Album Notes

Mote Magazine - Edmonton, Alberta

Keri McTighe and Shelley Bilewitch have the most bewitching vocal styles. High and some kind of old '30s country, but with a pop cadence, some circus melodies, and the pretty-beyond-sweetness of a Bjork. It's hard to find the highest point in a CD of highlights. Even when they slow it down to a Cat Power-shuffle ("Meritte") on a song that ends with "like a fairy tale cut short like a young girl's grave" Nathan is completely compelling. Imagine Julie Doiron and the Carter Family jamming with gypsy band Taraf de Haidouks. That isn't quite it. You'd have to add some Geoff Berner, Freakwater, and John Southworth to get closer to approximating their sound. Despite the vocals being so high and dreamlike, the rest of the band isn't lost in a washy pop sound. Th drums are crisp and the accordion doesn't compete with the piano for attention. The music is dense but not cluttered, and sometimes breathtakingly appropriate. It has the sound of a veteran band, not the independently produced debut by a young Winnipeg five-some. I thought my excitement would wane, that their uniqueness would wither, but the more I listen to this CD the broader the pleasure. That first line of "Ballyhoo" surprised me every time. "Glorious Exhaust" is divine. This should be on many top 10 lists for the year. 5/5 - Gabino Travossos, December 2001.

Uptown Magazine - Winnipeg, Manitoba

The debut CD from Winnipeg's Nathan is a lovingly crafted musical delight. "Stranger" immediately pulls the listener in with the gently oom-pah-pah of the first track, "Measure Me," and weaves a hypnotic spell from there on in with it's loping and laid-back folky/country pop. Intriguing twists of wispy girl vocals and sweet harmonies contrast with sometimes startlingly harsh lyrics nuanced with violence, longing and discovery. These, coupled with excellent musicianship and interesting instrumentation (accordion is an important player and there's even a bit of tuba for good measure) elevate Stranger well above the ranks of debut CD's, showing a maturity that one wishes most bands would achieve before releasing a disc. There are beautiful songs and moving stories that deserve to be heard, and with one listen you'll be bewitched. 4/5 - Barb Stewart, September 2001.