Nathan Bowles

Nathan Bowles releases new trio LP, touring, playing Steve Gunn residency

Multi-instrumentalist Nathan Bowles (of Black Twig Pickers, Spiral Joy Band, and a frequent collaborator of Steve Gunn) returned today with his first album as a trio, Plainly Mistaken (on Paradise of Bachelors). He made it with Casey Toll (Jake Xerxes Fussell, Mount Moriah) on double bass and Rex McMurry (CAVE) on drums. With a mix of original material and reinterpretations of others’ work, the album explores all kinds of sounds — from gorgeous folk songs to trippy raga rock to a modern but faithful take on Cousin Emmy and Her Kinfolk’s bluegrass standard “Ruby” and more — all while sounding like one cohesive piece of work. To quote Bill Callahan:

I think these new songs nurture their dialectic opposites, and that is their appeal—the drone has the aspect of melody, the melody has the aspect of drone. I don’t think Nathan has ever ridden a dolphin, but I think if faced with the task he would cotton quick. That’s how I see his approach to his music.

You can stream the album in full below.

Nathan’s trio is touring, including a stop in Brooklyn for the final night of Steve Gunn‘s residency at Union Pool, which happens November 8 with Little Black Egg (the solo project of Yo La Tengo’s Georgia Hubley) on the bill as well. Tickets for all three shows in the residency (including 10/25 with Bridget St. John and 11/1 with Loren Connors + Alan Licht) are still available.

Nathan also has two upcoming duo sets: one with Bill Mackay at Louisville’s Cropped Out festival today (10/5) and one with Joe Westerlund at the Don’t Be Mean To People ACLU benefit at Ponysaurus Brewing in Durham, NC on 10/20. All of his dates (duo and trio) are listed below.

Nathan Bowles — 2018 Tour Dates
10.05.18 – Louisville, KY @ Cropped Out Fest*
10.20.18 – Durham, NC @ Don’t Be Mean to People ACLU Benefit at Ponysaurus Brewing*
11.01.18 – Chapel Hill, NC @ The Cave (w/ David Nance Group)#
11.06.18 – Washington, DC @ Rhizome#
11.07.18 – Philadelphia, PA @ Jerry’s on Front#
11.08.18 – Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool (w/ Steve Gunn & Little Black Egg)#
11.09.18 – New Haven, CT @ State House (w/ Weeping Bong Band)#
11.10.18 – Greenfield, MA @ Root Cellar (2-day Residency)#
11.11.18 – Greenfield, MA @ Root Cellar (2-day Residency)#
11.14.18 – Pittsburgh, PA @ AMW#
11.15.18 – Columbus, OH @ Dirty Dungarees#
11.16.18 – Charleston, WV @ Elk City Records (w/ the Modock Rounders)#
11.17.18 – Blacksburg, VA @ Rugfest#
11.18.18 – Charlotte, NC @ NoDa House#

# Trio Set
* Duo Set