Modern Nostalgia was well received by most. Here’s what some critics had to say:
Blues Blast Magazine - Greg “Bluesdog” Szalony
“Guitarist-Singer-Songwriter Hughes Taylor brings an energy and creativity to his mainly rock format. It veers into blues-rock territory at times, with one strictly blues song. His music brings to mind a slew of rock and roll guitar giants such as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Robin Trower, Peter Green…etc.. He enlisted a very able roster of musicians to support his musical vision. His smooth but sturdy voice fits into each song like a glove. His guitar technique draws various tricks from the guitar slinger catalogue, be it wah-wah, distortion, string bending to the max and who knows what else. His mastery of his instrument is kind of amazing.…”
“Guitar aficionados this is your candy store. This dude can flat out play! It doesn’t hurt that the songs are well crafted and played by first rate musicians. Hughes also handled the production on this his fourth studio release. Lovers of classic rock and music lovers in general will find much to savor within.“
Jazz Weekly - George W. Harris
“Hughes Taylor plays his 6 string ax hard and heavy, and sings with a snarl with a team of Ben Alford/, Tom Wilson/key, Jonathan Benton-Greg Sassaman/dr and a mix of guests. His guitar wails with a Hendrixy swirl on the rocking “Treat Me Right” and “Trouble” while his voice has a streetwise growl. He does some Mark Knopfler wah-wah workings on strait grooves of “Highwayman” and “The Refugee” while getting husky on a pretty Tedeschi-Trucksish “Dreamily”. He shows some tasty pickings on the instrumental “Wicked Woman” and gets jazzy on the soft boogie jam of “Excuses”. The team shuffles with abandon as Taylor puts his gritty voice to “She’s My Everything” and he attacks the acoustic strings as they beg for mercy on “No Evil Love”. Bold as love.“
Here Comes the Flood - Hans Werksman
“Blues guitarist Hughes Taylor plays what it says on the tin on his latest album, Modern Nostalgia. It is a mix of Chicago blues, a pinch of funk, and quite a lot of Southern rock. He makes it sound fresh and new, thanks to folks at Capricorn Sound Studios in Macon, GA, where the album was recorded.
Taylor channels the fluidity of Stevie Ray Vaughn and throws in a bit of Hendrix and Rory Gallagher every now and then to spice things up. He has grown as a vocalist – this is his fourth full-length, and as per usual he switches easily between acoustic (No Evil Love) and electric (Quarantine Blues, Prettiest Thief). This album has all the trappings to get him to the next level. He has got the licks and the hooks to venture outside the borders of his native Georgia.“
Ramzine.co.uk - Tom Dixon
“First of all, Hughes Taylor is an extremely talented guitar/vocalist from Macon in Georgia (USA), not a duo. With his fourth studio album, the wonderfully oxymoron titled Modern Nostalgia builds on his solid blues base with plenty of rock and even some of the Southern variety mixed in…”
“This is a very strong and well-crafted blues-rock album that will stand equal to his peers… and above some of them. The skillful and tasteful guitar work is prominent but doesn’t replace the songs and he only plays the right amount of notes!”
Hot Wax Album Reviews by the ROCK DOCTOR
“If you’re looking for truth in advertising, the title of this record fits the bill. In Modern Nostalgia Macon Georgia’s Hughes Taylor puts his own spin on 21st century blues, weaving the influences of Hendrix and Clapton with elements of Muscle Shoals, Stax and vintage Southern Rock. It’s a muscular take on the blues with lots of soul.”
“Modern Nostalgia is Taylor’s 4th solo album, leading me to think “why have I never heard of this guy before?” but like I’ve said before, there’s so much music out there I just can’t hear it all. The disc plays out like a rewrite of what the blues has been over the last 4 or 5 decades with a palpable reverence to the past. The last time I chatted with Alligator Records founder Bruce Iglauer we talked about how blues might move into the future and still thrive… Hughes Taylor is one of the artists that will keep this music exciting for the generations coming up behind us.”
Blues Matters! - Andy Snipper
“I find it fascinating how blues music has both developed and mutated so extremely over the last 50-60 years, yet a musician such as Hughes Taylor can present his own form and reference every stage of that mutative effort. Hailing from Macon Georgia, Taylor plays electric guitar Blues that would be immediately familiar to followers of Clapton or Stevie Ray Vaughan but also feeds elements of the stalwarts like Roy Buchanan or soul players like Peter Green. While his voice is really no more than ok, he is a talented axe man and not too shabby a songwriter. At times he really does bring back memories of all the greats but there is still something in his playing that sets him aside from the thousands of other pickers and strummers. Dreamily has a delightful drift to it, his guitar strummed through the verses while his solo positively screams out of the mix. Quarantine Blues has his foot down hard on the Wah pedal while Highwayman burns with some real power and punch. There is a real groove about Prettiest Thief, the Hammond bringing up the size of the soundscape and his guitar lines are really fluid and dexterous. I get the feeling that these are songs that could easily stretch out in a live environment and, with Macon as a base, I would have thought that they would be a wicked jamming band. It’s an excellent album, a wide range of styles and shapes, and well worth checking out.“
KPSU - Samantha from Blazing Heart
“Hughes Taylor’s 2021 album Modern Nostalgia, features many tracks that demonstrate his dynamic musical capabilities. Not only that, but each track recreates many of the rock classics of the past in Taylor’s own style. Wicked Woman, could be interpreted as a modern interpretation of Santana’s Black Magic Woman complete with the Latin tempo and leading electric melody. Tracks like Highwayman and No Evil Love draw from rich southern undertones reminiscent of classics like Lynyrd Skynrd.
Each track of this album feels like a journey back in time to those great blues rock giants we hold dear. You can almost imagine driving on a hot summer day down a country road, windows down, hair blowing in that warm wind and radio waves feeding a smooth soundtrack of Skynyrd, Boz Scaggs and a touch of Santana. This album truly captures that type of modern nostalgia.”
