Nina Nastasia

Outlaster

(FatCat)

Record Review by Kevan Peterson

Stripped down, melancholy music pours out of Nina Nastasia like water from a geyser.  The album’s grey and black, somewhat morbid cover art perfectly captures the despair and loneliness that permeates most of her songs.  Using string and woodwind quartets to pulsate life into her body of work, Outlaster features hints of country twang, moody rock and even tango, which doesn’t stand out from the rest of the tunes nearly as much as one would expect. 

Tracks such as “What’s Out There” and “A Kind of Courage” have an urgency that carries some resemblances to an exciting movie score, with Nastasia’s voice flirting with the highs and lows of each track.  Other songs, such as “Wakes” and “Cry, Cry, Baby,” are more straightforward in their delivery, while still dripping with heartbreak and emotion. 
And then there is “This Familiar Way,” the aforementioned tango, which carries rich vocals, tight instrumental and a range of emotions that would make Meryl Streep blush.  Outlaster will manage to outshine your expectations and outlast many of your other purchases this year.