Nathaniel Rateliff

Add Date: April 13

Artist: Nathaniel Rateliff

Album: In Memory of Loss

Label: Rounder

Genre: Folk

Comments: With all of the musicians making folk these days, it's very tough to stand out--even if you're good at what you do, it's pretty easy to fall into the trap of sounding like hundreds of other singer/songwriters. Thankfully, the Missouri-born, Denver-based folk musician Nathaniel Rateliff doesn't limit himself to strumming an acoustic guitar and singing plaintive, earnest lyrics. While he's certainly capable of churning out a pensive number in the spirit of Leonard Cohen (he taught himself piano by learning "Hallelujah"), some of the best moments on In Memory of Loss are when Rateliff veers into folk rock that brings to mind Great Lake Swimmers, or the louder moments of a Will Oldham record. In fact, there's a lot of similarity between Rateliff and Bonnie "Prince" Billy; both artists can alternate between pensive ballads and more upbeat, country-leaning tunes, and spin the two styles into a seamless folk record.

Rateliff is opening on several upcoming dates for The Tallest Man on Earth and The Low Anthem, and In Memory of Loss will certainly appeal to fans of those acts. Check out the folk rock tunes "A Lamb on the Stone" and "Whimper and Wail," as well as the quieter "We Never Win" and "Early Spring Till."