Nathan Ball is being reborn. Or perhaps returning. The London-based singer-songwriter whose EP, Howling, came out about a year ago, is remaking his sound with a full band. His new single, “Right Place,” released this week and recorded with Ian Grimble (Manic Street Preachers, Daughter, Bear’s Den), tests the waters.
Inspired by the experience of being on tour and particularly by the majestic landscapes of France, “Right Place” is meant as an ode to the sense of belonging. “When I was back home,” Ball writes, “I picked up the guitar and started exploring this idea of a ‘right place,’ a place where people feel most comfortable and happy. “
In some senses, “Right Place” creates that experience for the listener. There is something soothing about the enveloping sound he creates with just a spare folky strum, a sliver of bass. There is intensity and purpose in Ball’s voice, a voice that swims inside your bones. The guitar taps in the beginning are almost reminiscent of church bells; they have a definite reverberation that stirs up a sense of loss.