After seven years between solo records, Maria Taylor arrives at The SoCal Sound with Stories End — a deeply personal album shaped in real time through change, distance, and rediscovery. Joined in studio by Nic Harcourt, Taylor delivered an intimate session that felt less like a performance and more like a moment of clarity.
Opening with the album’s title track, “Stories End,” Taylor immediately sets the tone — reflective, cinematic, and emotionally grounded. The song captures a feeling that runs throughout the record: questioning the past while learning how to move forward.
A Record Written Through Real Life
Much of Stories End began taking shape in 2020, during the uncertainty of the pandemic. Taylor describes starting with melodies and emotion first — the lyrics coming later, once life itself had unfolded enough to give them meaning.
Over the course of making the record, everything shifted.
A 15-year relationship ended. A close friendship fractured. The foundation of what “family” looked like changed completely.
Instead of rushing to finish the album, Taylor let the songs sit — evolving alongside her own experiences. That patience ultimately became the heart of the record.
Finding Perspective on the Road
In the middle of writing, Taylor stepped away to tour as a drummer with Bright Eyes, led by Conor Oberst. That distance proved to be essential.
Being on the other side of the world — surrounded by longtime friends and removed from daily life — gave her the perspective she didn’t realize she needed.
It was there she began to fully understand the weight of everything she had been going through.
That space allowed her to return to the songs with a clearer sense of self — blending who she had been with who she was becoming.
An Intimate, Cinematic Sound
Back in the studio, Taylor brought in a close-knit group of collaborators — Sally Dworsky (piano, guitar), Tiffany Osborn (violin), and Hannah Murray (violin), all of whom contributed to the album.
The result is a sound that feels expansive yet personal. With string arrangements by Bright Eyes’ Nate Walcott, Stories End leans into a cinematic quality — something Taylor herself hopes could eventually translate to film.
The session at The SoCal Sound captures that dynamic beautifully: delicate performances layered with emotional weight, all grounded in lived experience.
Looking Ahead
Now, with Stories End out in the world, Taylor is approaching what comes next with intention.
Balancing music and motherhood means touring has to be meaningful — but the door is open. Whether it’s joining the right artist on the road or finding new ways to bring these songs to life, this chapter feels less about urgency and more about alignment.
And fittingly, the session closes with “Sorry I Was Yours” a collaboration with Conor Oberst — a full-circle moment that ties past and present together.
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- · Filmed & Edited & Photographed by Matt Blake
- · Audio by Tristan Dolce
- · Host: Nic Harcourt
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