Nathan - "Key Principles"

“I feel a podium under my feet” says Keri Latimer on “Scarecrow” from the new album Key Principles by the Winnipeg based Americana quartet Nathan. With a voice as enthralling and Charming as hers, she can stand on the podium and say whatever she has to say. The album starts with “John Paul’s Deliveries” about teenagers sneaking out at night. Another song, “Let Them Look” focuses on a woman ready to let go of the pain she has been hiding in spite of the neighbors’ stares. Indeed, the hidden lives of people is a recurring theme on Key Principles. Although many songs on the album have a dark side, the serene vocals of Latimer and backup vocalist and musician Shelley Marshall provide a sense of comfort. They also have a lighthearted side. For instance, “You Win” in which the mind games that too often cause lovers to battle are referred to as “a festival of lousy aim.”

The album was produced by Howard Redekopp (New Pornographers), who did a great job of mixing country instrumentation and tunes with pop style vocals. He got the mix just right making both a memorable country album and an infectious pop album. Amazingly enough, Keri Latimer was seven months pregnant during the recording of this album, according their Label’s (Nettwerk) website. That in itself is worthy of recognition. It is fitting that Latimer and Marshall both enjoy quilt making and hang their work as backdrops in their live shows. Just like a grandmother’s quilt can pass through generations of family, Nathan has given us something that is also timeless and appealing to anyone who listens to the tapestry of music woven into Key Principles. This post also was contributed to Twangville http://twangville.com/548/nathan/