“Sometimes I can have so much going on in my head, and the only way for me to get it out is to sit down at the piano and write,” says Andrew Gabbard, explaining the origins of “Magic Taxi,” the latest single from Ramble & Rave On! (Karma Chief/Colemine), available November 15.
Gabbard first surfaced on the national scene in the early 2000s with Cincinnati-based garage rockers Thee Shams, a group he cofounded with his brother, Zachary. That sextet eventually peeled away enough members to become the critically celebrated trio Buffalo Killers, and Gabbard signed on as the touring guitarist for the Black Keys. He’s now on the road with fellow Midwesterner Neil Francis.
Kicking off his solo career with 2021’s aptly titled Homemade, Gabbard continues his self-contained recording and production methods on Ramble & Rave On!, his third LP, while tipping his hat to some his favorite singer/songwriters. To that end, “Magic Taxi” is the work of a Lennon/McCartney obsessive taking an admirable stab at his version of what the Beatles might’ve sounded like if they hadn’t broken up.
“I feel like the instrumentation and the mix give a better explanation for how I felt in the moment,” says Gabbard. “There are chaotic moments and moments when I’m holding it together. Sometimes it’s hard to explain what’s getting to me. I just know how I was feeling—and creating this song made me feel a whole lot better.”
We’re proud to premiere Andrew Gabbard’s “Magic Taxi” video.
—Hobart Rowland
