This isn’t the first time we’ve written about Neil Nathan, and it certainly won’t be the last. The first was almost exactly a year ago, with his single, ‘You’re My Lady‘. Last month we covered his anti-war anthem, ‘The Folly Of War‘, and followed it up with an interview. Today we have the honour of premiering the video for his latest release, ‘Be Still My Ever Beaten Heart’, and we’re pretty sure you’re going to love it.
While the video for ‘The Folly Of War’ was made up of animation and clips from historic wars, the visual for ‘Be Still My Ever Beaten Heart’ shows us Neil Nathan himself. Recorded at home, we see him playing guitar while sitting in a darkened room, perched on a stool before a bedsheet hung on the wall, while a projector shows parts of some of his previous videos – we see clips of himself, cityscapes, and animated sequences, interspersed with more personal pieces, such as putting a vinyl on the record player.
The mood of the song is melancholy, to say the least, as Nathan sings of that moment just before allowing yourself to fall in love – you know that if you do you’re setting yourself up for potential heartbreak, but still, you know you can’t help it. The visual reflects this – I want to say sadness, but it’s more than that, it’s a bittersweet feeling – sentimental. Neil Nathan opens up to the viewer with a willing vulnerability, and it almost feels voyeuristic to be watching; it’s a deeply personal experience.
Co-produced by Thales Posella, the style is Americana at heart, while somewhere in the back of my mind I’m making a mash-up of this and Chris Isaak’s ‘Blue Hotel’. There’s that same sense of desolation.
The video ends with Nathan in daylight, walking with his guitar, surveying the room, reflective. There’s been some turmoil, clearly – the stool is overturned, the backdrop has been partly pulled down, there’s some random bits and pieces laying on the floor. He’s worked out his misgivings, he’s resigned to his fate, come what may. He takes a new step into the great unknown, ready to accept whatever life has in store.
‘Be Still My Ever Beaten Heart’ is the second song, after ‘The Folly Of War’, from Neil Nathan’s upcoming album, ‘Blue Sky Wide Open’. You can watch the video below, and find out more about Neil and his music online on his official website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
