Nik Freitas -‘Saturday Night Underwater’ (Affairs Of the Heart)

It’s been three years since his last album Sun Down. Since then, Nik Freitas has been busy chalking up impressive entries on his extra-curricular CV. This has included becoming a member of Conor Oberst’s Mystic Valley band, who he played guitar with live and on record. Not only that, hethen joined the Broken Bells (Danger Mouse and The Shins’ James Mercer) as part of their touring band.

I mention this not to flesh out the review – but because it’s clear that as well as helping pay the bills, it’s also inpacted on his own work. These collaborations have fed into Saturday Night Underwater. This album sees him incorporating electronic instruments into the mix, giving the album more depth and a rather more adventurous feel than its’ predecessor. rather like Oberst’s Bright Eyes album Digital Ash In A Digital Urn, this record rather goes against the grain of what is often expected from the usual singer-songwriter mould. Opening with the excellent title track, there’s a warm, fuzzy feeling from this album throughout.

More than just that, though, there’s a feeling that in a world saturated with singer-songwriters, Freitas is broadening his palette. The electronic work is the basis of much of this album, rather than just as afterthought of sonic window-dressing. Indeed, the record only dips when he plays it a little more conventional.

I hope to see him venture more down this road.

Saturday Night Underwater is relased by Affairs Of The Heart on June 6.

To download the mp3 of ‘Middle’ from the album go here

Nik Freitas -‘Sun Down’ (Affairs Of The Heart records)

Every so often, along comes a record that has no pretensions, but just gets on and does its’ job and is wonderful in itself. And right now, that record is the latest album from Nik Freitas.

Recently on tour in the UK playing guitar for Conor Oberst as part of his Mystic Valley Band, there are certain parallels with the sound of Mr. Oberst and his alter-ego Bright Eyes. But one thing Nik Freitas has over Coor Oberst is that his voice seems less strained, and somehow more natural. In fact, natural is very much the style of the record. Nothing seems forced here, and even the epic moments don’t seem too grandiose. And that’s a real feat.

This album has been written, played, engineered and produced every note by Nik Freitas. Now that’s what I call independent. Right from the opening notes of the album’s opener, the title track, this is an album that doesn’t mess about and gives us a nice warm feeling when it comes to an end forty minutes later. It doens’t re-write the rulebook, or sonicallly challenge you, but sometimes you don;t want that anyway.

Make sure you check it out.

***1/2

Nik Freitas’ webpage/Nik Freitas’ myspace

Sun Down is released on October 6 on Affairs of The Heart Records

Nik Freitas -‘Sun Down.’ mp3

Nik Freitas -‘Sophie.’ mp3