Reviews

Artist:Derrin Nauendorf
Album:The Rattling Wheel
Label:Rising Records
Tracks:11
Rating: ****
Contact:   www.derrinnauendorf.com

I've been lucky enough to catch Derrin Nauenderf playing live a couple of times in recent months. On both occasions it was at my local music venue, a venue that Derrin seems to be very at home in.
This frequent Australian visitor to our shores has steadily been making a name for himself as a premiership quality singer/songwriter. He's already had a number of well recieved albums, but his latest release, "The Rattling Wheel" looks set to propel him onto bigger stages and better things.
There are touches of both The Oysterband and Johnny Cash in an album that is pure Derrin.
He flirts with both folk and country. To which he adds a great chunk of his own history via placenames and events.
It makes a great album to drive to. It's got a great rhythm, not only in the instrumentation, but also in the way Derrin delivers the lyric. He seems to have the abilty to bring the wide open spaces into more intimate ones.
That said, this is also music for a big venue. It's easy to dance to, it rewards the listener by offering up lyrical touches that could otherwise pass you by.
Nauendorf seems to approach album making very much like a gig. Build it up to capture the audience and get them going. Slow it down with a change of pace before building it back up again.
"Deliver Me An Angel" is an exceptional track for that change of pace. It has a real torch quality to it. Derrin isn't afraid to bring emotion into his work, though I think he's at his best when he's singing about places and spaces.
I hope it's not too long before Derrin is back in my neck of the woods, either way, "The Rattling Wheel" is a cracking album to fill the gap