Skip to main content

IN REVIEW: Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats - "Tearing At the Seams"


History may try to sum up Nathaniel Rateliff as the guy who performed S.O.B., the rollicking, boozy smash hit from 2015; of course, those of us who have dug deeper have discovered Rateliff is an accomplished singer/songwriter who shouldn't have a career distilled (pun intended) down to a somewhat silly novelty hit. Alongside backing band The Night Sweats, Rateliff has built much of his following on vibrant songs that are indebted to soul and old time rock n' roll, and his music evokes a spirit not often captured by modern artists.

Tearing At the Seams, Rateliff's second album with The Night Sweats (and fifth album overall), has a livelier, smokier feel than we're used to. This album boasts thick grooves, impassioned vocal performances and sharp songwriting, all elements of Rateliff's past work to be sure but this time presented with a fuller sound and more colour. Put another way, it's more indicative of the band's live show, which has never been a bad thing for any band.

It's also packed with quality tunes and tasteful arrangements that provide ebb and flow, and its sequencing ensures that the album's worth listening to front to back; there's very little that can be considered filler, and there's enough variety on display to hold interest (even through the two bonus tracks on the deluxe edition). That said, as pleasant as these songs are, there's nothing that separates itself as a clear hit; lead singles You Worry Me and Hey Mama are very good, to be sure, but there's precious little crossover potential to be had in them.

That's likely intentional and perfectly acceptable, though, because the trade-off is novelty for quality. Tearing At the Seams is a well-crafted album that builds upon the thrills that fans have found in those deep album cuts, resulting in a fuller experience that does its damnedest to prove that Rateliff has much more to offer than his breakout hit would have indicated to casual observers.

March 9, 2018 • Stax
Highlights Shoe Boot • Hey Mama • Tearing At the Seams

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Year in Rock 2025

  Alright, I've got some explaining to do.   By now anyone who's visited this blog is well aware of how infrequently I've used this space in recent years; aside from the occasional fertile year of content, I really haven't posted all that often over the last five years or so. There are many reasons for this, which have already been outlined in previous apology posts; but, essentially, it boils down to my own laziness and the cold reality that blogs are, like Refused (again), fucking dead. So, I wouldn't hold my breath for a triumphant return to reviews, or even semi-regular posts, but:   a) I feel like Year in Rock posts have always belonged here and, even though I've experimented with different methods of presentation recently and been satisfied, the "blink and you missed it" unveiling via Facebook stories this year was perhaps ultimately a disservice to the records I lauded. After all, cramming the list into short videos isn't too far off from ju...
Post a Comment
Read more

Year in Rock 2013 Nominee: Arctic Monkeys

ARCTIC MONKEYS Do I Wanna Know? From: AM Released: September 10 That Year in Rock 2012's Single of the Year R U Mine? ended up on this album is pleasing, and it fits the motif well enough. But R U Mine? isn't what makes Arctic Monkeys' fifth album an Album of the Year contender. Sweaty, sultry and pulsing with sexual energy, AM is the kind of record that's just as effective whether you're chilling out after a long day, staring into a mirror prepping yourself for a late night clubbing session or setting the mood for some escapades in the boudoir.
Post a Comment
Read more

Year in Rock 2023: Album of the Year #10-1

Now we're getting somewhere; the top ten, where there are no duds or mids, only bangers. Also, no more teasing it out; let's wrap this up!  What I've learned this year from my ten faves this year is that it is indeed still possible for a dude approaching his fifties to more or less stay up to date on the new school. Of course, there are some listed here that got a boost from playing tribute to the old school, but there is an undercurrent happening in rock that points to the future. But, I'm getting ahead of myself; here come the champs. 10 MILITARIE GUN Life Under the Gun June 23, 2023 • Loma Vista Highlights Very High Will Logic Never Fucked Up Once Rising from the ranks of the still-potent L.A. hardcore scene, the debut record from Militarie Gun (following a trio of EPs) bears a dash of polish that's expected with backing from a larger label; the tension and energy remain, though, resulting in one of the catchiest hardcore albums I can think of in recent years. 9 ...
Post a Comment
Read more