Nicholas Altobelli

Mesocyclone

BY Matthew McKeanPublished Aug 5, 2014

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California-born, Texas-based musician Nicholas Altobelli's Mesocyclone is a record about a breakup and transition that sounds and feels like the hot, hazy aftermath of a late-summer storm. The six meteorologically themed songs on this EP chart a tumultuous time in the musician's life, but in Altobelli's case, the heartache and soul-searching translated into some exquisite, atmospheric song writing.

Mesocyclone is Altobelli's self-produced follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2013 record, Without a Home, which was produced by Salim Nourallah (Old 97s, Rhett Miller), who plays on and mixes this album as well.

The instrumentation this time around is sparse. Pedal steel (Heather Kitzman), drums (Trey Carmichael) and piano (Rahim Quazi) combine beautifully with guitars (Tony Whitlock, Daniel Markham) and Altobelli's delicate voice. Mesocyclone's broody, black, white and grey strokes are Americana roots perfection.
(Dalton Records)

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