Album Notes

On this solo EP, a companion piece to his full-length CD Polaroid released by Western Vinyl, Nourallah continues to mine the side of music he explored with the Nourallah Brothers. His achingly engaging voice keeps the path the album seeks: longing for love and the past. Many of Salim’s songs have a soft, bittersweet quality about them. Blending folk with Beatles, 60’s British pop, Salim’s style also brings to moment some of Wilco’s quieter moments.. The songs are simple; most of them fronted by an acoustic guitar with synthesizer accompaniment floating in the background with an organic production that recalls Jon Brion’s style. As in the world, where fame is measurement by six degrees of separation, it turns out Brion and Nourallah have a friend in common, Rhett Miller of the Old ‘97s, for whom Brion produced his Elektra released solo album. Nourallah served as bassist for Rhett Miller’s touring band, The Instigators during tours of Japan and the U.S. in 2003.
WOULD SOUND GOOD ON A MIX TAPE WITH: Wilco, Elliot Smith, Damien Jurado, Rhett Miller, Magnetic Fields, Aimee Mann

REVIEWS:
From its inception, "A Way to Your Heart" invites listeners to revel in their deepest emotional well, nonetheless compelling them to tap along to its pop hooks and hand claps. The title track is the beautiful hit song you've never heard before. "Try to Get Along" with its Harrison approved guitar riffs and pleading chorus, begs the question: how can music this gripping and introspective traverse such melodic space? Lyrically, you can count on Nourallah for witty repartee and sardonic glee: "Two rights just make one wrong." And then at times, Salim asks us to follow imagistic, surreal lines such as "I see you shining like a gun, your love a ray for everyone" inside the wash of carousel sounds in the beautiful "Avenue." Wonder where the Beatles' influence has gone? Look no further than Nourallah, and be grateful someone so talented, passionate and intelligent has picked up their torch. -- Lisa Holton, Austin, TX

Fans of Pete Yorn and of Beck's Sea Change rejoice!
--University of Colorado Advocate

This short but super-sweet platter serves notice that Salim Nourallah is every bit as capable when writing gentle, lofty, sweet pop as he is when he turns the amps up loud. In just 22 minutes he makes his case with beautifully layered, dreamy pop tunes that get under your skin and stay there. Rarely rising above mid-tempo, Nourallah uses muted drum machines mixed off in the distance, reverbed, fingerpicked guitars, exquisite vocal harmonies, warm flowing bass lines and that rarest of beasts, the well-written lyric to enchant his listeners. He's absorbed his influences well, though there are occasional examples that are pretty clear, such as the Harrisonesque slide solo in the wonderful "Overwhelmed." It's 22 minutes well spent, and unlike too many EPs, it doesn't leave you feeling short-changed.
Commit the name Salim Nourallah to memory. I have, and I'm learning all I can about The Paisley Pop Label, as well. A lot of sounds I thought no one was making anymore seem to be coming from thataway. -- DJ Johnson, Cosmik Debris