Good Saint Nathanael

Nate Allen (formerly of Destroy Nate Allen, releasing music newly under the moniker Good Saint Nathanael) released a nine-song full-length record called Hide No Truth, a tantalizing combination of acoustic narrative and DIY vibes. As bare bones as the instrumental aspect of the album is, Allen’s passionate vocal performance and lyricism cut deep, exposing the emotional layers of his artistic talent – the true winner on this release.

From the catchy waves of “Everything That’s Lost” to the Johnny-Cash-dark “Trust” to the temperate acoustic constants of “Coming Unglued” and “Better,” there is a strong balance of sonic rhythm and movement to Allen’s first introduction as a new act. Where one homemade heavy song leaves off, an acoustic track will flirt with some shimmer effect and a brief electric guitar note or two.

What Allen has mastered, however, is how to use the instrumentation to create space for the true purpose of Hide No Truth: healing.

Track after track, Allen spells out a story that heaves under the weight of spiritual and mental strife. Nevermind the fact that his illustrious lyrics are awash with pull quotes and lines that, set apart from any song, hold poignant significance, his words are also intensely honest. They paint a picture that is so relatable it can empty your gut that hollows with pain. Other times, the listener is left to be a spectator of memories lived and known only by Allen himself.

As a collective piece, Hide No Truth is what progress and healing sounds like. It’s what tentative hope feels like. It’s a brave display of vulnerability, a piece of art that is like a salve you apply that becomes more potent as it soaks in. It becomes a part of you for that brief time you listen, and, when it’s over, you feel the effects lingering as they set in and sting or tingle.

This simple-but-dense work is a reminder that healing can’t take place without initial sickness and that the journey back to whatever-normal-is is gradual. It’s what being exposed to someone’s personal storyline should feel like: uncomfortable, familiar, and – ideally – inspiring. In this case, Allen leaves you with a sense of hope for humanity and a handful of questions with answers just out of reach but burning nonetheless.

About the Author

Danielle McCallister

Danielle McCallister is a native Oregonian whose passion lies in writing and music. When not pursuing one of the two, she is soaking up life with her husband, family, compadres, and dog Lloyd. She blogs about her thoughts on music in The Melodious Review, and life in general in The Quarter Life Epiphanies.

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