“We have to continue to figure out a reason to make things better.” NATHANIEL RATELIFF opens up on ‘South of Here’

VIA the mighty STAX label, NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS have just released their fourth studio album, ‘South of Here.’

Produced by Brad Cook (Waxahatchee, Bon Iver, Kevin Morby) and recorded at Sonic Ranch outside El Paso, Texas, ‘South of Here’ deals with a lifetime of pain, of trauma, transforming itself into a stirring, soul-baring rumination on love, loss, hope and resolve.

“Brad was a great producer to write alongside,” said Rateliff. “This album is a look into my own struggle with anxiety, insecurity and also stories of my life. He encouraged me to take responsibility for my own narrative in the songs and to write about what’s happening in my own life.

“These recordings were done together in a room with my closest friends. I hope these songs and stories give you an opportunity to better understand your own struggles whatever they may be.”

Title track, ‘South of Here,’ ponders the possibility of survival and reinvention, and was one of the final songs Rateliff penned for the album. “So much has changed in my life and for us as a band, and I’m grateful for it. At the start of my career, it felt like the bottom was going to drop out and now, for the moment anyway, it seems to be sustainable. But when things become too much for me, I think about disappearing and just never getting onstage again.

“The world feels pretty bleak right now, but nobody needs me to say that. We have to continue to figure out a reason to make things better, regardless of how bleak things may be. Admitting those difficulties builds strength.”

Over the course of his career, Rateliff has generated widespread acclaim from critics and musicians alike, with Robert Plant saying, “He is one of these guys that will just carry the torch. Beautiful songwriting, beautiful singing, great delivery, and he is a magnificent guy to go with it.”

CONNECT:  nathanielrateliff.com