Album Review – Nicholas Jamerson’s “The Narrow Way”

Appalachian (#519) and Americana (#570) on the Country DDS.

In certain parts of eastern Kentucky where songwriting is highly revered, the name of Nicholas Jamerson isn’t just thought of as an equal to titans like Sturgill Simpson and Tyler Childers. It’s held in an even higher regard. Though Jamerson hasn’t achieved the same escape velocity of some of his other Kentucky kindred, he’s also never been tainted by the corrosive ooze of overwhelming success, or enticed to the dark commercial side of music that can be so corrupting.

As we like to overstate as we glaze our favorite performers, Nicholas Jamerson is the “real deal.” But in this instance, it’s actually true. His insistence upon centering the message of his songs above everything else, and staying true to himself as an artist and a human comes through starkly in his latest album The Narrow Way, which is arguably his most mature, thoughtful, and most complete album to date.

Co-produced with revered instrumentalist Rachel Baiman, the music of The Narrow Way is rural, mostly acoustic, but still imaginative and expressive when it needs to be, and relevant-feeling. But this is one of those albums and artists where the audio accompaniment is secondary to the song. It’s how Jamerson weaves his life lessons into the writing that makes this album inviting and remarkable.

The opening song “Smoking Gun” needs barely more than an acoustic guitar to pull you in and evoke the kind of vilified character Jamerson looks to manifest, since it’s a character that seems to live inside of all of us. It’s impossible for any among us to not find the words of “Running Out of Daylight” relatable, while Jamerson also proves his melodic prowess through the song, and his gift for presenting emotion in a vocal performance.

Like some of Jamerson’s previous songs—including what has become one of his signature tunes in “Linda James”—a few of the tracks from The Narrow Way work as a postscript to the Christian identity. In a region where religion is as prevalent as the hypocrisy, it’s easy to not become disillusioned, even if the teachings and elements of faith still linger.

Jamerson works through this sometimes complicated and convoluted approach to religion in the song “Sunday Dinners,” appropriately sung with his sister and fellow songwriter/performer Emily Jamerson. It’s revisited once again in the song “How Sunday Feels” with his co-producer Rachel Baiman. But don’t cast Jamerson in with the nonbelievers entirely. Joined by upright bass player Shelby Means, “One With You” is an outright Appalachian Gospel hymn if there ever was one.

Jamerson has sometimes struggled to take his music as seriously as it deserves. That’s what some, if not many of his most devout fans love about him when it expresses itself in his peculiar sense of humor. You begin to wonder at the beginning of the song “I Can’t, Never Could” with his almost put-on Kentucky accent if Nicholas is trying to make fun or pass judgement on folks. But then the song delivers some of the best writing and insight on the album.

Along with his own catalog, Nicholas Jamerson has also released numerous albums via the duo Sundy Best. The duo always felt just a little too offbeat to make it either into lane of a duo like Muscadine Bloodline, or in the lane of something like Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. The cajón and some of the unseriousness just got in the way of some very serious and excellent songs.

Listening to the Sundy Best version of the song “Smoking Gun” that sort of takes pride in being the town troublemaker, and the one on The Narrow Way that feels more reserved and introspective, is a great illustration of the maturity that has pervaded Nicholas Jamerson’s music and approach. He’s still that kid from Kentucky, and still willing to get a little offbeat (listen to the song “Prater Creek” for an example). But he’s really found his voice, and found his lane on The Narrow Way.

8.4/10