After decades of facing imminent destruction due to someone wanting to destroy him for some reason, it seems that Nate Allen has revealed what aided his survival all of these years: therapy. I Write the Songs I Need is a collection that has been a decade in the making, but was recorded quickly in one week. That means that sonically this is a very primal record – with one voice and one acoustic guitar – while at the same time lyrically being very deep and developed. That might make it sound like this is a folk album, but there is a quirky Destroy Nate Allen aspect to it that makes it not quite folk either. Before you think boring singer songwriter strum fest, I would point out that Allen keeps the music interesting as well, sometimes speeding things up to – dare I say? – rock out on some songs. Themes range from dealing with the pressure to act like everything is fine, to trying to find worth in yourself when you don’t feel it or see it easily, to the struggle to find energy when life sucks it out of you. But there is also a range of hope amongst the acknowledgement of how difficult life can be; one moment Allen is singing “Trying so hard to withhold all your might, Taking left turns when you know what is right…” and the next he is singing “I want to be every knowing, ever-growing, ever-knowing; I want to be ever-growing, always changing views.” There are so many lyrics to love in this that I could write an article quoting them, but why do that when you can go listen? Check it out on BandCamp and make sure to sign up to see a therapist while you are at it. We all need it!
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