Nick Goes to Nashville

Nick 13
"Nick 13"
Sugar Hill Records
Released June 8, 2011




In order to give a review to this album, we must once again take a look at a genre from an outsider perspective.  Normally the leader of southern California psychobillies Tiger Army, as a solo artist Nick 13 is exploring his roots in traditional country music.  These tunes are an intentional throwback to the classic sounds from the 40's and 50's like Porter Wagoner and Slim Whitman.  Employing a lap steel guitar, brushed drums and the occasional fiddle, it is a far cry from Sugarland or Toby Keith or your pick of any pop country artist rotating on CMT today.  Instead, we are treated to some quiet, stoney introspective songs that explore Nick's softer side. References to Victrola, Route 101 in Cali, tattoos, disappointment, gambling and a wandering spirit show dedication to crafting something authentic and original, not just a cheesy, tongue-in-cheek reproduction.  Noticeably absent from this album is the dark, goth imagery that goes hand-in-hand with Tiger Army, despite the pair of songs redone from TA's albums. Even those have been given a thorough overhaul so their tone is completely in keeping with the theme of his solo debut.  Pretty much every track on here is a winner. 

On Tuesday night, Nick brought his road show to Johnny Brenda's in Fishtown.  We missed the beginning of the set because of extraordinarily bad directions from google maps (thanks a lot).  However, we saw enough to be unbelievably impressed.  He played the album plus two covers, but not the obvious choices that we predicted, instead choosing to expose the audience to lesser known artists (at least to the punk kids in attendance, myself included) like Ernest Tubb.  The show was not overly crowded and hence super intimate.  Sonically, it sounded exactly like the record.  Nick looked the part playing fifty percent of the show in a black suit, turquoise dress shirt and white neckerchief (no one could blame him for shedding the coat halfway through), with the rest of the band in varying degrees of hillbilly gear.  Nick's upright bass player was off the hook, caressing his instrument and dancing around with her like his square dance partner for the evening. Because of the size of the stage at JB's, the lap steel player was forced to the back of the stage with the drummer, but his sound was undoubted second only to Nick's voice as the predominate creator of ambiance for the evening.