Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Album: Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Label: Stax
Tracks: 11
Website: http://www.nathanielrateliff.com

Nathaniel Rateliff had been ploughing his furrow over in the USA with limited success for the past 7 or 8 years or so, releasing 2 full albums and an EP, all with an acoustic, American folk type vibe. His voice throughout these releases was something of a stand out feature and he had appeared in the UK on the Jools Holland show in 2011 but, it is fair to say, remained somewhat under the mainstream radar both here and in the USA.

Then, in the summer of this year, seemingly out of nowhere he returned reborn in full 'Soul Man' mode as Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats. I am not sure of the process over in the USA, but here I noticed him when the video of the band performing a song on 'The Tonight Show' with American chat show host Jimmy Fallon was plastered all over Facebook and Twitter.

Where he had been between his last release and this remains something of a mystery, although subsequent interviews allude to heavy drinking, losing his way and falling out of love with the music business. Maybe not as myth building and enigmatic as Robert Johnson returning all fired up after selling his soul to the crossroads loitering devil, but clearly not all was harmonious in the Rateliff household!

Without doubt, this self-titled CD is a joyful and uplifting experience. Any reservations relate to the nature of the retro soul sound and it is true the songs and performances evoke all sorts of connections with old classic numbers and performers like Sam Cooke, Sam & Dave and Ben E. King. However, none of this feels manufactured, opportunistic or cynical. If anything, it feels celebratory and lived in. When the horns enter after the lovely lead guitar line on the opening track ' I Need Never Get Old' it very much reminded me of how I felt all those years ago when hearing Dexy's Midnight Runners 'Searching For The Young Soul Rebels' for the first time. Derivative yes, but still authentic, fresh and innovative.

Throughout, the performances of both Nathaniel and the band are exceptional and is a particularly good recording, managing to sound both 'old and new' at the same time. Although the basic play back level is very loud it has been achieved without that 'over compressed' feel that sometimes results and nothing sonically seems compromised at all.

Also, a special mention for Nathaniel's voice, which is powerful and distinctive, yet still very flexible throughout the different styles, twists and turns. The soul comparisons are obvious, but at times he also reminded me of Bruce Springsteen at his throaty, roaring best!

I also very much liked the guitar sound, both in terms of the rhythm playing and some wonderfully distorted solo's and riffs. This also highlights the 'old and new' contrasts as traditional soul guitar solos tended to replicate the main melody of the song, whereas here the guitar is edgy and discordant lending a very contemporary feel.

Factor in the horn section, a funky, meaty bass, sharp drumming, the coolest organ playing and old timey harmonies straight out of 'O Brother Where Art Though' and you have just the tightest band.

Pace wise, the album also works well. The driving, up-tempo opener 'I Need Never Get Old' gives way to the slow, shuffler 'Howling At Nothing' with it's spot on vocal, followed by the insistent guitar riff of 'Trying So Hard Not To Know' and so on, each number blending and contrasting throughout the 11 tracks.

My only criticisms are that one or two songs do not seem up to the lofty standard of the others and are something of a triumph of feel over content. Another one or two fade out rather abruptly before the 3 minute mark when they still have a lot of life left in them, which seems a criminal waste of good music to me!

Just minor quibbles though and I doubt anything in 2015 will match the range and genre hopping impact of the lead single 'S.O.B'!

Paul Jackson