Alt-country troubadour NATHAN JACQUES is set to release his epic Western concept album Dark Wanderer and the Bounty Heart via Hidden Mountain Records on September 26th. Nathan’s unique outlaw groove and powerful yet soothing baritone - together with his band: Christopher Motter (guitar), Allen Moreno (steel & baritone guitar), Matt Littell (bass), Edward Cerecedes (drums) and Eric Bell (organ) - shepherds you through Dark Wanderer and the Bounty Heart‘s dramatic story about one man’s perilous quest to find lost love and himself, no matter the cost.
The twelve-song + eight interlude tracks on Dark Wanderer and the Bounty Heart are boisterous Western anthems boasting unbridled, galloping rhythms and expansive sonic layers. Recorded at EastWest Studios in Hollywood, CA with Nathan co-producing with engineer Ed Donnelly (Willie Nelson), they used mid-1900s period-specific techniques and instruments during the recording process to actualize true Western authenticity. In addition to vintage ribbon mics and preamps, the orchestral percussion was tuned in the same way of the era and singing bowls, harpsichord and glockenspiel were played throughout. The album was mixed by Brandon Towles (Dierks Bentley, Kenny Chesney) and Jordan Koop (Orville Peck) and mastered by Pete Lyman (Brandi Carlisle, Sturgill Simpson).
Dark Wanderer and the Bounty Heart immerses you inside the action of shadowy figures hunting the Dark Wanderer as he reckons to prove his valor and worth via lush interludes and cinematic songs like the high energy cadence of “Words of Caution,” rose-colored buoyance of “The King Underground,” tribal movie soundtrack of “The Storm,” psychedelic foot-stomping rock bop of “Cactus Rose,” swinging tempo of “Dancing in the Light” and more. Videos for singles “All I See,” “Shapeshifter” and “Sanctuary Light” set the stage for the album’s musical journey that features Nathan as a character named Dark Wanderer - a fictional singing-cowboy movie star akin to Gene Autry and Roy Rogers – who is trailed by mysterious figures including the Shapeshifter. These characters haunt Dark Wanderer’s odyssey and force our hero to confront his inner demons and battle those who seek to steal his love and life.
Nathan shares, “I’ve always been fascinated by records that follow a narrative thread all the way through. There’s a certain magic to them in the way they deliver you to another dimension, another realm. It’s such a unique form of storytelling. Old Westerns and Western music are some of my favorite works of storytelling for their luscious sounds and vistas, emotionally driven narratives and their sweeping dramatic sequence. All of those things I sought to capture with this album.”
Americana-UK raves that Nathan Jacques’ music is “Quite simply, beautiful. This is stuff to get lost in,” Listening Through The Lens gushes, “Spaghetti western touches, strains of movie soundtracks, sounds of great expanses and riding rhythms all triumph over the twelve tracks and eight interludes contained within” and Flood Magazine praises that the songs “lilt along with bent guitar runs, strutting drums, and vocal harmonies that would sound perfect around a campfire.”
The album’s melodic, moody tunes evoke the American West with hints of inspiration from current favorites Lord Huron, Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, Charley Crockett, Sierra Ferrell, Colter Wall and country greats Marty Robbins, Johnny Cash, Eddy Arnold, and Bobby Bare. The album's rich sound blends classic country instrumentation with modern influences.
The narrative concept of Dark Wanderer and the Bounty Heart builds on Nathan’s 2021 debut album, Loud Mind, about a singing cowboy movie star who travels across dangerous lands in search of his lost love and a chance at redemption. Nathan released the visual live EP called Live Out West in 2021 that further reinforces the harmony of his talent for telling stories through vibrant soundscapes.
NATHAN JACQUES LIVE:
9/29 Los Angeles, CA @Resident DTLA
10/11 Los Angeles, CA @Freenote Cloth
TBA November tour dates
11/13 Albuquerque, NM @International Western Music Association Convention
