it was constructed under the umbrella of contemplating one’s own mortality. I’m always interested in projects where an artist makes their own home recordings, especially when they write and play all the instruments. It must be a labor of love. 

Though this album may not be for everyone, I found it refreshing. I particularly liked the way Roger Taylor addresses the subject of mortality with beauty and resignation.

The first song I heard, “Tides,” is also the opening track on the record. It sets the stage for what follows. Taylor sings, “The only whisper is the wind / The only motion is the wave / The only constant is the change / And all I’m left with is the tide / That tells me all the things that live / Someday must die.” It is a very moving reflection and an entryway to the album as a whole.

One of the great joys of music is discovering unexpected records like this. It’s quirky in places, which adds to its uniqueness and charm. The only problem with the album is that it contains two versions of the song, “Gangsters Are Running This World.” The first is great and far superior, but the second, the “purple” version, is an unnecessary addition that represents the only real pothole on the record. 

I was also intrigued by the artwork on the album, which alludes to a beautiful pink sunset silhouetted by a person, the outsider, alone on a cliff. It seems to capture perfectly the mood of the record.

Give it a listen. It is an odd record I just happened upon this year, like a strange shell on a vast beach, which like everything else will eventually be consumed by the tide.