Quiet Company, led by Taylor Glen Muse, is one man’s vision brought to life with a little help from his friends. Hailing from Austin, Texas, Taylor Muse already has years of experience under his young belt, having fronted and played in many bands, including an early version of Eisley. After the break-up of his last band, Taylor hoped to complete an album of collected contributions from his extensive cast of musician friends. Instead, he played nearly everything himself, and ended up with a very personal and visionary endeavor entitled “Shine Honesty.” According to Taylor, “while most people would assume it is a reference to Pink Floyd it has more to do with Simon and Garfunkel. I thought about naming it “Let Your Honesty Shine” which is a line from ‘The Only Living Boy In New York’, but somehow I put “Shine Honesty” together and to me, it sounded more like an album title.” Nevertheless, Quiet Company explores the spirit of both artists; the pop sensibility of Simon and Garfunkel and the sonic adventurous arrangements of Pink Floyd.

Abandoning, his primary instrument of guitar, Taylor Muse wrote most of “Shine Honesty” on the piano. Finding a new texture and voice, his range of influences stretched out to include acts like the Beach Boys, and the Smashing Pumpkins. Small beginnings, big endings, pop orchestration, and raucous rock and roll all characterize the sound of Quiet Company, while the lyrics reveal the nature of a soul which has wandered, wondered, and ultimately found love. The album title is not to be taken lightly, as the sting of lyrical revelation along the lines of Connor Oberst and Lee Bozeman pours out over choruses of weeping piano and speaker-shredding guitar. By the end of it all, you may be uncomfortably aware of exactly who he loves, who he hates, and how he feels about them all.

There are two lines, however, that shed light upon the true nature of Quiet Company’s reason for being. The first, “I would trade my skin to be young again,” is the indication of lessons learned the hard way, scars and all, and mourning of a lost innocence that can never be regained. The second, “keep the spring under your step and keep the sunlight on your face," represents the underlying hope, the turn towards the future, and willingness to still smile that propels Taylor head-on into the unknown. After all he has learned, he puts it simply, “I make music because it gives me joy. I write songs to make my fiancé smile. I make music because it is my religion to do so.”

As Taylor takes the Quiet Company show on the road, with Thomas Blank (guitar/keyboard) and Tim Robbins (drums), it will become apparent that these honest sentiments scream loudly in the face of the pains of the past, and proclaim the beauty of love and music to all who will give ear to his voice. Is there a band called Quiet Company? “Yes, I am he.”