I saw The Wheel open for Laura Marling last month, and were there actually enough space to permit me being knocked on my ass, I would have been splayed out on the ground about a minute into their set. Lead singer Nathaniel Rateliff has one of the most powerful and affecting male voices that I’ve heard in a long while. He can be real quiet, low and grumbling. He can be sweet, lilting, almost Bon Iver-y.
But what really gets me is when he reaches down into himself: beyond the vibrating vocal chords and the bleeding heart, past the lungs taking desperate gulps of hot air, right down into the pit of his hollowed-out stomach. Then he shuts his eyes against the loud haunt of his own voice, and he just bellows. It echoes inside his mouth, tumbling out in a raw rush before colliding, absorbing itself into anyone lucky enough to be within earshot. But Nathaniel Rateliff booms, so in this case, the term “earshot” has a pretty sizable radius.
Rateliff’s upcoming solo album, In Memory of Loss, will be released on April 27th, and if its first released song “Early Spring Till” is any indication, Memory will be another notch in what is fast becoming an impressive musical belt. “Early Spring Till” isn’t really sparse, but it’s certainly not overcrowded either. Instead, it feels decidedly whole, featuring that gale-force howl of his, resonate harmonies and atmospheric electric guitar strums tip-toeing around the song’s edge.
Nathaniel Rateliff’s music is sad and slow and makes me feel like if he didn’t write these songs out, he just might collapse or implode or something equally destructive. And it’s this feeling of essentiality, this feeling that he really needs this music, that keeps knocking me (space permitting) on my ass. So give it a listen. And don’t be surprised if you find yourself splayed out and overwhelmed on your bedroom floor while Nathaniel Rateliff just keeps surging from your speakers.
In Memory of Loss (2010)
(mp3) Nathaniel Rateliff – Early Spring Till
Desire and Dissolving Men (2007)
Amazingly descriptive and accurate explanation of Rateliff’s voice! It strikes me!
This could be the most beautiful song of 2010 – hands down. Pure magic!
go find a demo version, it’s way better. less “sterile” than the overproduced version on the record. they did a version of this song on daytrotter that is probably one of my favorite music tracks right now. there’s also a decent live version on youtube, although the harmonies seem a little off at some of the really high points. anyway, i agree it is a gorgeous song… i just like the one that didn’t get beat to death in the production room.
I agree with Dan above. The first time I heard Early Spring Till in its earlier form, it haunted me for weeks with its raw emotiveness and authenticity. The version here is still great, but doesn’t sent that shiver down your spine. Anyone who hasn’t heard the other version owes it to themselves to have a listen at least once.