CD Review
Nathaniel Mayer
I Just Want To Be Held
(Fat Possum FP1016-2)
by Gordon Baxter
Review date: February 2005
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As a soul singer--albeit a very funky one--Nathaniel Mayer is something of an rarity in the Fat Possum roster. He is also in good company, joining Solomon Burke. Mayers' has had more of a checkered past, however, although many of the problems that beset his fairly short recording career, were beyond his control. Now, though, with the release of his first album, "I Just Want To Be Held," Mayer's career could be set for a renaissance.
The opening track, "I Wanna Dance With You," gives a pretty good insight into Mayer's style. There is a hard funky edge to the song, which combines piercing guitar and honking sax into a very danceable number. The lack of subtlety is maintained on a pounding version of John Lennon's "I Found Out." When the band do get a shade more mellow, though, Mayer still delivers the goods, with "Satisfied Fool" being the pick of the tracks largely thanks to a terrific combination of organ, horns and a simple chorus.
Although there is something of a retro sound to Mayer's songs, none of them sound dated. Many of them are based around simple guitar and sometimes horn riffs, that are guaranteed to get your fingers snapping and your toes tapping. All of it is topped off by Mayer's spitting and snarling vocal delivery. He can also take things down, though, as he does on the ballad "You Are The One" before rounding off in style with the more uptempo "What's Your Name."
"I Just Want To Be Held" is a cracking soul/funk album that cannot be ignored. It is one of those albums that you will either love or hate. If you appreciate soul music with a hard driving funky edge to it, then Mayer provides just the tonic. He is also equally adept at tackling slower ballads too. The only down side of the album is its relatively short playing time (around 35 minutes).
www.fatpossum.com
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