Album Notes

"Working in the medium of acoustic Folk, yet transcending it within his smoky songwriting, Holscher paints vivid pictures within his songs, which are emotionally direct in their storytelling but spectral and airy in their sonic construction. Working with local Grammy-nominated producer Ric Hordinski, Holscher has created an album of dark Americana, falling somewhere between the spaciousness of Joe Henry and the lithe Pop of Damien Rice.

Holscher's voice is the definition of subtle . . . perfect for his songs, conveying fragility, melancholy and sighing resignation. His low, breathy, almost whispery voice is like a cross between Springsteen in low-key mode and Matt Behringer of current Indie sensations The National. While there are less heavy moments, much of the record swirls around in a sea of sorrow, with Holscher giving voice to those deepest, saddest emotions all of us have. Only he has the talent to turn them into pure poetry." -City Beat, September 5, 2007

Biography
Nathan sounds like what would happen if Dire Straits lost an arm wrestling match to Townes Van Zandt. Unlikely perhaps, but so is a style steeped in frequent rambles across the landscapes of both the Midwest and Southwest. Nathan writes songs that somehow reflect both compassion and restlessness. At 25, his few adult years have been spent crafting songs and working to conserve the rivers and streams that he grew up on. In 2004, Nathan recorded Pray for Rain, which made small ripples in Europe, a smattering of “best of 2004” lists, and received some independent airplay in the U.S.

Even the Hills
Even the Hills uses simple patterns as a roadmap, exploring loss, restlessness, and some lighter themes in its wake. Grammy-Nominee Ric Hordinski (Over-the-Rhine, David Wilcox) brings his skills as producer and instrumentalist to the record, which was recorded at his studio in Cincinnati over a week in April ’07.

A talented group of seasoned musicians, including Tasha Golden of Ellery (backing vocals), Kenny Hollycross (pedal steel), Josh Seurkamp (drums) and Joe Bolinger (banjo) provided an accompaniment that was sometimes subtle, sometimes striking, but always focused. Each song leaves its own mark, but a few words on certain standouts:

-Susan Knight, July 20, 2007