Nathaniel Sutton – Nathaniel Sutton

What of Nathaniel Sutton and is big. We continue with the role singer but this time with a low tone which makes your hair stand on end. To the naked voice of Canada will accompany on guitar acoustics and, occasionally electric guitar and in some songs some also sounding string arrangements, piano etc.
Great songs like City of dreams, Zombies are everywhere (Who are embedded in the brain) stand out in a very inspired album. In addition, if used as a reference, my wife says that the music of Nathaniel Sutton relaxes.

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I introduce to you Nathaniel Sutton from Edmonton, AB Canada. His romance with the acoustic guitar, as he explains in his biography, started some time ago, a long time ago, while his college mates spent time doing sports or playing video games. After the release of Dramatic Scene and Starlite, Nathaniel Sutton’s deep voice is back to make an hormonic Self titled album with semi-acoustic pop themes and many artifacts, enough to beautify the message. Less is more, and the truth is that the magic that this orquestra-man flows -he plays all the instruments you can imagine including accordion, flute, mandoline and xylophone – instead of waning, he gets more pronounced, especially in sublime moments like ‘Bumble Bee’, the folkie ‘Come Back Home’, ‘Groggy Morning’ or the growing ‘City Of Dreams’, with a surprising futuresque ending, just to quote some examples. Compared to some illuminated from the 90s and modern indie as lou barlow (i imagine that more for his folk implosion project than for leading the big sebadoh), tim kasher and isaac brock, the good Sutton still has a long way to reach such status and influence, but he well deserves a chance, even for the elegance, passion and DIY integrity that led her outstanding career.

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From Edmonton, Alberta, NATHANIEL SUTTON presents the listener with somber, basic, down to earth singer-songwriter material on his self-titled release (engineerrecords.com / oakapplerecords.com) With its accompaniment and harmonies, the collection still comes down to basically the song, the singer and – in this case – his guitar. The production is never overdone and keeps the integrity of the sound, including “Come Back Home,” one of the heavier-produced tunes, but is still one of the bet cuts among many good ones. Another one that I found impressive is “Nickel or Dime,” which has lots of musical sharp edges. The tunes lean towards the ineffectualness of relationships and life in general, but manages not to be depressing, thankful to some quality songwriting and emotional vocals. His deep voice resonates, even where not pitch-perfect. Then, out of nowhere, comes “Zombies Are Everywhere,” meant literally rather than figuratively (in the media; he is apparently a fan of the television show, “The Walking Dead”). A pretty successful release.

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With his self-titled album, “Nathaniel Sutton”, released on June 7th; Nathaniel Sutton was able to prove to everyone that he was capable of not only running an independent label, Oak Apple, but also able to put together another very unique and wonderful album as a one-man band.

Coming into this album not knowing what to except, I was immediately surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The musical composition is just enough to make the songs flow perfectly with Sutton’s vocals which sometimes makes you forget that there are even lyrics being sung in the song! An example of this is in “Master Disguise” where the catchy uptempo guitar tune blends with Sutton’s voice. I had to go back and listen to the song again to realize that Sutton was actually singing words because I was so entranced by just the sound of his voice and the melody.

However, when it does come to the lyrics of this album; Sutton does a great job of expressing certain feelings and emotions without leaving the listener to have to analyze the lyrics to get the true meaning out of them. “Like a sailor lost at sea, love has always found a way to settle deep inside of me.” is one of the lines in “Like A Bullet” that makes this song one of my favorites on this album. It speaks about all the things that people take for granted in life. “A close call just made me realize, just ’cause I’m breathing doesn’t mean I’m alive”, in “Groggy Morning” expresses that realization that a lot of us have that we need to learn how to truly live instead of just going with the motions of life. The key songs on this album are, “Like A Bullet”, “Master Disguise”, “Groggy Morning”, and “Bring It On (Godzilla)”.

