Artist : Nate James
Album : Kingdom Falls
Label : EMI
Genre : R&B
Bitrate : 185 kbps avg
Source : CD (LP)
Playtime : 00:57:57 (81 MB)
Rls date : 2007-03-21
Store date : 2007-06-11
[Track List]
1. Outta My Head 5:22
2. Back To You 4:05
3. Funkdefining 4:21
4. You Got It Wrong (Introlude) 1:01
5. High Times 4:02
6. Ruminate Part 1 0:37
7. Kingdom Falls 4:43
8. Choke 3:44
9. See You 'Round 4:12
10.Wonderland 3:04
11.Ruminate Part 2 0:35
12.SMF 4:39
13.Thinking 'Bout You 5:13
14.Just Say Yes 4:24
15.LA Dreamin' 4:11
16.Justify Me (Acoustic Version) (Bonus Track) 3:44
If my memory serves me right, it must have been some time
in 2004 when I first heard Nate JamesÆ gorgeous debut
single 'Set The Tone'. Desperate to write a review of it
for DJ magazine, IÆm not sure whether I waited to receive
a promo copy of the then limited release, or whether I
listened to what I could off NateÆs website! That was how
irresistible the buzz on Nate was, long before he finally
hooked up a recording deal. That particular single set the
bar, and Nate has maintained the standards, ever since, by
delivering fine vocals over organic-sounding records that
mix traditional musicianship, be it live strings or brass,
with programmed music.
In addition to his obvious talent as a singer-songwriter,
NateÆs success, which extends internationally, is very
much linked to the quality of the personal management by
Anthony Hamer-Hodges of >4 Management.
After the release of NateÆs debut album, changes at the
OneTwo label necessitated Anthony and Nate taking back
their masters and re-releasing it on their on FroFunk
label. The 2006 re-released version had two bonus cuts,
including the Sway collabo æStill On My OwnÆ.
Following on from the great success of the album, one
wondered why there is not a sophomore set following
immediately, instead of this monthÆs released
æFunkdefiningÆ EP. Particularly as the tracks, produced by
the likes of Mark Hill and Don-e, are not on the first
album and wonÆt be on the sophomore set, dropping later in
2007.
ôItÆs been fascinating to be involved in the international
success of the æSet The ToneÆ album. Every time we thought
it had maybe run its course, a new territory would pick up
on it and Nate would be off doing more promotion somewhere
else. So heÆs been all over the world doing live shows and
interviews, and it still hasnÆt stopped,ö starts Anthony,
who is in Japan with his charge. ôIn France, the first
single and album were released just last week for the
first time, and we are going over next month for his first
live show in Paris.ö
ôDuring the last year, while Nate has been busy touring
the world and enjoying the success in other countries, we
were conscious that people back home in the UK might not
realise what was going on and think he had disappeared û
you know what this business is like. Fortunately for Nate,
we control his career ourselves and a mantra I heard once,
which I truly believe is that talent never dies but
motivation and perseverance does. So as long as we want to
keep working in this business, Nate will have a career.
You hear nightmare stories about artists who sign to major
labels and then have their careers put on ice with albums
never seeing the light of day. Nate already went through
that once in fact, when he was in Notorious, which is one
of the reasons weÆve kept control of things ourselves in
his solo career.
ôThe first album was very well received, and weÆve built a
strong fanbase round the world with 125,000 sales. My job
is to make sure Nate can continue having the opportunity
to make music and perform it live. Luckily, Nate is
committed to his career, so has re-invested all the money
he has made from the first album into his new recordings.ö
That may have been an extensive preamble, however
burgeoning artists and managers may want to take heed.
Continues Anthony: ôThere were two reasons for doing the
EP û first of all, we werenÆt ready to record the second
album because he was still promoting the first one
internationally. So he had limited time for studio, but we
still wanted to put something out in the UK at the tail
end of 2006, or early 2007 as it turned out.
