Nathan Coles Outfit

Nathan Coles Outfit, Hillside Festival (July 24)

Guelph singer/songwriter Nathan Coles left the afternoon crowd in awe after performing beloved and new material with his new electric band, the Outfit. Coles’ evocative songwriting and arresting vocals were expertly anchored to innovative arrangements, creating gorgeous moments of both quiet reflection and downright rock–out abandon. The immensely talented vocalist Jessy Bell–Smith joined in for a few tunes as well. Totally satisfying and by far the best new band in Guelph. [ML]
http://www.echoweekly.com/viewstory.php?storyid=3800&page=2 - Echo Weekly - December 30, 2004 - January 5, 2005

The pretty-and-unwieldy title evokes a post-rock shoegazer opus, but don't be fooled. Guelph's Nathan Coles and his cohorts are down to earth and on the level with this rootsy, yet thoughtfully intricate record. Coles' warm vocals lie somewhere between Mark Kozelek and Dave Gowans of The Buttless Chaps. The band's sound has a strong blues base and the songs range from the jams of "Ordinary" to the driving climax of "Subdued" and the melodic finger-picking of "Found Out." Nathan Coles Outfit have a sterling Can-rock pedigree, as the album features guests such as Jessy Bell Smith, Don Kerr and Pete Elkas and was mixed by Jim Guthrie. Jump on the bandwagon early, kids.

Shannon Whibbs

- Chart Magazine

4/5 Stars

Nathan Coles Outfit is here to rock... back and forth on the front porch. The Guelph group's debut album is the perfect soundtrack for those who'd rather be catching fish than catching streetcars. Coles' Jay Farrar-y voice is warm and expressive and the Outfit's restrained instrumental flourishes are as calming as the chirping crickets that open the album. On "Found Out," the band expands on a lulling acoustic finger-picked pattern, incrementally introducing chiming guitar lines, stormy keyboard chords and subtle string arrangements. "NeedleWood," on the other hand, escalates more rapidly as crisp, countrified guitar licks and chugging rhythms plow through the song's mellow opening strings. And don't worry -- no crickets were harmed during the recording of this album.

James Simons

- Eye Weekly

"...Preceding Ritter on the Black Sheep Stage was the Nathan Coles Outfit, a promising Guelph, Ont.,-based quartet specializing in twangy, evocative heart-tuggers and big, crunchy rockers."

http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/news/arts/story.html?id=d5207d8a-6027-46dd-9ef5-d1a04fd21a3f - Ottawa Citizen; Patrick Langston

"...Local Guelph songwriter Nathan Coles debuted a powerful electric band anchored by his rich and resonant voice that had even long-time supporters and fans gape-jawed in awe."
--Michael Barclay
August 30, 2004
http://www.exclaim.ca/index.asp?layid=22&csid1=2831/ - Exclaim! Magazine

Nathan Coles
Bird
(Independent)
Review by: Kathy G.

Bird is a long awaited CD for many of Nathan Coles' fans. It is raw, emotional and soulful, just like every one of his live performances. He provides his audience with music that's honest and heartfelt. An acoustic guitar and simple but meaningful lyrics are everything that makes Nate one of Guelph's hidden talents, no fillers and no compromises. His art and creativity are visible on the cover and in his music. It reminds me of a book that you can't put down, so you read it from cover to cover; instead it's the sounds you listen to on repeat. For the first time, you can have your very own Nathan Coles, whenever you want, in the comfort of your own living room. Once you get hooked, you can never let go and you can never get enough. - Ontarion Oct. 02 - Oct. 08 2003

