Album Review – Willy Tea Taylor’s “The Great Western Hangover”

“If you asked me point blank who I thought was the best songwriter of our generation regardless of genre, scene, commercial or critical success, I would tell you without hesitation that it is Willy ‘Tea’ Taylor from the interior valley cattle town of Oakdale, CA. His ability to enrich the perspective of life and all of its many wonders is unparalleled.”
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This was the bold assessment of Saving Country Music some 10 years ago regarding the powers of singer, songwriter, and wiffle ball player Willy Tea Taylor, who at the time was a relative unknown, but already forging a strong cult following. In the 10 years since, that cult following has only grown, and not from the benefit of big labels, the media, or a purposeful push by Willy Tea to promote himself.
As brilliant as he is unassuming, it’s been the sheer strength of Willy Tea Taylor’s songs that have propelled him forward. His ability to captivate an audience without any accompaniment has also made his songs especially lethal live and via the video medium. It still remains a heavy lift to convert average Joe’s to Willy devotees due to the often weighty nature of the subject matter. But his new album The Great Western Hangover very well may help with that, and mightily.
The music of Willy Tea Taylor emerged when he started taking old vintage 4-string tenor guitars from the 1920s, and played them to his homespun songs. It was simple and unpretentious, but in the minds of his audience, the experience was outright symphonic from the brilliant landscapes and moments he was able to evoke. Willy’s 2011 album 4 Strings is a testament to this songwriting, and the sheer gravity of moments he can channel through words.
A exploration Willy Tea’s music is not complete without also experiencing the work of his band The Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit with fellow songwriter Chris Doud. The band’s 2012 album No Excuses veers into the realm of a masterpiece, with Willy’s contributions like “The Very Best,” “Everywhere Now,” and “One Yard” remaining vital to Willy’s catalog, and the catalog of anyone who values songs.
It’s easy to go long about where Willy Tea has been previously because there is so much to discover there, and it’s been so grossly overlooked by the powers that be in music. But The Great Western Hangover is all about where Willy Tea is going. Having relocated to Nashville after moving away from his hometown of Oakdale, CA some years ago, he’s now fallen in with the right crowd in Music City, and perhaps the magic of Willy Tea Taylor will finally find the full audience it deserves.

A strongly collaborative album, The Great Western Hangover is not sparse and understated like some of Willy’s previous work. It’s purposefully full and electric. Tom Petty is cited as a similarity and influence for the album, but you also hear a lot of Neil Young’s Crazy Horse in songs like “Devil’s Taxidermy” and “Dangerously Beautiful.”
Always up for making friends through music, Willy assembled what he calls his “Fellership” to flesh out his songs. This includes Taylor Kingman and Tyler Thompson from TK & The Holy Know-Nothings, Dylan Nicholson and Eric Patterson of The Turkey Buzzards, as well as Kris Stuart from Root Jack. There are also guest appearances by Jeffrey Martin, The Rainbow Girls, Jay Cobb Anderson, and Saving Country Music Song of the Year nominee Anna Tivel.
The songs “National Treasure” and “Dangerously Beautiful” illustrate how Willy Tea Taylor can make anyone and everyone feel better about themselves without being trite. “Devil’s Taxidermy” is perhaps the most powerful moment of the album, where Willy testifies to the taxes and consequences that addiction levies in a way that makes you heed the moral. “Bakersfield” is a beautiful epic of a story and a great country song, told from the perspective of Willy Tea’s grandmother.
But what might make The Great Western Hangover an important moment in the career arc of Willie Tea Taylor is the way these songs cast a wide net of appeal as music first, and then seal the deal with their words next. “’69 Malibu” sounds like something John Cougar Mellencamp would have recorded in 1981 as opposed to a singer/songwriter effort that requires an open heart and attentive audience to be received.
The Great Western Hangover is Willy Tea Taylor’s alt-country album, and hopefully, his breakout from a cult following to more widespread critical acclaim, and a bridge back to his back catalog for those that discover him through it.
Willy Tea Taylor’s music is about healing. It’s about refusing to pass judgement, and willing to give forgiveness and understanding to all. It’s medicine as music.
