You don’t often see the words “psychobilly” and “Lloyd Green” in the same sentence, let alone on the same album. Yet that’s truly the charm of “Nick 13,” the solo debut by the artist of the same name.
Nick 13 is best known as singer and songwriter for Tiger Army, a psychobilly band that draws on the genre’s punk and rockabilly influences. The surprise is that he dials everything down for this album, embracing a vintage country sound and recruiting some vintage country sidemen, including Green on pedal steel.
It’s an up-tempo and engaging album, drawing on countrypolitan and classic country. Nick 13’s voice bears a striking resemblance to Phil Ochs and serves him well on these straight-ahead arangements.
The album opens with “Nashville Winter,” a presumably autobiographical song about coming to the pace of country’s roots: Ariund this world I have rocked and I have rolled, but something much older had a hold on my soul.”
That respect for the music’s origins is evident throughout the album: “Carry My Body Down” and “Gambler’s Life” are Country and Western with the emphasis on the latter, and his updated “In the Orchard” takes a cue from Roy Orbison.
“Nick 13”, co-produced by Greg Leisz and James Intveld, and featuring fine players like Mike Webb and Sara Watkins, successfully updates classic sounds in a contemporary setting. Nick 13’s solo career is off to a good start.
