Israel Nash

One Liner: Classic Neil Young, and then some shape-shifting into Ryan Adams and the Stones

Poster Position: 19

Thoughts: Holy Goldrush, Batman.  Could this dude sound more like the best years of Neil Young's catalog?  I don't think so, but I'm loving every second of it.  2014's Isreal Nash's Rain Plans (yes, that is the title of the album in Spotify) is the prime example, but 2015's Israel Nash's Silver Season is right there with it as well.  For a second there, I was wondering if his last name was given him because of another famous Nash, who maybe used to do some music with Neil Young, but not so much.  His real last name is apparently Gripka.  And he looks like a damn caveman.  And he also happens to now live in Dripping Springs, which is kinda cool.

His top song, the title track to that 2014 album, has 585k streams and is a damn beauty.

I'm putting that track "Rain Pains" into my chill music playlist immediately for future enjoyment. Love it.  I literally woke up this morning singing this, but then morphed in my mind into singing an old Neil Young track.  His more recent album has that same sound, with the most popular track being "L.A. Lately," with just over 114k streams.

Nice, right?  I love this laid back sound, it feels very true and real.  It also helps that I still enjoy some of the old Neil Young albums from time to time (just used one last week while road tripping with the family to Colorado), and so this hits a sweet spot for me.

But wait, as you go back into his catalog, he actually channels other bands in his earlier days.  His live album (2011's Barn Doors Spring Tour: Live in Holland) sounds very much like a Sun Volt (or maybe Wilco) album.  And he channels the Rolling Stones well as well, see the hella good "Louisiana," from Barn Doors and Concrete Floors.  

Pretty amazing facsimile of the old school Stones.  And then the songs on New York Town, from 2009, make me think of Ryan Adams the entire time.  Here is "Evening," which has 114k streams.

I'm digging this guy a lot.  He kind of exists right in the sweet spot of a lot of music I enjoy, and he also perfectly matches the mood of the last few days in Austin, rainy and cool and grey.  I'll definitely make an effort to go see him play.