“The Sideshow Tragedy churn out gritty, blues inspired barroom stompers that showcase spearhead Nathan Singleton’s vocal prowess, steel guitar wizardry, and penchant for telling a good tale.”–The Austinist
“The music is tight and creative — and the vocals are perfect.”–DFW.com
“(The Sideshow Tragedy) have created an album full of gutsy glory with energy to boot. Standouts include a slow almost-ballad “Cards,” deeply rooted in the sorrow of lost love, and “Ain’t No Woman,” a song possessed with attitude and rock n’ roll. It pieces an electrifying barrage of guitar together with husky vocals and twists and turns the listener around with a force that
throttles.”–Austin Daze
“Imagine Nirvana’s virility, rawness, and power…but not Nirvana’s music…holy fuck. even if you are a guy, you will get pregnant just being in the room. The songs are lyrically well crafted and delivered with bona fide vocal gravel. these guys are rock and roll personified–do not miss them. and fasten your seat belt.”–Kimberly Catarino, Live Music Capital Radio
“If you like rock and roll you’re in for a treat.”–The Bay Bridged–San Francisco Bay Area Indie Music
“The Sideshow Tragedy perform with so much verve and energy that words will not fairly describe it.”–littlerocklivemusic.net
“(Nathan Singleton’s)talent is undeniable, if you have ears, but his style is harsh as well as beautiful, like the Clash and Lead Belly at the same time. Nothing like it on the radio today, when even the rock bands are polished with a computer till all evidence of a human hand is erased. Give me my music with all the scars, sweat and sweet fuckups that mean more than all the perfect ones and zeros ever will.”–Guy Forsyth
“Listen to the CD after catching a Sideshow Tragedy live show and they sound nearly indistinguishable, though live the band builds an even more raucous affair through the set…they definitely know how to stir the crowd and get folks moving…a young band to keep an eye (and your ears) on.”–Texarkana Gazette
Interview with Rapt Magazine
Itinerant Youth Reviews
Nathan and his band are hardly “sideshow” entertainers — they belong
front and center on the big stage. With the release of “Itinerant
Youth,” we have even more evidence to demonstrate our confidence that
these guys have the goods…passion comes through in spades from the
very first groans to the final notes of this new recording — which
builds on the foundation laid earlier in “Borrowed Guitars, Unwound
Hearts and Broken Strings.”–flanfire.blogspot.com
(Itinerant Youth)is an inspired set of rugged, country-tinged rockers.
Resophonic guitar colors a band that adds electric guitar, drums, and
an occasional piano or banjo. A sharp sound backing solid songwriting.
–Casual Listening
This Austin trio pours it on with a potent mix of Chris Whitley and
Axl Rose (pre-Chinese Democracy). Singer/guitarist Nathan Singleton
is a wizard on the slide and steel guitars while bandmates Jeremy
Harrell (drums) and Justin Wade Thompson (bass) pound out the beats.
Live they are even more impressive, as I found out when I stumbled
across their gig on my way home a few weeks ago.
-Twangville.com
Do you remember the MTV ad back in 1983 or 1984 of the kid sitting in
a big chair with sunglasses on? He’s looking at the TV, his hair is
blowing back in a wind that is coming from the TV and he looks like
he’s going to be blown away. You want to feel that? You want that
sudden sensation of being overwhelmed in a musical experience? Nathan
Singleton & His Sideshow Tragedy have just the medicine you need.
Itinerant Youth, the band’s second album came out in the summer of
2008. Are you ready?
Itinerant Youth has the urgency and lyrical smarts of a Bob Dylan or
Ron Hawkins record, and vacillates from folky blues rock to urgent,
breakneck story songs. