9.01.2010

CD REVIEW: Nathaniel Rateliff "In Memory Of Loss"

In Memory of Loss
Nathaniel Rateliff is the epitome of dark songwriting. His brand of folk music is very bare bones, organic, and deep. His newest album features a handful of songs that are stripped down to the core, with the lyrics and voice of Rateliff acting as the star of each piece. The most stunning of the set is "You Should've Seen The Other Guy" which depicts, in essence, a bar room brawl and the aftermath of it all. His take on relationships is original and delivered like no one else. He has drawn comparisons, and rightfully so, to Johnny Cash, but can also be compared to Bob Dylan or even Neil Young. Nathaniel Rateliff is a new breed of folk performer. Like other acts such as Bon Iver and The White Buffalo, less is more, and on this album Rateliff's minimalism in his music is the shining star.