ôSecondly, we were making records ourselves for the first
time. With Nate setting up his own label, we were having
to make all the A&R decisions ourselves, choosing
producers and paying for their services too. The EP
allowed us to dip our toe in the water, so to speak, and
helped Nate make some decisions about where he wanted to
take the next album musically. As well as the big name
producers like Mark Hill and Johnny Douglas, we also
worked with a few up and coming guys who Nate really
gelled with and they would go on to be central to the
second album production û a young producer called Danny S,
who produced the track æBe The OneÆ for the EP , which is
an exclusive track to the iTunes release, and the guys
behind the Liverpool Session Orchestra, who did all the
live string arrangements and recording for the beautiful
æSee You æRoundÆ on the EP. Between them, they ended up
doing most tracks on the new album. The EP has got people
in the UK talking about Nate again, and weÆre very much on
peopleÆs radarÆs at press and radio. I think everyone is
just waiting for the right record to really get behind
NateÆs career and weÆve got some amazing material on the
new album. æFunkdefiningÆ was just the curtain opener.ö
Well, now you know the story behind the disco-ey,
funkified EP.
It comes as no surprise to hear Nate describe himself as
ôan artist with ambitionö, bearing in mind the column
inches covering the awards, accolades and other stuff
weÆve seen and read. ôI donÆt wait around for people,ö
continues Nate. ôI like to make things happen myself! If
you rely on others, there's more chance of being let down.
ItÆs surprising what you can achieve when you put your
mind to something!ö
Add to that reality and humility. Last year, whilst
organizing the Becauseà Youth Crime project, I met Nate
after he had done a guest performer spot on the Jazz CafΘ
showcase of producer-artist Emmanuel (C-Swing). I asked
him to contribute his thoughts on the causes of youth
crime for the Becauseà booklet. Sure enough, his
contribution arrived. What was funny was that upon
receiving it, BTWSC co-ordinator, not knowing whether he
was a youth or adult, emailed back to emquire! He sent
back a cool reply, and Ms Serwah has since then become a
fan of his music and grounded personality!
Reading the liner notes, which he wrote whilst traveling
on London Underground, he doesnÆt forget to thank his
school mates. He seems taken aback by the the opportunity
of making an album, let alone the level of success thatÆs
followed, especially when one thinks of the lack of
progress by even major label-signed British R&B acts.
ôNone of my success to date has been expected,ö states
Nate matter-of-factly. ôI take each day as it comes now,
as I did when æSet The ToneÆ was released! I'm answering
these questions from my hotel room in Japan, and never
expected to be here! my career is a blessing, and I'm very
grateful for all who have helped and supported me to this
point!ö OK, it sounds like an award-winning acceptance
speech, but very believable coming from someone like Nate.
Whilst the Japs may be enthusing to something else, right
now, we in Blighty are digging the æFunkdefiningÆ EP. So
whatÆs his story on that? ôThe EP is about feeling good,ö
says Nate, and heÆs on the money û certainly the æ70s
disco-echoing title track puts one into that feel-good
zone. ôI like my music to give out a positive message,
subject matter that people can relate to. Nothing pleases
me more than to receive emails from people who say my
music helped them through a difficult time. I hope this EP
has the same effect.ö
With Mark Hill having co-written and produced the title
track and 'Nervous Expectations', I was interested to find
out NateÆs take on those that might say he was perhaps
MarkÆs next Craig David?
ôMark and I are friends, and we love to write songs,ö he
responds, unoffended. ôMine and Craig's music is very
different. The similarity being we both fly the flag for
UK soul! I'm the first Nate James, not the second Craig
David.ö
In addition to Mark, Don-e also co-wrote and produced a
track on the EP, the groovy, stressful relationship ditty
æStupid ThingÆ. ôI admire both of them not only for their
song writing but also their tenacity,ö says Nate of his
two collaborators. ôI met them both at various gigs I did
or they did, and we always spoke of teaming up. It was
just a case of matching diaries! But we did it, and I'm
very happy. Working with them both was a lot of fun. There
was no pressure - it was very chilled, and involved a beer
afterwards, which is always good.ö
ItÆs no surprise to hear an artist that releases a record
called æFunkdefiningÆ loves ôany music that has a grooveö.
