Steven Taetz • Steven Taetz

I heard about Steven Taetz from my friend JD Doyle at Queer Music Heritage, like many others. JD told me about him, and thought I would like his music. As both my friend and a fellow music lover, I as excited to hear the debut from the handsome Canadian. With a bit of research, I learned the singer/songwriter was based out of Toronto, Canada. I also learned the out and proud musician is inspired to rite music featuring the country in which he lives. He was also inspired by Canadian artists, and asked several if they might be interested in writing with him. He was thrilled with the response, and he collaborated with award-winning artists including Adaline, Emma-Lee, Peter Katz, Leela Gilday, The Wild Strawberries, Tara MacLean, and Geraldine Hollett of The Once. I also could not help but notice Steven is a handsome man, making the search for pictures a bit more fun. But not as much fun as listening to his music, I am thrilled to admit.

At the end of September, he released his debut, the self-titled album 'Steven Taetz'. The 8-song collection contains songs written by Taetz and the artists listed above, an interesting amalgam of Pop and Folk. The production is a beautiful balance between acoustic and lush, never leaving me wishing for more of anything. The first song was written by Taetz and Adaline. "End of the Lonely Road" blends the aforementioned genres, while adding a touch of Country to the mix. I get the delicious taste of life on the road, a restless soul yearning for home. That is followed by "Waiting for Wishes", a ukelele-driven song co-written with Emma-Lee. Light, frothy, and delectable, the songs shows a strong range, with a nostalgic softness in the verse, while allowing his voice to rise and soar in the chorus. There is such a warmth that is burns in this song, I want to listen again and again. The third track is "Unspoken", a wonderful Pop nugget, both classic and timeless. It is a beautiful ballad, as you can hear in the next clip of Steven singing in a live performance.

Taetz wrote the next track, "Midnight Sun", with Leela Gilday. There is a stunning beauty in this lament, a heaviness of heart that never dampens the spirit. "Drive" is the next song, a song he had written a few years ago that achieved much success as an Electropop Dance track. On the album, Taetz peels back the production to a more acoustic feel, keeping the Pop but leaving the high octane for the original version. The song, written by Taetz, The Wild Strawberries and Gavin Bradley. While I couldn't find the album version, here is the radio edit for the Dance remix. This is Kenneth Thomas feat. Roberta Harrison & Steven Taetz on "Drive".

To be truthful, I love both version, and wouldn't want to have just one. "True North" is the next song playing, with a simple beginning, just Taetz and the piano. Soon, the strings come into play, and Steven allows his voice to tell the story with a magnificent honesty that touches my heart so. from the first notes of "Calm Before the Storm", there is a stunning vulnerability, an uncertainty that is nearly palpable in his voice. There is something inherent in the song that makes me think of the some of the great songs which offers more heart than most Pop can dream of. I want more like that. There is an eerie feel to the final track on the album, "The Miner's Hymn". The song, co-written with Geraldine Hollett, maintains a Pop sound while delivering a Folk song, proud of the message it delivers. The song veers between prayer and preaching, the plight of miner's leaving more than enough room for both. The album is a wonderful aural journey, the songs skimming over the musical landscape, while he paints the horizons with a beautiful voice that manages to give lightness and darkness, as well as the many hues of life. This album was such a delightful surprise, an unexpected treat, I am just so very grateful to have someone share this gift. I also found a live performance of the fourth track, "Midnight Sun", to share with you.

To learn more about Steven Taetz, visit his official website. There you can listen to the album, find some great pictures, and check out his touring schedule. You can also 'like' him on Facebook, and 'follow' him on Twitter. You can purchase his eponymous debut from iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby. It would be a great addition to any music library.

Roadtrip With A Tams-manian Devil

With my ongoing celebration of the blogiversary, I am reminded of my roadtrip to our neighbor's to the North in Canada. Yes, I hopped into the car and drove by myself to Toronto, Ontario, last summer, all just for the opportunity to see a handsome young man. Well, to see him perform, anyway. That guy is Theo Tams, the singer/songwriter who swept through the competition to win Canadian Idol in 2008. I am a fan, and love his debut release, Giving It All Away.



