Change can be scary, yet singer-songwriter Syd Taylor steps into a shining new chapter with grace. After spending years in the rock duo Stereo Jane alongside her twin sister, Taylor is on the eve of her debut solo album, After the Fact. The self-produced album is an anthology of upbeat indie-rock numbers and vulnerable ballads that ultimately capture the experience of being a young woman on a journey of self-discovery and newfound confidence. Noted influences are acts such as The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, and Nina Simone, and Taylor manages to create a nostalgic feel that is simultaneously modern.
The first track is the titular “After the Fact,” which is the most recent single off the record. It sets the tone by defiantly starting with the words, “I’m not some pretty little drama queen,” before diving into the sultry demands of the chorus, “If you’re gonna love me better love me right / if you’re gonna hold me better hold me tight.” Taylor’s smooth vocals layered with the dreamy twang of the guitar create the perfect indie-rock song of the summer. The following track, “Time to Go!” keeps the fun summer energy with a groovy bass tone and spoken word verses dripping with sass, an ideal backing track for a hot, windows-down drive.
“Heaven” is an apt title for a song showcasing Taylor’s angelic vocals, her graceful voice shining in the refrain, “Open the door, I could be your heaven / give me some more, more of your affection / you’ll never find somebody like me.” Her ethereal tone carries into what might be the sweetest song on the record, “Honeycomb,” a gorgeous piano ballad bursting with love and adoration.
“The Wind” is a song filled with the longing of wanting something better, but not yet knowing where to find it, a familiar feeling for many young adults. The gentle strums of the acoustic guitar add to the yearning ambience as Taylor softly sings, “Wherever the wind blows, take me there and I’ll be glad to go.”
“Leave Me Out of It” picks things up again with twinkly synths and groovy guitar tones. The song is rebellious and sure of itself, with Taylor belting, “I’m the rarest diamond you could ever adore.” It tells the story of a woman who knows her worth and refuses to be toyed it, signified by the lyrics, “If you’re gonna mess around / you can leave me out of it.” “Dream About You” carries the confident sentiment and brings a blues twang vibe to the album.
The delicate notes of a piano are brought back for “My Man,” a melancholy ballad about longing for someone who may not be fully yours. “You know better than to watch me cry / ‘cause I don’t wanna wonder who else keeps you up at night.” The ninth track, “Love of Your Life,” was the first solo single to be released by Taylor, and details the other side of an unrequited love and receiving unwanted attention.
“You’re a Woman” is a strut-worthy track, boasting powerful lyrics such as, “You’re a woman / you can do it,” and “Don’t let him get all under your skin.” Taylor sounds strong and self-assured, an artist proud of her womanhood. “La da da dee die” is a slow song wrapped in the heartbreak of existence, echoed in the words, “Can’t you see my heart is breaking / I gotta get out while I’m still alive.”
The closing track “Jane” is breathy and beautiful, and feels as though it could be a sentimental nod to Taylor’s previous music project, Stereo Jane: “Jane / you’re on my mind / I think about our memories when I fall asleep at night / I know you’ll be fine / it feels like centuries / but we’ll make it out alive.” The words parallel the struggle of being alive in the previous track, a note of hope that acts as closure.
After the Fact is a bold step into the solo world and Syd Taylor defines her sound with every song. The stories told and emotions portrayed are raw and honest in a world full of sugar-coated highlight reels. Taylor’s debut album is a well-rounded experience and the tracklist could very well be a coming-of-age soundtrack to the highs and lows of young adulthood.
Be sure to listen to Syd Taylor’s debut album After the Fact when it releases on June 25, 2025 — she is an upcoming star to be watched and adored.
After the Fact Tracklisting
- After the Fact
- Time to Go!
- Heaven
- Honeycomb
- The Wind
- Leave Me Out of It
- Dream About You
- My Man
- Love of Your Life
- You’re a Woman
- La da da dee die
- Jane
More on Syd Taylor & After the Fact…
Syd Taylor‘s debut solo LP, After the Fact, emerged after a three-month period of intensive creation in her Los Angeles apartment. This marked a departure from her lifelong collaboration with her twin sister in their band, a change that compelled Taylor to explore her individual identity as both an artist and a person. Having spent years prioritizing others, she dedicated herself to creating something truly personal. This introspection fueled the rawly honest lyrics of After the Fact, an album entirely written and produced by Taylor as she discovered her unique voice and gained newfound confidence. “It’s the first time I’ve been able to sit down and make something truly for me. No one telling me what genre to lean into, what producer to hand my demos to, or even how to present myself. I know I’m not perfect, so why pretend to be some perfectly polished pop version of myself? I wanted to get as far away from that as possible. And in doing that, I made something that feels perfect to me — which is imperfect.”