Nashville – Natalie Prass holds a special place in her heart for Nashville, her home of nearly ten years, and the feeling is mutual. The solo artist played a sold-out set this past Wednesday night, and the High Watt was packed to capacity with fans that might’ve been indulging in a double dose—she opened for Ryan Adams the night before at the Ryman. Lacing her performance with brief anecdotes about writing and playing on small stages and front porches during her residency in Nashville, Prass framed her set with all the trappings of a homecoming show, even if it was unintentional.
Though she released her self-titled debut in January, Prass has been a fixture in the Nashville music scene for quite some time. Hearing “Beg,” a cut from her EP Small & Sweet, on a local indie radio show back in 2009, I was instantly drawn in by the pure vocals and soaring string sets that mirrored the artist’s tender disposition. Now, six years later and with a much wider fan base, her music has grown into something that’s not just beautiful—it’s intense, subtle, and even clever at times. On the surface, Natalie Prass is understated, but she knows exactly when to kick things up and when to bring them back down again to a simmering near silence.
But Prass doesn’t bother with glossing over heartbreak, and the emotion written into her music is always keenly felt within the mournful tint to her voice and the similar wavering of the horns and the strings. When heard live, this feeling is far more confrontational, and her opener, “Your Fool,” boomed with all of the pent-up frustration of unrequited love. However, as poetic as her lyrics are, there’s a wordless soul that exists in her music that’s infused with a hint of retro and reminiscent of the early country crooners.
Deeply rhythmic, “Bird of Prey” was one of the most soulful songs Prass performed that night. The dark intensity of the horn section in the background provided a beautiful complement to her delicate voice, and there’s a persistent tension that flows through her songs. Finding ways to create art out of the contrast between light and dark, Prass creates a display that is deceptively fragile. There’s a depth that’s imparted into her music, whether it’s via eloquence or composition, belied by an affectionate innocence.
This year, she traded Nashville for Richmond, Virginia, and although she won’t continue her benevolent residency in Music City, there’s no danger of her fading into obscurity here—or anywhere else, for that matter. This is the place that’s shaped her, and in turn, she’s left an indelible impression on the city. But it seems that Prass has outgrown Nashville as things of a much bigger scale are on the horizon for the artist following her debut LP. Now, she’s in the midst of an extensive U.S. and European tour that will continue well into this summer. It’s already been a banner year for Prass, but it’s not over yet, and we can’t wait to see what’s next.
Natalie Prass is on an extensive North American tour that continues through the summer with dates in the U.K. and Europe. Keep up with her progress via Facebook.
Live photo of Natalie Prass by Buster Allen – Studio (Homepage) Shot by Shawn Brackbill
Amaryllis Lyle
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