But I also remember driving to Stouffville, a lovely town just north of Toronto, to see my first Canadian show. I was a messy combination of excited and a little fearful, knowing I was going to be meeting several of Theo's fans at the show for the first time - I am a shy guy at heart. I would also be hearing Theo live for the first time, something I had been interested in for about a year. So I drove into Stouffville, I was busy looking for parking, and to find the Lebovic Centre for the Arts & Entertainment. I found everything easily enough, and was early enough to notice that Theo was unloading some equipment from a trailer. Then I say someone speaking to him, someone whose face reminded me of a picture. Soon I found out I was right, it was Sue chatting with Theo. Soon, I was chatting with Sue, Melony and Cathy, giggling and laughing. Once we went inside, I discovered we were sitting in the front row, with Sue beside me. After StereoGoesStellar opened the show, my excitement level was so heightened, and Theo delivered a great show. Here is a video by Sue of Theo singing Tracy Chapman's The Promise at that show, seated beside me.



The theater was beautiful, and the grand piano was shiny and impressive, but best of all, Theo sounded magnificent. Now I know that my emotions were a bit heightened with all the newness, but there were a few times when Theo had me wiping a tear from my eye. His voice is so true, his emotions so real, and his smile so enchanting, he was everything I wanted, and more.



By the end of the show, I had myself quite worked up, so excited about seeing him, and his being so very good live. I was not alone, as he had brought the audience along with him on the journey that evening, one they greatly appreciated. Along the way, he played this beautiful cover of the Britney Spears song, Sometimes.



After the show, there was a bit of a meet & greet in the lobby of theater, and if it wasn't for the ladies, who had all met Theo before, I might have slipped out, as I was a bit overwhelmed from the show. I am glad I didn't, for Theo was sweet as can be, and we got some pictures, and plenty of time to giggle and laugh. As it was just the first of three shows I was catching on the trip, I got to know the ladies, Theo, and the music of StereoGoesStellar very well. What a fantastic memory.

Theo Tams Roadtrip

I managed to drive myself to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, because I had the opportunity to see Theo Tams performing live, and just the thought of that made me happy. Seeing/hearing him, that is, cause it certainly wasn't the almost 11 hours of a drive. However, I got to see a couple of shows that Theo did, all the better. I first discovered Theo online when I saw the video for Lazy Lovers. I had to buy the album, and was an instant fan. That was Give It All Away, a great album, and another release from it was the beautiful Wait For You.



When Theo was on Canadian Idol, which he won in 2008, he sung a song by Serena Ryder, Weak In The Knees. I think he does a beautiful job with it.

My Toronto Weekend Preview

Well, I am back from Toronto, 20+ hours of driving, 3 different shows by Theo Tams in the Toronto area, crossing the Allegheny Mountains to and from, and facing the metric system in Canada. I survived it all. Not only that, but had a fantastic time. And I give Sue and Theo all the credit that while there, I have not attacked by a single polar bear, raccoon, nor squirrel, as promised. I was pleased to meet Sue, Melony, Cathy (with a 'C'), Sandy, Jen, Pam, and others while there, as well as the esteemed Mr. Tams, who was sweet, lovely, funny, kind, charming, and above all, talented. While I get together my thoughts, pictures and videos, I thought I would share a quick video compilation I threw together to give you a little taste of of what I experienced, leaving me still smiling!



I hope you enjoyed the video, and will look forward to reading a more comprehensive look once I gt it all together. I certainly can't wait to tell you all about it!

Toronto or Bust

Well, I am starting on my way to Toronto - will drive part of the way there tonight, and the rest tomorrow. The goal, of course, is to see Theo Tams performing live Thursday, Friday and Sunday night at three different locations. I am borrowing a laptop, and if I can get it to work, I hope to be online. I have scheduled posts for this week, and hope you are going to enjoy the music, although it is a bit lighter than usual. Otherwise, I will catch up with you next week! Unless I will be lucky enough to meet some of you at the Theo shows!

To tide you over, here is a clip of Theo singing Lazy Lovers from his Tuesday night show in Toronto. Thanks Tigger4Theo for the link!

One Week & Counting till Theo Tams

In one weeks time, I will be basking in the post-show glow of my very first Theo Tams show. Next Thursday night, I have a ticket for his show at the Lebovic Centre for the Performing Arts, and I am so very excited. I will be driving to the Toronto area while his Taking It All Back tour is in the area. I plan to take advantage, and catch two or three shows while I am there. I will be bringing my Theo-stuff hoping to get it signed. You see, at heart, I am a big fan of Theo, and have been hoping to get the chance to see him perform live since first discovering the 2008 Canadian Idol winner. The first song I heard was the single Lazy Lovers, which you can see him performing live here.



I have his post-win release, Giving It All Away, as well as his pre-Idol EP, Unexpected. I also have the book that was published about him after the win. I was thinking of which songs I would enjoy hearing, and just about any will do. I really have so many favorites! I will be bringing my camera and a videocam, hoping to catch something worthwhile I might be too excited to get anything worthwhile, but will try. Here he is singing Blacklight, a song from the EP.



This will also mark my first time visiting Canada, so that is exciting as well. It seems strange, since I lived in Vermont, just about an hour from the border, and never made it there. I look forward to seeing Toronto, and am sure I will have a great time, meeting some Theo fan's I have met online!

Sunday Night with Theo Tams

It should come as no surprise to anyone paying attention that I am a big Theo Tams fan. He's had some news lately, like he is going overseas to perform, which is very exciting. I am hoping that means he might be able to be a bit easier to access his music here in the States, cause I would love to hear it on my radio! And his latest single, Manhattan Blue, is doing well on the charts - his 'old' single, Wait for You, is apparently still on the Canadian charts for over 30-some weeks! And he has a show coming up next weekend in Toronto, which should be a great time for all my fellow fans enjoy muchly. Since I won't be making it to that show, I thought I would pick up some clips from a recent show Tigger was kind enough to video for me - hey, I know she did it for all Theo's fans, but I like to think it was just for me... So here are a few songs from his May 25, 2010, show in Toronto. The first two are both original songs by Theo, starting with Better Than The Last Time, which I really like.



Just A Little Longer is the second original, and like the first, it is just a lovely song. Theo also announced they were starting work on a second album, and I would hope both songs would be on it.



Theo does a magnificent cover of Jann Arden's Good Mother. the song is so engaging, so sweet and tender, and he sings it beautifully.



For more on Theo, check out his official website here.

30 Minutes with Theo Tams

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Last Wednesday, and again this Wednesday night, Canadian singer Theo Tams performed live in Toronto at a space called The Supermarket. As the regulars here know, I am a big fan of Theo. In my humble opinion, he is clearly the most talented man to come out of the Idol franchise in North America. Obviously, fans of some of the others might disagree, but I think Theo has the voice, musicianship, and interpretive skills that are unmatched. So I am posting a video from the most recent show, and thought I would share them with my readers.

The video of Theo starts at about 02:30 and runs for 30 minutes. I've watched several times, and just love it. Theo plays Wait For You, his last single. Then he plays Broken, a song from an out-of-print EP he made in 2005, and one of my new favorite songs. Then comes a lovely version of Regina Spektor's Samson. Then there is These Clean Walls, an achingly beautiful new song written by Theo recently. That is followed by an Theo-tastic version of Lady GaGa's Bad Romance. Then comes the first single he co-wrote from his debut, Lazy Lovers. He ends with a cover of Missy Higgins' Where I Stood, a haunting version that actually brought a tear to my eye when I first heard it.

There is a commercial at the beginning, and then it goes to the concert. Once that is over, you can use the slider below the video to move to 02:30 and see Theo starting the show. Once you see Theo, you can click on the full screen button on the right below the video, sit back and enjoy.


Watch this show and more at SyncLive.com

You can order your copy of Give It All Away from Amazon here. It is an import, so it costs a more than usual, but I bought it and thought it is worth every penny. For my money, it is one of the best Idol debuts, certainly in North America, and possibly the world. Of course, your mileage might vary, but for me, Theo is the real deal. You can follow Theo on Twitter here. This morning on Twitter, Theo announced his next single will be Manhattan Blue! So, my Canadian friends, time to start making the requests to your favorite radio stations.