This is not a mediocre album. The songs are packed with delightful and enticing lyrics as well as wonderfully and impressively put together melodies. I suggest sitting down on a calm, quiet morning and playing this album all the way through with no interruptions; adding some rain and a nice cup of coffee might also do the trick. This is a fantastic album, but just like all other albums – it isn’t meant to please everyone so in that case, not everyone will find the true beauty and quality work that Sutton has put into this album enjoyable.
Overall Rating: 7/10

http://www.venturemag.co.uk/pages/blog-article?r=EKTUUA3U

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Nathaniel Sutton has been a part of the Edmonton arts scene for a number of years now. A one-man band and determined DIYer, Sutton brings forth his most acoustic set with a rightfully self-titled effort. The main difference between this and his first two LP’s is the wide variety of instrumentation. Cellos, violins, harmonicas, banjos, horns and mandolins all make brief appearances throughout.

“Nickel Or Dime” is the first real standout track. Here, Sutton starts off with simple acoustic strumming and his distinctive throaty voice before moving into a pleasant saxophone solo. “WingTech 3000″ balances piano keys and guitar strings with lyrics of society’s reliance on technology. “City Of Dreams” is almost too quick and after a quick, mood-setting interlude, the album moves into the closing duo of “Zombies Are Everywhere” and “Bring It On (Godzilla)”. These two tracks show off his unique song writing style as he manages to craft generally catchy tracks relating to zombies and Godzilla, respectfully.

Overall, it’s a modest effort as Sutton covers a lot of ground. Metaphors are abundant as references to werewolves, dinosaurs and bumble bees are weaved into themes of day to day human behavior. Even with the eclectic instrumentation, Sutton’s classic and contemporary rock influences can still be heard.
- Cory Jones (Beatroute Magazine)

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Do it yourself is music is nothing new in this day and age. Edmonton’s Nathaniel Sutton takes it to a whole other level though on his forthcoming self-titled album though. On the record, out June 7th, Sutton is a veritable one-man band, with not only drums, guitar, bass, but mandolin, xylophone, flute, piano, banjo, accordion, and much more.

Sutton isn’t shy about his influences, and they come shining through on various songs. The elegant acoustic opener, for example, radiates a Mark Kozelek aura. Songs like “Bring It On (Godzilla)”, “Groggy Morning”, and “Master Disguise” are reminiscent of Lou Barlow, while the vocals on “Perfect Time” could easily be mistaken for Bob Mould.

The catchy “Zombies Are Everywhere”, but it’s only the penultimate track here. The standout is the stunning “Nickel Or Dime”, which boasts an impressive, almost aboriginal-inspired rhythm.

Sutton’s songwriting itself is endearing. His themes are lovably kooky, while his lyrics are idiosyncratic and delightful.

I had really no idea of what to expect when I first listened to Nathaniel Sutton. After listening to it though, I have come away a fan. My only quibble is that “Dirty Old Town” is not a cover. It’s a small thing, but I feel the need to complain about something on this otherwise fantastic record.

Best tracks: “Nickel Or Dime”, “Zombies Are Everywhere”

8.0/10

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Hailing from Edmonton Alberta, Canada, singer-songwriter Nathaniel Sutton began his musical life back in high school, followed by stints in cover bands, until he discovered his own poetic style and went solo, three releases ago. This new self-titled 14-song collection, the listener is struck from the get-go by a commanding vocal coming at you instantly, alongside solid acoustic strumming.

The production values on this recording are high, and they just may cause you to float away like “an old, yet familiar dream”, before you realize there’s a Master of Disguise behind Track 2. You may also feel a slight sense of melancholia from this 27-yr old indie artist. However, there’s also light, and calmness, and air in that Dirty Old Town and for a Nickel or Dime, a kiss. “We can go out in the alley if you insist. I’ve never felt so dirty before, but I’ve never felt so good”

With Francis Levesque on saxophone, Track 7 strikes a chord that makes this song, with its sense of urgency, a definite standout. Previous musical offerings had Mr Sutton presenting himself as a one-man-band, but on this outing Kayla Nickel brings the cello to the forefront Like a Bullet, and the electic guitar of Dan Mabee appears on 3 songs, while he plays banjo on another. Olivia Street helps Bring it On with a dreamy violin, just before the atmospheric moodiness is brought to a luscious close. – Lisa McDonald

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