You Have to like Nathan Lawr

The more I find out about Nathan Lawr the more I like him. It's not just his resume - having played with Royal City and the Fembots, and it's not just his music (don't worry I'll get to that). If you go to his Myspace page he lists his influences as "the sea, the moon, electromagnetic fields, planetary orbits, solar wind, food and sometimes alcohol. If you read his recent interview with blogto he is asked "What does the future hold for you?" and responds

Oh, lord only knows. What's the funniest joke you can tell god? "I have a plan!"

Personally I'd always heard the saying "If you want to make God laugh tell him your plans for the future" but the sentiment is the same.

In brief Nathan's music (at least one the new album) sounds like a Torontonian transplanted to Sudbury. It has all the complexity of the city (guitar, bass, percussion, horns, cello, and complex harmonies) but the thoughtfulness that only comes to you when you get away from the city for a bit. The album "A Sea of Tiny Lights" has a bit of everything. As savedbyradio puts it

"like the story of Jim Loney, the Christian kidnapped by insurgents in Iraq ("Footsteps"), Gus Van Sant's Columbine interpretation Elephant ("There's A Devil"), and Uruguayan author Eduardo Galleano's Book of Embraces ("Swimming Like a Needle in the Haystack of the Sea")."

Go ahead and read this from Wolves, Hawks and Kites well.

Nathan Lawr's CD Release Party at the Supermarket on Thursday was everything an indie show should be...well from a fans point of view anyway. First of all there was Nathan Lawr who is an amazingly talented musician and songwriter, and alot of his friends including opening acts Andy Swan and Kate Maki. There were, of course, the Minotaurs and then there were friends and family of many of the above. Beyond that inner circle were maybe thirty people who had come to see the show without the bonds of family or friendship to pull them in.

Then there's the important part, the part that happened on the stage. There was the new album, which was brilliant. You can get a taste of it at the Myspace (go ahead and download Righteous Heart and We Go Down) and old favorites like "Barking at Your Door" there were seemingly improvised collaborations, and obvious mistakes without embarrasement - "What's the point in continuing when you've so obviously fucked it up."

note: only at small indie shows do you get free do-overs

It is intimate, it is fun, and it is participatory in a way that no stadium show ever will be. I know it's not ideal from an artists point of view. It's hard to pay the bills on shows like that (That's why you've always got to buy the CD) but if you really, genuinely like music you can't do better.

Also, just a heads up, Kate Maki's new CD is out in February, based on the previews Thursday you'll want to go ahead and grab that too.