[rating=7.00]
Every now and then an artist seems to suddenly emerge from the ether and create an album that compels people to literally scratch their heads and wonder where he or she has been hiding. In the case of Rob Nance, he hasn’t been hiding at all, but rather journeying through the heartland, playing his music and gathering influences along the way. It’s obviously been a prosperous trek, because here, on his sophomore set, Nance realizes the results of soaking up a sound bred from authentic Americana — that is, the folk, blues and roots rendered sounds that emanate from that traditional mix — and fashioned his own interpretation of what he’s discovered in his travels along the way.
Consequently, Signal Fires sounds at once both familiar and specific, given a timeless quality built on so many hallowed templates. The determined traveller’s tale, “The Breeze,” resembles any number of weary road songs, and yet, as the band picks up the pace towards its end, it resonates with a striking resolve all its own. The tangled acoustic tapestry woven around “No Gold” may seem to suggest darker intents, but its vivid weave of mood and ambiance is intriguing all the same. Likewise, the atmospheric brew served up on “Landslide Town” is both compelling and uncertain, a rich, riveting exploration of darker realms, the result of which further affirms Nance’s talent for meshing affecting melodies with subtle nuance.
It’s also true that at times, Signal Fires suggest a hypothetical game of name the underlying influence. Indeed, the sensuality and desire imbedded in the smouldering “Shelter” initially gives pause, but the implication and innuendo combine for an indelible impression. The fact that it’s followed by yet another road song, an amiable lyrical excursion simply titled “On My Way,” provides a reminder that a troubadour’s ultimate destiny is to ramble without hesitation and seek respite at the nearest rest stop along the way.
Nance’s methods are as simple as they are suggestive. With his brother and steady touring partner Jordan Nance providing accompaniment on both bass and pedal steel, Ryan Lassiter on drums, Mike Runyon on keys and Andrew Constantine adding harmony vocals, Nance has created a tight knit ensemble that streamlines the music and imbues it with a kind of authenticity that rings with every note. It’s apparent in the resolve and drive that accompanies a song like “Dear Shadow” as well as in a reflective narrative like the title tune, which finds Nance turning his attention to yet another tattered individual, one devoid of opportunity but never bereft of hope.
It would be difficult to overstate just how good an album Signal Fires really is, because it’s rare to find an artist so capable of mining classic appeal to create a sound that’s faithful and yet so assured. Likewise, few artists could proclaim reverence for their roots in a way thats lack any hint of appearing self conscious. With this outstanding album, Nance announces his arrival and lets it be known he deserves far more than merely waiting in the wings.
