On the surface, Nathan could be viewed as just another of the many Canadian bands embracing roots music. Unlike most of their peers, however, the Winnipeg-based quartet also draws from pop traditions not far removed from fellow hometown natives such as the Guess Who. Main songwriter Keri Latimer’s back-porch laments — while often played on accordion, banjo and acoustic guitar — are fastened to melodies redolent of ’60s AM radio. And her bewitching soprano, especially when tethered in close harmony to female counterpart Shelley Marshall, puts a doll-like gloss on themes rife with gothic overtones.
The band tosses some new ingredients into this roots-pop blend on its third album. Languid, spaghetti-western guitar lines kickstart the opening track, “John Paul’s Deliveries”, before giving way to a soaring chorus that could have come from Fountains Of Wayne. Likewise, “The Boulevard Back Then” infuses a spooky, Kurt Weill-inspired cabaret song with theremin-and-horn-fueled pop.
Other high points include “The Wind”, a banjo-and-accordion shuffle punctuated by guitar squalls; “Key Principles Of Success”, a carnival waltz wrapped in a 1930s showtune vibe; and “You Win”, a funny-as-hell kissoff song that brings to mind the Andrews Sisters. Best of all is “Daffodils”, a trippy excursion into ’60s-style psychedelic pop that’s about as good a revisitation of that genre as has been done.