Album Notes

Nathan Holscher’s imagery and lyricism exceeds the experiences a 27 year-old singer-songwriter should have to tap. Perhaps his repeated exposure to the harsh beauty and mythology of the American West as a youth coupled with religious studies at an eclectic midwestern college help him weave compelling narratives at will. Maybe it is an innate gift.
On the surface Holscher is a soft-spoken singer/songwriter. Once you drop the needle on his new album “Hit The Ground”, that persona is turned on its ear. You are immediately introduced to an old-soul seeker that has yet to find the life that fits him; that has seen the highs and lows of the human experience and feels there is little left to prove and much to lose. Just as that character starts to feel familiar, he turns the tables and assumes the guise of a broken spirit looking for a connection. The beauty lies in the mystery of which character is closest to the real Holscher. The magic is in knowing you will never be sure you have applied the proper label.
Following on the heels of 2007’s successful “Even The Hills,” “Hit The Ground” finds Nathan again melding influences from all genres of classic and contemporary American songwriting and literature. The artist demonstrates a keen ability to let the song steer the ship. Like the best before him, he allows himself to disappear into the song, acting as its conduit rather than its master.
A stellar new backing band The Ohio 5, and additional session personnel introduce piano, pedal steel and horn parts to the mix, which fuel the passion of the songs. The strength of the musicians is in their ability to play for the song. Holscher’s production collaborator Ric Hordinski (Over the Rhine, David Wilcox) brings a sonic depth, lustre and openness to the songs that pays homage to recent Daniel Lanois and T Bone Burnett-helmed records.
The album showcases Americana sensibilities while introducing elements of classic folk and modern rock. The tunes are at once honest, desperate and simple with flashes of early Springsteen, “Harvest”-era Neil Young, and Graham Parsons; and a kinship with current luminaries Ryan Adams and David Gray. “Hit The Ground” is Holscher’s most compelling work to date. Well-crafted songs about restless hearts and changing skies aimed at the heart of the listener.