But thankfully, heÆs not stuck to one groove, perhaps
because he admires ôany artists willing to push boundaries
and change musicö, like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye,
Michael Jackson, Prince, and Soul II Soul.
ôÆFunkdefiningÆ came about because I had a great night out
the night before writing it! It was spontaneous,
attitude-free and a lot of fun!ö A surprise on NateÆs
album is æIÆll DeclineÆ, not just because of its
rawk-geetar riffs, but also because NateÆs honest man
gender interplay is with no other than Dawn Robinson. ôI
wrote it before meeting Dawn,ö says Nate, before
collaborating with the ex-En Vogue member. ôI tracked down
her management company online, sent over the song and she
called me, and said she'd love to duet with me! She flew
over and the rest is history, as they say!ö
Well, thereÆs more history to be made, judging ny his
managerÆs plans for 2007. ôIt will all revolve around the
new album really,ú reveals Anthony. ôIn this industry you
make plans, but youÆre always hoping something happens in
a good way which changes all your plans!
ôThe lead single from the album will be released in the UK
in May, with the album following early June, so in the
next few months we need to shoot the video and ramp up
NateÆs profile with some live shows in London and some
good press.
ôAs an independent label, we wonÆt be able to give it the
huge marketing push that the majors can, but word of mouth
and good radio play should be enough. There is nobody else
that I know of operating at this level in terms of UK
independent R&B selling six figures, so we just need to
keep it going and perhaps weÆll catch the attention of the
American A&R community, which would be the ultimate aim.
ôIn the UK, you can do well as an independent. But in the
US, you really need to be with the big boys, and weÆve had
some interesting conversations already with the likes of
Motown and Warner Bros. On the touring front, weÆll be
doing a few select UK dates - a tour in Japan, and
hopefully some of the big European festivals over the
summer, plus weÆve got something really special up our
sleeves for the autumn, but I canÆt tell you about that
just now!ö
No problem. What we need to know is that itÆs not just
Corinne Bailey Rae thatÆs been doing the business on the
international level. ôUK soul music has always gone down
well in Europe and Nate has had significant airplay
success across the continent. One of his singles æThe
MessageÆ was Top 10 in ItalyÆs radio chart for over four
months last summer and also went Top 10 in Belgium. HeÆs
played live shows across Holland, Germany, Estonia,
Portugal, Poland, France, Belgium, and Italy, where he won
the prestigious Festivalbar award for best international
act of 2006 û he was up against all the big pop acts from
last year, including Lily Allen, James Morrison, Scissor
Sisters and Corinne Bailey Rae, so it was a real honour
for him,ö reveals Anthony.
ôIn Italy, he canÆt walk down the street without being
chased by young girls! ItÆs hilarious. HeÆs also become a
big star in Japan, where he had a Top 3 hit with
æUniversalÆ and sold 60,000 albums! HeÆs been over there
three times in the last year, and even collaborated with a
Japanese instrumental jazz/funk band called PeÆz,
releasing a 3 track EP which was a Top 40 hit. Japan will
be the first country to release the æKingdom FallsÆ album
û weÆre just hoping itÆs not too leftfield for them, as
the production has moved on significantly from the æSet
The ToneÆ album, which they loved so much.Æ
Well, you canÆt say we havenÆt touched on all the key
points. Now, itÆs your turn to support Nate, and make sure
his sophomore set actually charts this time. ThatÆs when
the mainstream takes notice. We donÆt have to keep Nate on
the underground, when he has the potential to blow out the
mainstream with his quality Brit soul material.