A root canal treatment without anesthesia? Is in the Americana practice of Dr. med. dent. mus. Israel Nash as painful as a mild summer wind. He exposes the touching stories of his ancestors and influences with the finest drills and hits every nerve so accurately and gently at the same time that it is a real joy. Perhaps Nash owes his special sensitivity to the fact that he was born in Aurora, Missouri in 1981. “Aurora” is the Italian word for dawn. And this warm light of a new day, the rose-colored romance of a new beginning, despite the night-tangled hair, lies in each of the ten songs on “Ozarker” – co-produced by Kevin Ratterman (My Morning Jacket, Ray LaMontagne).
An old friend is waiting at every gas station
Nash is the Rosamunde Pilcher of heartland rock when he tells the story of his great-grandparents on the outstanding title track: As a seasonal worker, his great-grandfather fell in love with the daughter of an Ozark orchard owner. He promised to come back in exactly one year and marry her. That’s what happened, against all odds. Nash presents his family history so authentically and movingly that you can literally feel the flames of young, forbidden love. “I need to get away/ Leave these troubles behind/ I’ll take the very first empty road I find,” he sings in the fast-paced opening track, “Can’t Stop.”
The golden feeling of optimism, without even looking in the rearview mirror, and the euphoric spirit of the free highway are omnipresent here. An old friend is waiting at every gas station – especially Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and Bob Seger. And even when a real heartbreak comes his way, like in “Pieces”, Nash simply reduces the misery until the bottom line is “You’re in the shadow/ I’m in the sun”. Nash’s songs have never sounded so anthemic, voluptuous, lush and creamy. Root canal treatment conclusion: eat more!
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