In late March, we reported about the blitzkrieg recording exploits of able West Palm Beach musician Nick Eberhardt. The head of Black Key-ish group the Darklights (and Noble Rocket, previously) embarked on an ambitious solo recording mission with the help of Young Circles' frontman Jordy Asher and waxed ten solid tracks in one month's time. It's was all part of National Public Radio's RPM Challenge -- a yearly contest calling artists to write and record original material solely in February and have it postmarked by March 1.
The result, Can You Feel It, turned out to be a wistful collection of singer/songwriter stuff that sounds exceptionally planned out and the furthest thing from a slapdash affair to meet deadline. Eberhardt calls these ten numbers "folkie with a touch of indie." We are not going to disagree with the artist's self-description, as they do, at times, cross similar alt-country/alt-folk terrain as acts like Wilco or Ryan Adams, but Eberhardt also displays a bittersweet intimacy with these tunes -- in reaction to the loss of his father in December -- that have us reflecting back to the tender moments off Jeff Buckley's Grace.
None more heartfelt than "Golden Now," one of three songs on the record that Eberhardt wrote in honor of his father -- "Heirs to Attend" and the title track being the other two. It's a plaintive track with moving words that deal with Eberhardt's coming to terms with loss. It's one of those numbers that will assuredly get the listener a little choked up if he is not careful.
Eberhardt captures the magic of this track in his Living Room Concert Series -- some grainy videos he posted on YouTube last week -- where he gives a gripping, bare-bones performance with just himself on a stool while gently strumming his acoustic guitar and tapping his kick drum.
Can You Feel It will make its official unveiling this Friday at Propaganda. This digital record release party is free. Fans will have an opportunity to reserve a copy of the vinyl pressing of the album, which is due out in May, by purchasing a limited-edition 12-inchby12-inch piece of artwork from local artist Jennifer D. Basing. Eberhardt will be joined by fellow singer/songwriters Kevin Popejoy, Johnny Buscemi, Catlin Schurr, and scuzz-folk rockers Harvey and the Buckets.
Also, Eberhardt will perform on WPBR-AM (1340) at 11 a.m. Friday.
Nick Eberhardt Digi-Release Party w/ Harvey and the Buckets, Kevin Popejoy, Johnny Buscemi, Catlin Schurr, and Sophie Sputnik. 9 p.m. Friday, April 22, at Propaganda, 6 S. J St., Lake Worth. Free. Click here.
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