Midwestern (Missouri, but by way of Denver) singer and songwriter Nathaniel Rateliff is no stranger to Milwaukee. In the wake of the release of his second disc, "In Memory of Loss," Rateliff has performed here twice already this year. He was also here to open for Mason Jennings at Turner in November 2009.
"I have never played in Milwaukee but you guys are great!," Rateliff told the Turner Hall crowd at that first show here. "If everyone here is as nice as you I'm gonna keep coming back."
It seems both sides have kept up the bargain.
When he takes the corner stage at Club Garibaldi on Thursday, July 22, it will be his fourth local appearance in a year. And despite my love for "In Memory of Loss," it will be my first time in the same room with him.
"I feel kind of lucky really that anybody's paid any attention to anything we've done so far," Rateliff told OnMilwaukee.com back in April. "I'm very thankful."
But he's being unduly modest.
Woe to anyone who neglects to check out the accomplished songwriting and unique, passionate vocals and quiet and often stark arrangements on the record.
"Once in A Great While" opens with a suggestion that a disc full of Nick Drake-isms will follow, but don't take the bait. Within three and a half minutes, Rateliff's soft veneer begins to crack. Halfway through the second track, "Early Spring Till," the reserve is completely gone.
But Rateliff knows how to ride dynamics and moments of quiet introspection are interspersed with the simmering sinister sound of "Brakeman," the evocative boxing imagery of "You Should've See the Other Guy" and the kind of acoustic/electric folk on "Whimper & Wail," that would have some vintage Dylan fans shouting "Judas!"
I don't plan on shouting any such thing at Club Garibaldi, but I'm unabashedly excited about the gig. I hope you are, too.
Doors open at 9 p.m. and opener JBM takes the stage at 9:30. Expect Rateliff to appear around 10:15. Cover is a mere $10. -- Bobby Tanzilo
The band Sunspot has generated a lot of rave reviews during opening slots for Death Cab for Cutie, Hot Hot Heat, Sponge, SevenMaryThree, Pilot to Gunner and House of Large Size. Find out what the buzz is about on Thursday, when the group takes the stage at Shank Hall. Tickets are $10. --Drew Olson
