Nathanial Rateliff: And It's Still Alright
Nathanial Rateliff burst on the seen with Nathanial Rateliff and the Night Sweats in 2015. It was instant favorite for me. The retro Soul and southern R & B sound hits me right in the plums. I’m a sucker for a horn section. The entire mood of the record has you tapping your foot all the way through and singing along to what you believe are the lyrics. Rateliff’s warm gravely vocals and unique cadence really grab hold and force you to listen with out really trying.
The Night Sweat’s followed up their debut album with “Tearing at the Seems”. The Album provides similar foot stompers like “A Little Honey”. It is one of, if not my favorite song by them The record also steps closer into Rateliff’s singer song writer beginnings with tune like the album’s title track “Tearing at the Seems”.
Onto “And It’s Still Alright”. As I mentioned Rateliff’s early career showcased a more somber solo act featuring his singer song writer side. This album, his first solo album in 7 years, gets back to those motivations. The album is rooted in his struggles with divorce and losing his friend and fellow producer Richard Swift. The title track plays almost as a dialog with Swift after his death. Songs like “Rush On” brings things down and provides an insight into some into real pain.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery
It is certainly not all gloomy. There is some levity. I don’t think he can help adding some jazzy bass lines and snappy rhythm at times. Even in tunes motivated by his divorce like “What a Drag” that gets you snapping along and I just like the line “In the middle of the shit you say I need you” in the song “You Need Me”. The middle of the shit is a terrifically simple way to describe the shit we have all been in the middle of to some degree or another.
The vocals and unique word play carry the tunes, but Rateliff’s best attribute in my opinion is allowing the raw emotions to come through with his performances.
“I think I always want to see hope in the darkness, and I like to try to share that,” Rateliff explains. “I always try to write from a perspective of trying to approach everything very honestly, even if it leaves me vulnerable. But overall, it’s almost like I’m a different character when I’m writing for myself.” He continues, “I think this album is a reminder that we all go through hardship, but regardless of the hardship everything ends up where it’s supposed to. I still continue to live and I still continue to find joy. I think that’s the theme of the record.”
I love an album like this if you need some dishes or mindless house work. You can lose the album for a bit and then find yourself singing the chorus to “Time Stands” with half muted words not really sure what he’s saying, but matching the emotion with every line.
YouTube to the rescue!