“Texas singer-songwriter Nathan Hamilton has produced a debut CD of 10 original and exceptionally well-crafted songs. So many CDs are loaded with undifferentiated tracks that make you feel you’ve been listening far longer than you have. Tuscola, by contrast, finished far too quickly for me. Each track is very individual yet complements the one following, keeping the listener’s interest. This is a steady work of thoughtful songwriting sung with a warm and resonate voice and mostly acoustic backing.”
“Like fellow Texan Guy Clark, Nathan creates stories and portraits of real people, searching the small towns and back roads to find the eternal stories of life itself.”
“Here’s a return to country music’s good side: one devoid of spangles and bangles, cheesy commercial hype, corporate tour sponsorship and bad TNN line-dancing videos. Hamilton sounds eerily like a young Johnny Cash, and writes songs with vivid, elaborate imagery of rural life, both uplifting and tragic. His band is comprised of old-school, rollicking (and sometimes balladeering) instrumentation. Hamilton plays guitar and is backed by banjo, mandolin, drums, bass and more. Get ready to tap your feet and alternately drown your ballad-inspired sorrows in a tall glass of beer.”
“Tuscola is one of the best cds I have heard this year. Each song tells a story that seeps into the listeners mind allowing them to experience the tale being told as if they were there. A true modern American poet. From the true love outlaw ballad “Cash & Tobacco,” to the bluegrass tune “Roots,” Nathan’s music expresses deep desire, revenge, heartache, and real life emotions. He threads together the old and new without the boundaries of time.”
“This is an amazing CD. I felt like I was listening to the soundtrack from a hugely popular movie (a vision, perhaps). It’s a combination of outstanding lyrics and original music. Actually, it’s more like poetry in motion “Robert Frost meets Lefty Frizzell,” with the ghosts of Jimmie Rodgers and Louie Armstrong in the background, looking on. If you’re bored of the usual Nashville fare, you really need to listen to this one, it’s definitely refreshing. Spooky arrangements and amazing production make this a must have, trust me. [Tuscola] is a monument to real talent.”
“Tuscola is one of those near-perfect gems that we stumble across in the dirt, not knowing what we’ve tripped over until we pick it up and wipe it clean. We notice a glimmer, hold it up to the light for a better look and suddenly find ourselves blinded by it’s many facets. Like much good Americana, it’s a populist album with a strong rural sense of place, pace and the past. Nathan’s moody, descriptive writing and vocals are backed by often adventurous music beyond the usual assortment of guitars and drums.”
This is by far the best CD that I have bought this year. I bought it about two weeks ago after seeing it on this site. "Tuscola" is the reason they made repeat and continuos play buttons on your CD player.
Austinite Nathan Hamilton recently won the prestigious Kerrville New Folk award; past winners include Slaid Cleaves, Steve Earle, Lyle Lovett and Robert Earl Keen. Out of hundreds of entrys, Nathan was one of 32 finalists and one of six winners. Judges included Willis Allan Ramsey and last year’s winner Diane Ziegler. His self-produced debut release Tuscola (Steppin’ Stone Records) is a rare Texas jewel that travels through panhandle dust storms, roadside bars, bedrooms, small country churches and graveyards. The perfect union of roots, bluegrass and folk music breathes life into the characters’ tales. Tom Geddie of Buddy Magazine writes, “Tuscola is one of those near-perfect Americana gems we stumble across in the dirt, not knowing what we’ve tripped over until we pick it up and wipe it clean. We notice a glimmer, hold it up to the light for a better look, and suddenly find ourselves blinded by it’s many facets.”
