Right album at exactly the right time.I’ve spent the better part of the last two months buried under a pile of the hardest and heaviest of rock and metal that this world has to offer. At one point on this past metallic journey, I do believe I commandeered Charon’s skiff and piloted myself to a previously unknown ring of the hot lands of tortured souls. Charon wasn’t too pleased and told me to get out, but I think y’all see where I’m going with this. I was in a very dark place for a very long time, and I was getting a bit too comfy with the whole situation. I needed something fresh. I needed something a little less, oh let’s call it . . . filled with angst and hatred. I needed something that would take me to my happy place and make me feel all warm and glow-y inside. And, along came Neil Nathan with his latest release entitled The Distance Calls. It called alright, and I didn’t hesitate to answer.
The Distance Calls is pretty much a straight up rock album in the vein of The Eagles, maybe Bob Dylan’s louder moments, and I get a feeling of Jackson Browne as well. There are none of those flashy, hey-mom-look-at-me-moments, it’s just a no frills rock album. Brimming with quality songwriting, stellar performances, and emotion for days, this disc will sit well with anyone who likes that classic rock sound of the 70’s. And, to help me make my point, Neil Nathan kicks off the disc with the ELO classic, “Do Ya,” only broken down to the root melody and emotion. This tune is considerably slowed down from the original version, and honestly, I think this is the way the song should always be performed. Someone get a hold of the guys spinning discs at the classic rock stations and tell ‘em to stop, replace it with this, and explain that Neil Nathan’s version is much more soulful and worthy of the world’s attention. Initially, I didn’t recognize the song because the arrangement is so back to basics and lacking of the hopping energy of the original. After a few seconds of soaking in the layers of texture, the combination of acoustic guitars, piano, and that incredibly rich voice, the song had me smiling and suddenly singing along. Brilliant rendition of the tune!
“Don’t Walk Away” is the song that every songwriter wants to write. But, not just write . . . these songwriters have gotta’ perform it with the same soul and passion that the good Mr. Nathan whips out on this recording. Stripped down to just a piano, acoustic guitar, Nathan’s warm vocals, this is the song that makes me stop, and damn near makes me cry as the thought of every woman I’ve ever known comes flooding back into my brain. It’s not so much the lyrics that move on this one as it is the vocal performance, the tone . . . the melody. You try telling me that it doesn’t hit you right there in the ole blood pumper when he utters the very first line of the tune! Amazing sensation! Would somebody mind passing me a beer . . . and a box of Kleenex?
And for yet another change of pace, give “So Much More” a spin. What you’ll end up hearing is a song that has a 50’s doo-wop vibe. I love the guitar work here as in one ear, you hear the staccato strum of the electric guitar and in the other ear, another guitar playing a sweet arpeggio passage, all while an acoustic softly strums away in the center of the mix. Great production work on this track! Again, the vocals are solid with Nathan crooning away one minute and seductively singing through verse the next. Toss in a few female vocal harmonies and you have a tune that has so much of the tone from a bygone age mixed with a modern sense of songwriting. A simple nod to the past, but feet firmly planted in the earth of today’s music world.
The Distance Calls is one of those albums where you can drop the needle anyplace on the record and find yourself soaking in a well crafted song. Of course, if you don’t have a record player, go ahead and hit any of the tracks on your CD player and experience the same sensation. And, it’s not just the songwriting that stands out on this. Without strong musicianship and musicians with true musical soul, even the best written songs will fall flat. It’s a special combination that a small percentage of musicians have the ability to tap into. Neil Nathan and company did a fabulous job of creating a record that rocks enough to get the energy flowing, but is soft enough that it won’t scare the Mrs. from the car. Perfectly balanced rock and soul. Neil, thanks for pulling me out of the darkness . . . and Charon thanks you as well. - Pope JTE
The Distance Calls is pretty much a straight up rock album in the vein of The Eagles, maybe Bob Dylan’s louder moments, and I get a feeling of Jackson Browne as well. There are none of those flashy, hey-mom-look-at-me-moments, it’s just a no frills rock album. Brimming with quality songwriting, stellar performances, and emotion for days, this disc will sit well with anyone who likes that classic rock sound of the 70’s. And, to help me make my point, Neil Nathan kicks off the disc with the ELO classic, “Do Ya,” only broken down to the root melody and emotion. This tune is considerably slowed down from the original version, and honestly, I think this is the way the song should always be performed. Someone get a hold of the guys spinning discs at the classic rock stations and tell ‘em to stop, replace it with this, and explain that Neil Nathan’s version is much more soulful and worthy of the world’s attention. Initially, I didn’t recognize the song because the arrangement is so back to basics and lacking of the hopping energy of the original. After a few seconds of soaking in the layers of texture, the combination of acoustic guitars, piano, and that incredibly rich voice, the song had me smiling and suddenly singing along. Brilliant rendition of the tune!
From there the album picks up the tempo and groove with “California Sun” and “When the Rain Falls.” Both tunes, though different in texture, tempo, and tone have a similar vibe. Upbeat and grooving, catchy melodies that hook you between the cheek and gum, soulful performances, these songs just move the album along at a nice pace to give the listener the feeling that this listening experience will be just that . . . an experience. In particular, “California Sun” has that countrified feeling that The Eagles mastered throughout their career. The tones of the guitars as they subtly strum the rhythm, the note bends of the electric guitars, and the slight vocal warble captures driving through the deserts and farmlands of California like I haven’t heard in a long, long time. Pay special attention to the tasteful guitar solo on “California Sun” as well.
“Don’t Walk Away” is the song that every songwriter wants to write. But, not just write . . . these songwriters have gotta’ perform it with the same soul and passion that the good Mr. Nathan whips out on this recording. Stripped down to just a piano, acoustic guitar, Nathan’s warm vocals, this is the song that makes me stop, and damn near makes me cry as the thought of every woman I’ve ever known comes flooding back into my brain. It’s not so much the lyrics that move on this one as it is the vocal performance, the tone . . . the melody. You try telling me that it doesn’t hit you right there in the ole blood pumper when he utters the very first line of the tune! Amazing sensation! Would somebody mind passing me a beer . . . and a box of Kleenex?And for yet another change of pace, give “So Much More” a spin. What you’ll end up hearing is a song that has a 50’s doo-wop vibe. I love the guitar work here as in one ear, you hear the staccato strum of the electric guitar and in the other ear, another guitar playing a sweet arpeggio passage, all while an acoustic softly strums away in the center of the mix. Great production work on this track! Again, the vocals are solid with Nathan crooning away one minute and seductively singing through verse the next. Toss in a few female vocal harmonies and you have a tune that has so much of the tone from a bygone age mixed with a modern sense of songwriting. A simple nod to the past, but feet firmly planted in the earth of today’s music world.
The Distance Calls is one of those albums where you can drop the needle anyplace on the record and find yourself soaking in a well crafted song. Of course, if you don’t have a record player, go ahead and hit any of the tracks on your CD player and experience the same sensation. And, it’s not just the songwriting that stands out on this. Without strong musicianship and musicians with true musical soul, even the best written songs will fall flat. It’s a special combination that a small percentage of musicians have the ability to tap into. Neil Nathan and company did a fabulous job of creating a record that rocks enough to get the energy flowing, but is soft enough that it won’t scare the Mrs. from the car. Perfectly balanced rock and soul. Neil, thanks for pulling me out of the darkness . . . and Charon thanks you as well. - Pope JTE
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