photo by Shivohn Fleming; photo courtesy of Knyvet

EP Review of Nate Perry & Ragged Company: The Otherside of Everything

You’re gonna dig this record! Nate Perry & Ragged Company bring a big country sound and a little alt-rock energy to what’s primarily an energetic Americana style on The Otherside of Everything. Kind of R.E.M.-era Athens meets alternative country’s Nashville. It’s a brand of energetic Americana that seems to infect the standout Northeast Americana outfits much more than its does the best of the genre I hear from other parts of the country. Yeah, I know, regional stylistic variances can be weird that way.

The EP-opener, “Maria,” kicks things off with jangly electricity, a steady rhythm, and a full rich sound, delivering a song that sounds like you might hear it on the radio, approachable for a broad audience.

image courtesy of Knyvet

“All I Need” is a lot more twangy, with a bit of a rockabilly flavor – or maybe that’s old-school country music I’m hearing. The energy level and pace are persistent and just a little uncomfortably fast, thumping along festively; you wonder how the band keeps its breath. So, yeah, maybe this song doesn’t have quite the same crossover appeal as “Maria,” but it’s more guaranteed to be a huge hit among fans of core style because, yowza! I mean, whew!

“Another Day” is another alt rock-meets-Americana number. A not-quite-anguished vocal wail punctuates the lyric “I woke up feeling good, but the feeling passed.” Ya gotta dig that lyric! Stylistically, what if John Mellencamp rocked along with the grainy, barely-constrained energy of a rollicking Bruce Springsteen song? Well, its sound might be something like this.

“Evergreens” slows things down a little. The style and pace of the song immediately make me think of what its music video might look like. I’m picturing a slightly faded film-like appearance, probably with very obvious black dots and scratches on the video, as if it’s old and slightly damaged. The view would be framed by the interior of an old pickup truck, looking out the window watching the countryside roll by. Well, think of that video, then imagine exactly the song that might be its soundtrack. The song itself is about looking back in time, imagining what was, reminiscing a bit but also wishing you could change some of what transpired. It’s a cool song.

Nate & Company wrap things up with “Preacher,” a bluesy complaint with wailing guitars to match the sorrowful vocals.

I’d slate “Maria” and “Another Day” as the songs that headline the most-likely-to-be-hits category, but what do I know? The whole EP is strong with enough stylistic variance – all offshoots of Nate Perry & Ragged Company’s core sound – that it’s one of those records where listeners’ favorite songs are likely to vary significantly. So check it out, choose your own favorites, and enjoy.