Ozarker is an album by American musician Israel Nash, released on October 20, 2023, through Desert Folklore and Soundly Music. Nash recorded the album in a home studio and worked with its co-producer Kevin Ratterman to record overdubs in Ratterman's Los Angeles studio.[2] It received acclaim from critics and charted in Scotland.
| Ozarker | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 20, 2023 | |||
| Genre | Americana[1] | |||
| Length | 45:22 | |||
| Label |
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| Producer |
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| Israel Nash chronology | ||||
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Critical reception
edit| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 88/100[3] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| American Songwriter |   [2] |
| Mojo | [4] |
| Uncut | 9/10[5] |
Ozarker received a score of 88 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on five critics' reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[3] Mojo described the album as "both sentimental and hard-nosed, nostalgic about a past without ignoring the modern world's gritty reality",[4] while Uncut called it "an album that unfurls like a flag on a battlefield, glorious, tattered, defiant, full of big choruses, vaulting harmonies, a brazenly windswept sound. The guitars couldn't be louder, bolder, more heroically deployed".[5]
American Songwriter's Hal Horowitz summarized that "the melodies take flight, soaring as guitars strum, and drums pound, and Nash unleashes ten widescreen tales resounding with melancholy intensity and an idiosyncratic style best described as uncompromising".[2] John Moore of Glide Magazine felt that Ozarker "has a timelessness to it, blending these classic [roots and heartland rock] influences with his now trademark Americana/folk laced with elements of psychedelic" and that it "manages to update a sound that resonates both comfortably and refreshing at the same time".[1]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Can't Stop" | 4:19 |
| 2. | "Roman Candle" | 4:02 |
| 3. | "Ozarker" | 4:36 |
| 4. | "Pieces" | 4:52 |
| 5. | "Going Back" | 5:16 |
| 6. | "Firedance" | 4:38 |
| 7. | "Lost in America" | 4:49 |
| 8. | "Midnight Hour" | 4:09 |
| 9. | "Travel On" | 3:56 |
| 10. | "Shadowland" | 4:45 |
| Total length: | 45:22 | |
Charts
edit| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[6] | 56 |
| UK Americana Albums (OCC)[7] | 5 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC)[8] | 27 |
References
edit- ^ a b Moore, John (October 19, 2023). "Israel Nash Blends Classic Heartland Rock Influences On Robust Ozarker (Album Review)". Glide Magazine. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
- ^ a b c Horowitz, Hal (October 18, 2023). "Review: Israel Nash Takes Flight on Ozarker". American Songwriter. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
- ^ a b "Ozarker by Israel Nash Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
- ^ a b "Israel Nash – Uncut". Mojo. December 2023. p. 93.
- ^ a b "Israel Nash – Uncut". Uncut. November 2023. p. 28.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
- ^ "Official Americana Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
- ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 29, 2023.