Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats The Future 180g LP

Nathaniel Rateliff once again demonstrates that he is a writer and performer of the highest order. The third album from Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats showcases his unique observations of the world and people's ongoing struggle in learning how to better understand each other. The Future was produced by Brad Cook (Bon Iver, Waxahatchee) and R.M.B. The latter being the production team of Nathaniel himself, Patrick Meese, and James Barone (Beach House).

Without fully abandoning the rugged soul-rock of their first two records, Rateliff and his crew take a more exploratory and collaborative approach that is ultimately quite satisfying. Opening the album, the rousing country-soul title track is not only the best of the bunch but one of Rateliff's best tracks to date. A world-weary mid-tempo barn burner with a host of gutsy payoffs, it sets the nervy tone that gives this album its identity. The Night Sweats could easily have carried on churning out the type of retro-R&B party music that built their career, but Rateliff made the right choice in giving them some weightier material to chew on. The question of where to go next is at the heart of the excellent Harry Nilsson-esque 'Something Ain't Right,' a chunky piano pop gem over which he bellows 'Part of me feels I've arrived, but sometimes it don't align.' A dark, almost angry grit shades cuts like 'Survivor' and the punchy 'So Put Out,' while the sparse 'Baby I Got Your Number' breaks the band down to their core elements. Likewise, the shuffling 'Love Me Till I'm Gone' finds the Night Sweats channeling the autumnal blue-eyed soul of Van Morrison, a sound that suits them well. By the time they close with the fiery Motown vamp 'Love Don't,' Rateliff and his band have covered a nice range of moods on what is their most diverse release yet.