Hear Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats' Vision for 'The Future'

It's the third studio album from Rateliff and the band

BY Megan LaPierrePublished Nov 5, 2021

The future is now: Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats' new album The Future is officially available via Stax Records.

Colorado singer-songwriter Rateliff began releasing his Americana-inspired folk music as a solo act back in 2010 after the dissolution of his band Born in the Flood, beginning with In Memory of Loss and as recently as 2020's And It's Still Alright

Around 2013, the musician linked up with Joseph Pope III (bass), Patrick Meese (drums, percussion, keys), Luke Mossman (guitar), Mark Shusterman (organ, keys), Andreas Wild (saxophone), Daniel Hardaway (trumpet) and Jeff Dazey (saxophone) to form his soul-driven Night Sweats side project — which released its self-titled debut in 2015 and sophomore follow-up Tearing at the Seams in 2018.

Released back in August, snarling lead single "Survivor" effectively sets the tone for the new record, mining the past for a way forward. The band leans on old-school R&B sonic palettes in a way that respects the historic genealogy of their influences. Produced by Bradley Cook and R.M.B. (the production trio of Rateliff, Meese and Beach House's James Barone), The Future's vintage feel is imbued with a breath of fresh air — and an openness to admit to not having all the answers.

"I look at the album overall as a big question," Rateliff said in a statement. "When I was writing the record, we were in the middle of a pandemic and our future looked pretty bleak. I just continue to try to write from a place of hope. Then, my own neurosis — and maybe being a Libra — gets in the way and I can't make up my mind; there is this constant back and forth battle in me personally, and I am sure that comes out in my writing."

On The Future, irresolution comes across as a celebration.

Listen to the album on your streaming platform of choice below.


 

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