For any Guelph-based artist, playing the Hillside Festival is always an annual goal. For Nathan Coles, it has also consistently been the beginning of a new chapter in his songwriting development, and his appearance this year will be no exception.
"Hillside was actually the first show I ever did, about 10 years ago," Coles says. "I'd only been getting my songs together for about five or six months when I got to do it, and it really got me started in the best possible way."
Following that debut, Coles headed for the West Coast where he opened many shows for the cult Irish folk-rock band Uisce Beatha, and even briefly joined them for tours of Europe. Since 2000, Coles has hosted the open stage at Guelph pub Jimmy Jazz every Sunday night, a gig that has been a great benefit to the local scene, as well as for Coles’ own material.
His latest release is a five-song EP entitled Bird, taped by well-known Guelph engineer James Ogilvie last year, which showcases Coles’ talents in the barest of settings. Songs like “Ordinary” and “As I Walk” possess the stark intimacy of Nick Drake recordings, and also the solo work of Coles’ other primary influences, Will Oldham, and Martin Tielli of the Rheostatics.
“I wouldn’t consider myself a traditional singer/songwriter,” he says. “I like to approach writing from different angles. Anything that will make people stop and take a second look at you is good, I think. Not in an aggressive way, but just trying to take things in new directions that might not be expected.”
Coles’ artistic spectrum also includes visuals, which are beautifully displayed in Bird’s booklet, and is something he is intending to be a larger aspect of his next project. “With the new album I’m planning on recording with James in August, I also want it to be fully illustrated, with each song being represented visually as well,” he says.
That album will also feature a new band that Coles has recently assembled and will debut, once again fittingly, at Hillside. It includes Guelph scene stalwart Vish Khanna on drums, as well as guitarist Jordan Howard and bassist Chris Hierlihy.
Coles admits he has lately been feeling the need to go electric and is looking forward to playing new songs written with the band, along with transforming some of his older material, “There’s lots of stuff to choose from, so we’re just trying out as many as we can and see which ones work best in a band setting. It was really my intention to have the band ready for Hillside, because it’s such a great place to try something new. The people there really want to hear new things, and hopefully they’ll like what we have to offer.”
Coles and his band will play at 3 p.m. on Sunday on the Island Stage. He will also be participating in several workshops over the course of the weekend, so check your programs.
Other Guelph artists at this year’s festival that you should keep an eye out for include: Jessy Bell-Smith, Eccodek, Motion Picture Cinema, Skylight Drama and Something Fabric.
- Jason Schneider - nightlife - July 22, 2004

The Hillside program dubs him “one of the Royal City’s best-kept
secrets,” he was quite happy with a phoneless lifestyle and many are confused as to where he came from.
Ah, the elusive Nathan
Coles. Maybe.
Coles, 30, was indeed born in Guelph and, despite having a rather loyal songsinging following and hosting regular open-stage
nights at Jimmy Jazz, he hasn’t
quite banged the top of his head on that radar. Yet.
Sunday, he’ll take the Island Stage at 3 p.m. at the 21st annual Hillside
Festival.
The Trib caught up with him this week.

Q: You were born out east. Why did
you come here and what keeps
you here?
NC: I don’t know why people
often think that. Truth is, I was born and raised in Guelph, Ont.

(We ask why the geographical
confusion)
NC: On stage and off, I often speak out of character (different accents and such). Along with constantly meeting new faces and trading off
first impressions – this might be
the reason? I will never know.
Family (keeps me here). I’m the
youngest of seven, and all but
one brother live in the area.

Q: What are you most looking forward to about Hillside weekend?
NC: Variety – everyone treats or performs their music in a manner which they choose. Oh yeah, and
smoking cigarettes with friends.

Q:You went quite a while without a phone. A lot of people might love the idea of a phoneless existence but don’t have the nerve to do it.
How did you pull it off and why did you finally give in?
NC: (I was phoneless for) eight months or so. My current residence already had one. I see who I need to see every day on the streets, and it was just another added
expense. The only people it
seemed to bother were the ones trying to get in touch with me. It’s funny, it actually came to the point where I would receive phone calls and even mail at The Cornerstone.

Q: The Trib’s paying the tab.What’s your tipple?
NC: A pint of Wellington Special Pale Ale and glass of Glendronach
(neat).

