I don’t know why or how but my inbox has been blowing up all week with new submissions of music to check it. Honestly, it’s overwhelming but oh-so-exciting at the same time. Nathan Rodd is one of those people that randomly found their way into my inbox with some music to check out and, my want to procrastinate from doing all of the things on my to-do list right now has left me with the urge to go ahead and dig into his EP from last year. All I knew about Nathan was what he put in his introductory email to me and, to be honest, it wasn’t much but it left a lot of mystery and intrigue surrounding this man and this EP and I’m always down for some mystery and intrigue.
As soon as “Evelyn” took over my house, I was overcome by a sense of calm which is honestly just what I needed today. Nathan’s voice is smooth with a hint of a bluesy aspect to it. The calming instrumentation just adds to the ambiance. As soon as the chorus hit, I was impressed with the range of Nathan’s voice. Even when hitting higher notes, his voice never feels strained which is so impressive. Although the lyrics of this opening track really did nothing for me, the way Nathan lays out the words is stunning and had me falling for every word.
“Slowly” starts off with a guitar part that instantly won over my heart. Even when the rest of the instrumentation came in, I couldn’t help but focus on the guitar work. This was an instant favorite track of mine. This song has very strong Jason Mraz vibes but also is so clearly a song from Nathan Rodd. Again, with the impressive vocals that, although reaching a staggering range, stay cool, calm, and collected, I found myself just wanting to grab the nearest blanket and getting cozy with my cup of coffee. I was completely lost in this track for the entire two minutes and forty-two seconds that it lasted.
Although still very calming and beautiful, something a bit more somber and dark takes over for “Falling Stars”. It was during this track that I realized, although not quite for me, Nathan is a brilliant lyricist. His word choice is perfect and he presents every word with such a sense of care that, even though not my typical cup of tea lyrically I was falling for every single word he sang. The instrumentation behind these beautiful placed and chosen words is just as beautiful and, instead of trying to steal the spotlight off the vocals, really just enhances the whole experience that is this EP.
“Natalie” is the longest track on this EP at just under four and a half minutes. There’s a jazzy aspect to this track that is absolutely addicting. It’s the type of track that makes you sway to the slow and steady beat and transports you into a dark club that is lit only by candles. Although it’s a slower track, there’s an undeniable sense of energy in Nathan’s voice that rises and falls in all of the right places. The steam from my coffee cup seemed to dance along to the beat of this track and I found myself completely mesmerized by it. I’ll be the first to admit that this whole EP is completely out of my typical range of music but I was completely sold on it by the time this track faded out and made way for the final track.
Every track on this five-song EP brings a different style to the forefront and the style of “Treasure” is sweet and light-hearted while still being full of emotion and strength. This final song is the type of song that drifts you away into the open ocean of your mind. It’s minimal and beautiful but, again, so full of emotion and feelings. It’s seriously a perfect ending to a beautiful album.
I’m not sure how Nathan Rodd, a Tel Aviv based singer-songwriter, found my information but I am eternally grateful for it because this is a beautiful piece of art.
My Favorite Track(s): “Slowly”
For Fans Of: Calm; Beauty; Emotion
Daydream-ability: 8 out of 10
What My Cats Thought Of It: Both cats slept on the couch
How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 5 out of 10
My Overall Rating: 7 out of 10
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