Australian Nathan Kendall has spent most of his waking life obsessively making music. However, most of the songs he’s written over the years remain unfinished and unreleased. Now, after many years (and much physical, mental and spiritual toil), Nathan is ready to release his debut album.
‘Flash Channel’ is a 60-minute exploration of love, despair, madness, idols, art, causality, shattered confidence and connections that transcend time and space. Nathan says his hope was to make something inspired by the classics – something nostalgic, dream-like, and emotionally potent.
Did he succeed? Let’s dive in….
‘Flash Channel’ – I don’t normally do band comparisons, but sometimes they are hard to avoid. Take the album’s title track, for example – an atmospheric, throwback, Radiohead-style intro that has a crunchy bite and an effortless groove. Then, as it settles down, I get 80’s Paul McCartney vibes. This is not to detract from Nathan’s individuality or songwriting – quite the opposite. The opener has an energy and a melodic invention that is all its own, and Nathan has managed to melt styles together like a musical alchemist.
‘Didn’t Deny’ – Another gnarly guitar sound delivering an addictive riff makes this a throwback delight. I wanted more of that guitar! Nathan’s close harmonies add a nice colour to the track. The melodic ideas come thick and fast in this tale of deceit. I love the subtle shifts in energy – it feels effervescent and alive.
‘Symptomatic, Shoot Straight’ – Nathan’s vocal is front and centre here. It’s quite a high tone and has a tightly focused resonance that means there’s bags of character in each new track. It’s like an unmistakable watermark on each track
“No do-overs, can’t rewind
Put your plan into action
Thought it over, took your time”
‘Drowned In Still Water’ – The track flutters by like a butterfly – and then the insistent piano and trippy FX drives things along like a forgotten Beatles classic. I loved the rise and fall in the vocal melody during that chorus, mirrored by the guitar. It’s all tight as a drum and perfectly locked in.
‘Parallel Lines’ – A wonderfully disorientating intro morphs into another kaleidoscopic journey through styles and eras. This feels modern, but with a nostalgic flavour. It’s funky, jazzy, trippy, but most of all, it’s a great song with another joyously captivating melody.
“Read your riddles, Followed your signs
Dug for gold in your visionary lines”
‘Fated Floor’ – At nearly 8 ½ minutes, this is the longest track on the album, but it never overstays its welcome. Full of warmth (in contrast to the desperate & tragic lyrics), there is intricate interplay between guitars, percussion and vocals. This is like an elegant tapestry, and as it unfolds before us, new images and stories emerge. This is a tale of two halves, though, and in the second half there’s a slightly darker, steadier march that takes us to the soaring finish.
“A sickening fanfare
Won’t breath the same air
Letting those rotters drown”
‘In Love’ – I loved the intimate sound here – things feel more contained. With noticeably less reverb in some sections, it feels like the walls close in around us. A rollicking piano solo got my head bobbing and my feet tapping. Don’t be fooled by the title and the exuberantly happy vibe – this ain’t your usual love song!
“The end is nigh
It’s do or die
We’re at the boiling point
Taunts and lies are tearing us apart now”
‘Only The Road’ – Nathan’s voice has such a pure tone and a high register that at times – like on this track – I could have sworn a guest vocalist had taken over singing duties. But no, Nathan’s androgynous vocal character offers another layer of complexity to these tracks. A beautifully constructed song, the melody washed over me like waves of liquid gold, growing more intense each time. I loved this one.
‘Every Breath’ – A marching swagger and staccato piano have all the irresistible energy of a classic Beatles track (sorry, couldn’t resist another comparison!). It sounds like someone unrestrained and having fun. By jove, we are too!
‘Life On The Outside’ – Country & western takes its turn on this musical carousel. Nathan’s vocals adapt yet again, with a warm vibrato and a sultry tone that adds a soulful energy. There’s so much to love here – the swing in the piano, the sweeping strings – we even get an epic guitar solo & some studio chatter.
‘Can I’ – Perhaps the most conventional track on the album, it’s sparkling country-pop where everything feels super-sized. Crashing drums and layers of vocals tell a tale of longing and regret.
“Can I get the moonlight off my trail?
Can I get the wind back in my sail?
Can I get the train back on the rail?”
‘Secret Dove’ – The album’s closer comes in two sections – the first is a slow-building juggernaut of a track with singalong hooks and anthemic power. The final 3 minutes become a ghostly, almost ambient farewell.
It’s obvious that Nathan poured his heart and soul into this album, and has agonized over every second of its one-hour runtime. Designed as a front-to-back listen, ‘Flash Channel’ evolves from upbeat and explosive in the first half to a more restrained power towards the end. Songs are sometimes intro’d or outro’d with strange sounds, or reversed effects. They overlap and bleed into one another, or stop suddenly. Each track feels joined by a common thread, yet they stand perfectly on their own. It’s an exquisitely crafted sensory overload – a feast for the ears that explores a smorgasbord of genres, styles, sounds and textures.
This is an album of 1,000 faces, and like the facets of a diamond ‘Flash Channel’ reveals a bewildering array of creative sparks. There’s not a second of wasted time on the whole album – it’s a flawless display of free-wheeling musical invention. Blending rock, pop, indie, psych, soul, folk, prog and americana, this was a true labour of love and pushed Nathan to his limit in more ways than one.
A triumphant debut, this is one of the most richly diverse and entertaining albums I’ve heard in years. ‘Flash Channel’ delivers a full-colour, high definition experience that is totally worth tuning in for.
Written by Grubby
