Nathan Mathes

The album as a whole comes across in a more than pleasing way on my ear and the production is as good if not better than many major’s manage. You won’t hear many better debut albums this year! - BatteryInYourLeg.com

The whispery tenor singer/songwriter who holes himself up in a room and records an album is by now a lasting icon of ’00s indie music (thank you, Sam Beam; you too, Justin Vernon), with no sign yet of abating in the new decade. It is very easy to be tired of this type of musician in theory and very hard—believe me, I’ve tried—to overlook one when he’s got it going. And maybe it’s a fine line between having it going and having it gone. Or never arriving.

But Nathan Mathes has it going. One thing I like is the crispness of both the song and the sound (after, that is, the opening 13 seconds of white noise). Guitars are chunky but clear, the subdued bass and drums anchor the mix without dragging everything into a muddy bottom, leaving a light, uncluttered sonic space through which the unpretentious melody ambles. Lyrics are intriguingly difficult to decipher, but it’s not because Mathes mumbles or buries his voice—if you’re not paying attention at first, in fact, you’d think the lyrics were clear as can be. Only when you go back to listen do you realize you can barely make out a word. That kind of elusiveness I can get behind. The song casts a humble spell; there is nothing immediately special about it except for an ineffable sense that there is in fact something special about it. Okay, guys, you can keep your laptops. Just get some fresh air every now and then. - FingertipsMusic.com

A true independent release from a true independent artist. Green Bay, Wisconsin's Nathan Mathes has recorded and released a totally cool and credible debut album entitled American Whitecaps...This is the kind of album that makes us glad we continue to write about music because if we didn't...it would be very unlikely that we would be turned onto obscure gems like this. Nathan's songs are pure and simple...driven by acoustic guitar and some wonderfully subdued and heartfelt vocals. A lot of folks recording at home come up with shoddy material that would be best left on their hard drives...but that is definitely not the case here. Mr. Mathes writes songs that rival stuff being released on music labels of any size. The more we spin this one...the better it sounds...Top pick. - Babysue.com

The whispery tenor singer/songwriter who holes himself up in a room and records an album is by now a lasting icon of ’00s indie music (thank you, Sam Beam; you too, Justin Vernon), with no sign yet of abating in the new decade. It is very easy to be tired of this type of musician in theory and very hard—believe me, I’ve tried—to overlook one when he’s got it going. And maybe it’s a fine line between having it going and having it gone. Or never arriving.

But Nathan Mathes has it going. One thing I like is the crispness of both the song and the sound (after, that is, the opening 13 seconds of white noise). Guitars are chunky but clear, the subdued bass and drums anchor the mix without dragging everything into a muddy bottom, leaving a light, uncluttered sonic space through which the unpretentious melody ambles. Lyrics are intriguingly difficult to decipher, but it’s not because Mathes mumbles or buries his voice—if you’re not paying attention at first, in fact, you’d think the lyrics were clear as can be. Only when you go back to listen do you realize you can barely make out a word. That kind of elusiveness I can get behind. The song casts a humble spell; there is nothing immediately special about it except for an ineffable sense that there is in fact something special about it. Okay, guys, you can keep your laptops. Just get some fresh air every now and then.

“The Sea is Ridge” got its title from a typo; Mathes had typed “Sea” instead of “Seat,” then changed the lyrics accordingly, because he liked the way it sounded and felt. The song is from the Green Bay singer/songwriter’s debut album, American Whitecaps, which he put online in August as a free download, either via Bandcamp or as a .zip file on his site. (Additionally, all songs are available as direct individual downloads on a different page on his site.) Also of potential interest: Mathes has written a short, soul-searching book about the process of recording the album, which is also available on his site (scroll down a little on the right). - Fingertips Music

In the world of blogging, artists like Nathan Mathes only cross your path every now and then. An introduction last week via a mutual friend had me researching this guy from Green Bay, Wisconsin. Having fronted several indie bands in the area, Nathan has now branched as a solo artist in a new direction. Best described as nu-folk a la Elliot Smith or Iron & Wine. His debut longplayer is a true solo effort, as Nathan not only provided all the instrumentation but also mixed and produced American Whitecaps. If that was not enough, he has also produced a book to accompany the album. ‘So how much is this package going to cost me?’ I hear you say. Well, right now the whole thing is FREE via Nathan’s Bandcamp page! If you are in the Wisconsin area I would urge you to get along to a gig and support this guy on his musical journey. The album as a whole comes across in a more than pleasing way on my ear and the production is as good if not better than many major’s manage. You won’t hear many better debut albums this year! I’m pretty sure this will be picked up by a major label and have a big glossy launch. Just for a little while he can be our secret new favourite artist so ssssssssshhhhh! - Battery In Your Leg