Ready for a national stage

by Jim Trageser
This review first appeared in the February 8, 2007 issue of the North County Times.

San Diego's Nate Donnis has one of those commanding, compelling voices you can't ignore: A deep, rich baritone that sounds like a cross between Darius Rucker and Neil Diamond, with a sense of presence that holds your attention.

Equally compelling are the songs on his trio's first album, "All Directions." Fourteen songs in all, nearly every one a gem of melody and construction. Stylistically, the songs mostly fall somewhere between alt rock and folk (although there's a definite reggae groove to "Not Guilty," and "Gorgeous Mess" has a Latin touch). What makes them work, though, are the addictive little melodies he works into each.

From the opening cut "Nothing Better Than Your Love" through the dark-tinged "No Other Place," from "A Chance With You" to the introspective "Grateful," Donnis has crafted a stellar collection of songs that are more than good enough to put him on the map nationally. He's a hit-writing machine in the making – a fully developed musical voice, the ability to turn out radio-friendly (or Internet-friendly) pop songs, a voice you can't forget.

Seems pretty likely we'll be sharing him with the world in short order.