photo courtesy of Tyler Nail

Album Review: Tyler Nail – Family

Tyler Nail‘s trademark, identifiable, tuneful warble may be the most obviously original component of his heartfelt, soul-touching, country-tinged Americana, but the choices he makes in song structure, instrumentation, and arrangement are what nudge his 8-song album Family into instant classic territory. Just as importantly, Nail kicks things off with perhaps the album’s most memorable song, “9 Pound Hammer.” It’s certainly the fastest of the collection to grab hold, but within a few listens, it’s definitely not alone.

Tyler Nail moved to Rhode Island in 2024, leaving behind his native North Carolina, where, based on the multiple awards and award nominations he received, his talent was clearly acknowledged. In just a short time, he is already embraced by his new locale, receiving accolades here in New England, too. Tyler was nominated for Motif Magazine’s 2025 Rhode Island Music Awards in the Favorite Americana Artist and Favorite Singer/Songwriter categories. He is also a 2025 New England Music Awards nominee in the Songwriter of the Year, Performer of the Year, Americana Act of the Year, and Video of the Year categories. (The Video of the Year nom is for Tyler’s “Away from Home” video; the video and song predate the release of Family.)

image courtesy of Tyler Nail

Family, as I mentioned, opens with “9 Pound Hammer.” The song paints a picture both lyrically and musically, its lively energy delivering a matter-of-fact, slice-of-life-ness as Nail’s vocals, including that trademark vocal tone, paint a picture of life, pride, and the inevitable technological advancement that can leave even the most hard-working among us behind. I mean, it’s also just a really cool song that’ll get stuck in your brain, something you’ll simply enjoy listening to, too.

“Cussing at a Neon Sign” follows, its pleasant picking pattern well-suited to the song’s nostalgic delivery, one that elicits warmth while envisioning the pictures painted by the song’s lyrics.

The rest of the album continues with mellow, often melancholy, well-written, picture-painting musings, showcasing Nail’s very identifiable, compelling vocal style atop varying strumming patterns, tempos, and arrangements, varied enough for an eight-song, similarly-soft-tempoed collection to remain interesting from beginning to end. It’s a rewarding complete listen, thanks to Nail’s songwriting and performance skills.

The album’s third song, “I Don’t Mind the Rain” is a soulfully Americana-styled storyteller that’s probably the record’s most likely entrant to get the listener swaying pleasantly side-to-side. Like so many of the songs on this album, this one, too, is a lyrical masterwork.

photo courtesy of Tyler Nail

The picking pattern at the beginning of “Jose Pozo” and a uniquely wide-open sound bed, with an almost western twang in some of the acoustic guitarwork, lend it a cool, unique sound that’s slightly unlike anything else on the disc; of course, it still showcases Nail’s unique vocal delivery and sticks to the record’s relatively slow pace.

The back half of the record begins with “Let’s Go Home,” an ultra-slow-paced, melancholy number. “Someday (acoustic)” follows, an almost ominous-toned tune with a slight mystical edge in the picking and strumming.

“Way to Live” continues the record’s quiet, thoughtful mood, though a bit more nostalgic in this case. For traditional country music fans looking for a guitar-picking soft Americana number as a playlist change of pace, “Way to Live” might be just what you seek in this collection.

Family closes with the wistful “Japanese Cherry Tree.” The rich, warm opening vocals are a nifty touch. The song’s gentle but firm strumming, Nail’s trademark warbly crooning style, and the lyrics’ earnest delivery, all wrapped in a package that’s pleasant to listen to, are a fine representation of Nail’s sonic specialties. Though my personal favorite songs on the album, when I look back after listening, are usually “9 Pound Hammer,” “I Don’t Ming the Rain,” and “Way to Live,” while I’m listening to it, “Japanese Cherry Tree” is my favorite for the six-plus minutes of its duration, making it a solid way to conclude the eight-song listening experience.

Family is a terrific collection of well-written songs from a troubadour New Englanders can consider themselves lucky to call a new neighbor, a resident country-folk-Americana artist with exceptional songwriting talent.

More Recently

On Halloween, Tyler Nail released a new single, “Haunted Houses.” You can find it here on his Bandcamp page.