Nathan Wade and the Dark Pioneers “The Chroma Session EP” (Crow King, 2008)

Apocalyptic and frenetic country noir

With dirty blues and slimy slide guitar, Nathan Wade sings amongst the scrap heaps and rust of the detritus of the American dream. He brings doom and despair and the Four Horsemen thunder in the wake of songs like “Cold Cold Hands” and “Sweat Through.” More brutal at times even than Nick Cave, but as concerned with apocalypses both personal and global, it seems appropriate that he borrows and darkens the “Ghost Riders In The Sky” sound for “Skoal Bandits,” where he translates Frank and Jesse James into twenty-first century convenience store thieves.

“All You Shadows” is the slight incongruity, as Wade starts to sound like the Cure’s Robert Smith and lessens his power by inviting memories of Smith’s goth posing rather than concentrating on his own truer sound. The situation is retrieved by the following song, “Long Black Lilies,” which, despite its somewhat clichéd title, is an impressive blast of genuine gothic. Things finish up with the siren wailing guitar of “Dead Leaves” and Wade howling “I’m going over.” Not too soon hopefully.

Date review added:  Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Reviewer:  Jeremy Searle
Reviewers Rating:
Related web link:  Nathan Wade website