I am hugely honoured to be invited to write the premiere for the eponymous Nah debut album. However, for once I feel a huge sense of nerves around a release and this, my very small part in it.
This is primarily because my love for the band and the eventual friendship that surfaced when they could not ignore my ‘gushing fanboy sadness’ any longer, means I just so badly want everyone to recognize the sheer brilliance of this album, as much as I do.
Thankfully, there is every reason why absolutely everyone with a thriving indie soul, will find this debut album, just as beguiling as as any of their previous shorter format releases.
Essentially, this album is still very much Nah’s inimitable contrast of ‘sweet and cool’ (just more of it). The best of the album, as seen in tracks such as Perfect Game, the absolutely superlative Primavera, Annie and Finger on the Map, have an endearing sense of antithesis, that sees a majoritive aesthetic thrum, strum and tumble through as many cool C86, twee-pop and indie-pop melodic leanings as possible.
This perfect mayhem, is then reined in by the sweetness of Estella Rosa’s ‘made for indie-pop’ vocals. It feels like she is gently guiding any potential for impending madness to a more gentile, erudite musical climate. Using a comedy duo analogy, she is the straightman, adding the structure to this glorious art.
However, this album is certainly not just a journey into the core of the C86 recipe and an overt sense of indie left field. For there are regular moments of genuine beauty. This is seen in the jangle and twang driven melodies of Torn and Tumbledown Weekend (undoubtedly Rosa’s magnum opus moment) as well the flourishing sunshine pop of Apple Blossoms and Love Me which, when the YouTube gods finally listen, will probably become the mandatory accompaniment to all those videos of pretty girls, in floral dresses, skipping on beaches. It just ‘that’ lovely twee essence that could easily accompany all unconsciously happy moments.
Well there you go. The album is out tomorrow (25.09.20) via Shelflife Records on resplendent orange and purple vinyl (buy it here). I genuinely hope I have done this wonderful album / musical duo the justice they undoubtedly deserve and hope they will not forget their gushing fanboys’ when they are a multi-platinum act quaffing champagne and caviar off gold-plated Bentleys!
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