Q: Give us the lowdown on your first-ever gig.
NC: The first gig I ever played
was Hillside ’93. I was playing
in an outfit called Yellow Snow. I had been playing guitar for only six months.
Apparently it was recorded. I’d love to find that recording someday.

Q: We understand you usually play solo but are playing with a band this weekend. Why, and what’s one
plus and one minus about playing with others versus alone?
NC: I’ve always written
songs with other instruments in mind, so it was time to make it happen. A plus would be hearing these songs born again. A minus – I've always performed my songs any which way I choose, and performing with a band there needs
to be a set arrangement.

Q: It’s the weekend and you’re doing nothing musicwise: What are you up to?
NC: Drawing or laughing at the humans.

Q: What’s your greatest Hillside memory?
NC: Waking up in my tent to foreign belongings, including a cot on which my brother was asleep. So I wake him saying, “Mick . . .
Mick . . . get up, we’re in the wrong tent, get up!” He lifts his head and says, “Who’s Mick?” “Oh, sorry about that, carry on then.” I leave and day two of Hillside begins.

Q: Your home is ablaze and you’ve time to rescue three albums.Which three?
NC: The Rheostatics: Whale Music; Palace Music: Viva Last Blues; The complete works of Ludwig Van.

Q: Word is you’ve got a rather rabid singalong following. How did this happen?
NC: I throw rocks at people until they sing.

Q: Does music pay the bills and, if not, what do you do on that front?
NC: Music can pay the bills, but sometimes it won’t.
Nate: “So, you gonna pay
the bills today, music?"
Music: “No.”
Nate: “PAY THE BILLS
MUSIC!”
Music: “No.”

Q:How do you feel about
music downloading?
NC: Do whatever you like. I enjoy the whole package, so I always buy the product – it gives you some insight to the project.

Q:When submitting your photo to Hillside organizers, you apparently submitted a pic from when you were a kid.Whuddup?
NC: I don't have any press shots, and while looking for a photo of some kind I found that one and said
that’ll do.

Q: What can people expect from your Hillside gig Sunday?
NC: More noise.

Q:What one thing do you love about Guelph, and what one thing do you not love?
NC: I love the architecture around town, and I do not love the fact that there was much, much more and that some lugheads decided
for us all to tear them down and modernize. “Eat s#!t lugheads!”

Q: What next for Nathan Coles?
NC: A full-length album completely illustrated. As well as harnessing the ability to fly.

Look for Nathan Coles’
Hillside performance Sunday at
3 p.m. on the Island Stage. He
also appears this evening (July
23) as part of Songs of Guelph
with host Craig Norris of the
kramdens.Also part of Songs of
Guelph are Jessy Bell-Smith,
Ryan Schneider and friends.
That goes at 6 p.m.on the Island
Stage.

ELEVEN EITHER/ORS WITH NATHAN COLES
• Draught or bottle?
Draught
• Pool or ping-pong?
Ping- - Ned Bekavac - Guelph Tribune (July 23, 2004)

Like many of his contemporaries from Guelph, Ontario — Jim Guthrie, Royal City — Nathan Coles takes an unorthodox, impressionistic approach to roots music. On this first album with his full-time band since their live debut last summer, Coles leads them down a winding path of drastic mood swings and tempo shifts, but everything manages to hang together as a cohesive whole thanks to inspired performances by all involved. Don Kerr’s production keeps things spare in the classic Canadiana tradition, and it therefore shouldn’t be surprising that there are strong echoes of the Rheostatics on songs like “I Watch” and “Angry Eyed.” For Coles’ part, his voice is his biggest strength: a sad, tremulous instrument that at times bears a remarkable resemblance to Tim Hardin, as well as Will Oldham. For all of the album’s simple surface beauty, its many underlying subtleties require close attention to appreciate. But at least this shows that Coles is following his unique muse, which should provide a fruitful road ahead.

By Jason Schneider
December 23, 2005 - Exclaim! Magazine (December/January 2005/2006)