8.1/10
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Purchase The Great Western Hangover on Bandcamp
October 30, 2023 @ 8:32 am
Been spinning the heck out of this one since Friday. One of the best records of the year. Just a great record. Aside on Jeffrey Martin — his “Red Station Wagon” has to be song of the year.
October 30, 2023 @ 7:36 pm
I have a simple rule: to be considered for album of the year, it has to be at LEAST 45 minutes long.
November 3, 2023 @ 6:48 pm
Jeffrey Martin and that song are stunning. Love that he was a high school teacher before coming to music full-time.
October 30, 2023 @ 8:54 am
I could never get into his solo stuff, but took a shot on the album after I saw more than a few people raving about it on Twitter Friday afternoon.
Glad I did, record kicks ass. It’s harder than hell to find on YouTube because it’s published under “Willy Tea Taylor & the Fellership” and has low views. I had to search for the full album name to get a topic track to come up.
“National Treasure” is a jam. Wasn’t expecting such badass lead guitar work throughout the entire album, but was definitely impressed.
He’s supposed to be with John R Miller some this next month. No idea whether he’s bringing a full band with him, should be a helluva show regardless.
October 30, 2023 @ 9:02 am
I’m new to Willie Tea, but a friend turned me onto the pre-release single Bakersfield a few weeks ago. Willie didn’t have much nice to say about the hometown I grew up in lol, but I found I liked the song anyway.
I’ve only given this album a quick listen so far, but I like it. Need a few more listens to decide if I love it. Good find. Thanks
October 30, 2023 @ 9:47 am
Do you think there’s a chance he and Doud will ever get the band back together? Seems like I remember Willy posting something about them getting back in the studio. That was quite a while ago tho.
October 31, 2023 @ 9:34 pm
I think they’ve had reunion shows over the years. But now that Willy is living in Nashville, I think it’s going to make it hard to keep that project going. We’ll see.
November 11, 2023 @ 4:12 pm
Doud is an absolute badass! Im with you, hoping he pops up soon. I’ll put Doud and Taylor up against anyone now a days. They are damn good
October 30, 2023 @ 9:57 am
Saw Willie play the smaller stage at a festival this Summer and was absolutely blown away. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a more captivating performer. It was funny, sad, magical–everything everyone who’s ever seen him live says and more.
https://youtu.be/Y7igtHYKebw?si=FU_21zqz9YmLAkTK
October 30, 2023 @ 10:16 am
This guy is the essence of music personified. Heart, soul…all of it. You get the raw, beautiful experience with Willy Tea.
October 30, 2023 @ 12:52 pm
Willy Tea Taylor’s Knuckleball Prime was a landmark album for me. I feel like it was has been so hard to keep up with him since then, but seeing this today is a welcomed surprise. I can’t wait to spin it.
October 31, 2023 @ 8:36 am
Haven’t heard this yet but I definitely echo what’s been said about him. He’s got a great voice and his songs are great, he’s just always been tough when it comes to following his career. His Thrift Store band is good, but I really only like the songs he sings. Have big expectations on this one!
October 31, 2023 @ 8:54 am
This is EXACTLY the kind of record I hope to discover while reading SCM. Thanks!
November 3, 2023 @ 6:50 pm
Listened once and can’t wait to give it another. Surprised by, but in love with the guitar tones TK and the band brought in. Should be a sleeper AOTY candidate for me.
November 5, 2023 @ 8:14 am
Just a great album from start to finish. Hard to imagine one starting out stronger than those first four songs. Not that they’re is anything wrong with the back half of the record. Have always appreciated his song writing but to me this is the whole package. 8.1? You ever revisit some of your reviews after time listening and revise those numbers? I think this would be one that might happen with.
November 5, 2023 @ 2:57 pm
I usually don’t revise the scores of albums. Maybe I was a little harder on this one just because I know the kind of songs Willy has in his back catalog. But I always say that time is the greatest judge of music, and this album like all others will be re-evaluated in a few weeks are we put together the end-of-year lists.
November 5, 2023 @ 4:16 pm
Makes sense. Thinking this one will make that list. Like you said he sacrificed none of his usually great song writing. Just fleshed out the musical part