Wrestling With The Mystery
Flour Sack Cape, 2019
8/10
Listen to Wrestling With The Mystery
Now a Nashville resident after spending time in New York City, Canada native Nick Nace’s mix of country and folk sounds sure fits in well in Music City U.S.A., and his intimate and personal song craft shine bright on this thoughtful album.
“One More Song” starts the listen with warm acoustic strumming as Nace’s cozy vocals guide us through the country influenced tune, and “Back On The Radio” follows with a rugged spirit of Americana melodica that brings us back several decades.
Towards the middle, “Her Favourite Dirty Joke” steers the listen into calmer areas of rural beauty, while “Old Records” flows with breezy melodies in a classic country inspired album highlight.
Deeper into the listen, “Arkansas Traveler” recruits strategic strings for a playful, folk friendly atmosphere and “Clarksdale Katie” continues the theme with timeless acoustic prowess and expressive singing. “Grandpas Old Guitar” ends the listen with some of Nace’s best storytelling amid bare but impactful instrumentation on the cautious exit.
Though his name might be a bit obscure right now, Nace has a knack for songwriting and his execution is flawless; I imagine we’ll all be hearing more about him very soon.
Travels well with: Justin Townes Earle- Kids In The Street; Randy Lewis Brown- Red Crow