photo by Collin Heroux; photo courtesy of Knyvet

EP Review of Nate Perry & Ragged Company: Till the Well Runs Dry

Whether you’d call Nate Perry & Ragged Company a country band or an Americana band – I go back and forth, though I lean toward country – there’s no denying they’re an engaging, broad-appeal musical tour de force. The band’s most recent EP, Till the Well Runs Dry, fully supports that notion.

I enthusiastically reviewed the band’s The Otherside of Everything EP last spring. Till the Well Runs Dry is a worthy follow-up. The record was preceded by single releases of its first two tracks, “Count on You” and “Tonight.” Excellent choices, as they’re perhaps the most accessible of the EP’s five songs. Though I agree with the single selections, I would have to say album-opener “Tonight,” the second single released, is the biggest potential hit on this record. “Tonight” opens with aggressive drums before launching into a twangy number with a big sound, a wide-open feel, and a nifty little guitar hook. Harmony vocals and Perry’s edgy, insistent lead vocal add to the song’s immediate appeal. As I noted in my The Otherside of Everything review, there’s almost a bit of R.E.M.-as-a-country band vibe to Nate Perry & Ragged Company, and its especially evident on this track. “Count on You,” by contrast, has softer edges but still wields comparable vocal insistence, engaging guitarwork, and subtle hooks.

cover photo by Collin Heroux; design by Mike Chandler and Lance Fullin; graphic by Wes Allen; image courtesy of Knyvet

“Between the Lines,” next, is janglier and requires a bit more time to grow on you, ideal for a later single release or album track that engages the listener more with each listen, ultimately earning favorite status. It has a soulful country vibe that bridges the gap between soft rock and mainstream country. If I were to create a music video for “Between the Lines,” it would absolutely be required to conclude with an old pickup truck driving away down a dirt road.

“Disappear” is a bit more energetic again, with its own unique musical shuffle to distinguish itself from the rest of the disc. And the nearly-spoken “disappear” at the end of each chorus is exactly the appropriate, inspired vocal choice.

The EP closes with “How Much It Matters,” a song that features alt rock-meets-country musical and lyrical delivery choices, somehow intermingling into an Americana vibe. Guitar, keys, and vocal patterns trade off as the featured players on this song’s musical landscape. It’s a fun listen while it’s happening, but less memorable after the fact than the rest of the disc. In part, that’s because it feels a bit like a musicians’ jam, which makes it a fun EP-ender and almost certainly an enjoyable live cut.

Nate Perry & Ragged Company introduced themselves with the impressive The Otherside of Everything in 2024. They followed it up with another top-shelf record, Till the Well Runs Dry, in 2025, a year that saw the band earn multiple nominations from both the Boston Music Awards and the New England Music Awards. I can’t wait to see and hear what 2026 holds for this talented collection of musicians.