Missouri born Israel Nash continues to sound larger than life on his eighth album Ozarker, the title a nod to his family’s roots although he has long been domiciled in Texas. From folky beginnings Nash swelled into being a flag bearer for cosmic country music on albums such as Rain Plains and Silver Seasons, albums which shone with a psychedelic sheen.
On Ozarker Nash continues to roll back the years although here his template is the sweet sugar rush of prime time American rock’n’roll as delivered by the likes of Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen. Gone are the almost Pink Floyd like guitar explorations (although he can still toss out explosive solos) of his more recent albums to be replaced by songs which, while not exactly pop fodder for the radio, trim any excess fat. In fact, if you could strip away the biker and storm trooper concerns of the early Blue Oyster Cult albums and concentrate on the sheer sonic joy of the songs then you might be able to imagine how Ozarker sounds.
The album opens with the swirling sounds of Can’t Stop, almost FM Fleetwood Mac in its infectiousness until Nash’s huge voice weighs in, no airy fairy Stevie Nicks here. It’s a punchy song with colossal chords and stinging guitars buzzing throughout. Roman Candle has a similar intro but Nash takes a left turn into Bob Seger land here with the song sounding as if Night Moves has been working out at the gym. The title song is next and it finds Nash in a sweet and sour mood as he parleys a story about his great-grandfather’s love tryst while delivering it in a cranked up to an eleven E Street Band vibe.
Behind the raw bravado of much of the songs here Nash actually is whittling down into the state of America these days. Lost In America, the lynchpin of the album is almost spectral as it opens before swelling into a blue collar anthem while Travel On has a degree of optimism contained within its muscular delivery. Going Back finds Nash ensconced in Texas and pondering (quite loudly) on his Missouri background and Shadowland closes the album with Nash returning to the Ozarks and again Bob Seger comes to mind as the song unrolls celebrating the importance of community.
Big, bold and brash, at times quite exhilarating, Ozarker is a powerful reminder of Israel Nash’s commanding presence.