Nathaniel Bellows surprises once again with his deep, rusty voice, which sounds like a gnarled old sea captain who’s been witness to one too many horrific events. And his latest single, ‘Haul Me In’ feels even grittier, sadder, and more heart wrenching than his previous single, ‘In The Wool’.
The single comes with a lyric video, illustrated by Bellows himself. ‘Haul Me In’ is the second track from his EP, ‘Three’, which is set for release on December 11. Produced by Malcolm Burn, who also contributed bass guitar and piano to the record, along with Steve Decker on drums, and Nathaniel on acoustic guitar and vocals, it veers between folk and jazz, while Bellows’ vocals are just…SAD…in stark contrast to the sound of the music. You get the sense that his heart is completely broken, at least almost completely anyway. The beautiful lyrics trip off Bellows’ tongue in a stream of consciousness that, sad as they are, nonetheless beguile and compel the listener – who is being hauled in? Is it Bellows, or is it us?
Speaking about the songs on ‘Three’, Bellows said,
“…given the intimate and personal nature of ‘Three’, I knew I needed to work with a producer. So I sent 6 demos to Malcolm Burn, who has produced, recorded and collaborated with the likes of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Emmylou Harris, and many more. He enthusiastically wrote me back, and we recorded Three in his home studio in Kingston, NY this past June, in the middle of the pandemic.”
Eventually the album stretched to 8 songs, and each in turn sees Bellows paint a sonic portrait of loss and losing, illness, and the dream of recovery for the ailing. Sad and sorrowful, yet an absolute treat to the ears of all listeners.
Watch the lyric video for ‘Haul Me In’ below.
You can find out more about Nathaniel Bellows and his music online on Bandcamp, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter, YouTube, and his official website.
