Nate Hall - Fear of Falling (Album Review)

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 24/11/2014

Label: Self Release

‘Fear of Falling’ track listing:

1). Heat and Sway

2). 77

3). The Travelling Sun

4). Fall

5). Fear of Falling

Review:

Nate Hall is the frontman of Appalachian space/folk/psychedelic rock troupe U.S. Christmas, who were head-hunted by Scott Kelly over ten years ago after he chanced upon one of their earlier releases, “Black Heart Bull”. They subsequently signed to Neurot Recordings and released some of the best psychedelica I've known of in recent years. USX, as the band are known, have been laying low for a few years, but Nate Hall has been quietly productive. His collaboration with Poison Snake, “Fear of Falling”, released at the tail end of last year, is his third release in two years, following on from the folky “A Great River” and the noisy, feedback-drenched “Electric Vacuum Roar”.

It's nearly quarter of a century since Neil Young, following a shaky decade of controversial albums, releasing the landmark “Ragged Glory” in 1991. Hall channels the Ontarian's spirit on this release, with its wandering guitars, drawn-out Americana jams and soulful lyricism. It's more ragged than ‘....Glory’ though - and this owes a lot to Nate's affection for 90's indie rock legends Caustic Resin, both in his vocal ululations and the plodding (in a good way) nature of the music.

Yet it's not just wonderful overdriven guitar jams we are treated to on this release. The centrepiece of the album, “The Travelling Sun”, had been released on a 7 inch with Scott Kelly a few years ago, but it's great to see it saved from potential obscurity and given a fresh tinge. “You won't mind, when I leave today” howls a ghostly Hall over a backdrop of almost agonizingly strummed electric guitar, in what is arguably his most outstanding ballad he has ever accomplished. A mean feat, given the quality of “Fire is Sleeping” off USX's “Run Thick in the Night” and the title track from 2012's “A Great River”.

Like Hall's last two releases, “Fear of Falling” was knocked out in the studio in just a day, giving the music a feeling of immediacy and spontaneity. The production is huge – the guitars are cavernous and expansive on “Fall”, whereas the bass jumps about without license with sumptuous abandon. In an era of manicured tones and anodyne pro-tooled songs, this is as refreshing as it is honest.

Nate Hall's music deserves to be heard by many more than it already is, and at this rate he is on his way to becoming something more than an unknown legend

                

Words by: Jack Taylor

You can pick up a copy here

For more information:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nate-Hall/221469457884975 | https://natehall77.bandcamp.com/album/fear-of-falling | http://natehall13.bigcartel.com/

Mike Scheidt, John Baizley & Nate Hall - Songs of Townes Van Zandt Vol. II (Album Review)

Album Type : Full Length

Date Released : Out Now

Label : My Proud Mountain/Neurot Recordings

Songs of Townes Van Zandt Vol. II, track listing :

1. To Live Is To Fly (Mike Scheidt)
2. Pancho & Lefty (Nate Hall)
3. St. John The Gambler (John Baizley & Katie Jones)
4. Rake (Mike Scheidt)
5. Waitin’ Around To Die (Nate Hall & Stevie Floyd)
6. For The Sake Of The Song (John Baizley & Katie Jones)
7. Highway Kind (Mike Scheidt)
8. Our Mother The Mountain (Nate Hall & Dorthia Cottrell)
9. If I Needed You (John Baizley & Katie Jones)

Review :

The second installment of covers of the country legend's songbook features alumni of the alternative metal scene interpreting a singer songwriter who was terminally under appreciated during his life/career but whose status has grown in death. Can the songs here live up to Steve Earle's (retracted) claim that Van Zandt was the better of Bob Dylan in the song-writing stakes?

Both To Live is To Fly and Pancho and Lefty make a convincing argument, with stripped down voice and acoustic arrangements allowing Scheidt and Hall, respectively, to put their own talent on display and stamp the songs as their own. St John The Gambler has Baizley working with a more lush arrangement and the boon of a female vocalist in accompaniment which contrasts well with his own voice.

Thereafter the album flows well- three artists of relatively disparate acts produce versions of Van Zandt's songs which are by no means samey, but which are all of a type. If you enjoy singer songwriter material of the more sombre type, you will find much to enjoy here. Nowhere near as “country” as Van Zandt's 70's filmic compatriot David Allan Coe but not as fokey as say Dylan's earlier material, I would postulate that Van Zandt pitches as a more sombre and haunted Neil Young (no comparison in voice, or even content, but the terrain inhabited is not too far away).

The content is certainly dark- Waitin' Around to Die is no easy listen and nor is The Highway Kind. The songs here reek of alcohol and missed opportunities. They clearly resonate with members of the metal/alternative community and thus I would recommend this record to any music fan and indeed, any heavy music fan. The acoustic may not be your conduit of choice normally, but you may find a lot in here that is pitch black in theme and delivery. A strong collection that may well serve to introduce fans of the artists here to reach back into the world of outlaw country and of a man who never found the success he deserved.

Words by : Richard Maw

You can get it here

For more information :

http://www.neurotrecordings.com
http://www.facebook.com/neurotrecordings
http://www.youtube.com/user/NeurotRecordings
http://www.myproudmountain.com

The Sludgelord News : SONGS OF TOWNES VAN ZANDT VOL. II, ALBUM DETAILS AND FIRST SINGLE FEATURING JOHN BAIZLEY & KATIE JONES

In 2012 the label My Proud Mountain was established specifically to pay tribute to Townes Van Zandt. The first release, Songs of Townes Van Zandt featured Scott Kelly & Steve Von Till from Neurosis, as well as Scott 'Wino" Weinrich from Saint Vitus, The Obsessed and more, each taking on the troubadour's music.

On Monday 10th March, My Proud Mountain shall release Songs of Townes Van Zandt Vol. II in the UK/Europe in partnership with Neurot Recordings, who shall take care of the US release. This second volume features an outstanding cast of artists who front full-time bands in addition to releasing their own solo and collaborative works, these are; Mike Scheidt (YOB, VHÖL), Nate Hall (USX), John Baizley (Baroness), Katie Jones, Stevie Floyd (Dark Castle, Taurus) and Dorthia Cottrell (Windhand).

We reveal a stream of the album's closing rendition of "If I Needed You", as performed by John Baizley and Katie Jones, who both provide a mixture of heartfelt vocals to an acoustic backdrop in their remake of this beautiful yet gloomy classic.

LISTEN NOW: http://noisey.vice.com/blog/baroness-us-christmas-windhand-yob-townes-van-zandt-baizley

Songs of Townes Van Zandt Vol II Track Listing:

1. To Live Is To Fly (Mike Scheidt)

2. Pancho & Lefty (Nate Hall)

3. St. John The Gambler (John Baizley & Katie Jones)

4. Rake (Mike Scheidt)

5. Waitin' Around To Die (Nate Hall & Stevie Floyd)

6. For The Sake Of The Song (John Baizley & Katie Jones)

7. Highway Kind (Mike Scheidt)

8. Our Mother The Mountain (Nate Hall & Dorthia Cottrell)

9. If I Needed You (John Baizley & Katie Jones)

Source : Rarely Unable PR