DANIEL NESTLERODE – More Than a Little Guitar (Camp 40 Recordings)

Daniel_Nestlerode_CD_ArtworkNow and again a new singer/songwriter is introduced to you and the force of their talent hits you like a tornado!  This happened to me when I met American singer/songwriter and mandolinist Daniel Nestlerode at a Folk 21 day recently.  He had a guest spot during the conference and all of the audience were riveted!  Now based in Cambridge UK, he has been playing the mandolin since 1992, but more seriously from 2001.

I am now in possession of his eagerly awaited new album – More Than A Little Guitar – and am, again, blown away!  11 glorious tracks which are a mixture of laments, up-tempo tunes, death, about loved ones going away, a song for his young daughter, bluegrass/country and western with fabulous harmonies and excellent mandolin playing.

The self-penned tracks being ‘Old Calapina’, ‘Rolling With The Circus’, ‘A Winter’s Night’ – which conjures vivid images of a man trying to get home in a harsh winter journey and what they can imagine and look forward to awaiting them at home, ‘Virginia Claire’, and ‘All The Things You Are’ which is a father/daughter story of feelings of becoming a father.

I particularly liked the very haunting ‘Long Black Veil’ which is the work of Marijohn Wilkin and Danny Dill (1949). A story of an illicit love affair with his best friends wife, convicted of a murder he didn’t commit and in death aware of her visiting his grave in a long black veil.

To lighten the album ‘St Anne’s Reel/Whisky Before Breakfast’ is an up-tempo tune which gets the feet tapping, and there are singalong choruses elsewhere too!

Ably produced by Brooks Williams, who has kept the album as stripped back and acoustic, showing Daniels’ talent as it should be.  Engineered by Chris Pepper and recorded at the Hub Studios in Cambridge More Than A Little Guitar is going to be a special album in my collection, so don’t miss out, and give Daniel a listen.  He is a gifted singer/songwriter who is reaching new heights, and already has a number of bookings for 2014.

Jean Camp

Keep an eye out for Daniel’s live gigs on his website – www.nestlerode.co.uk where you can also find the contact details for purchasing his music, and further information.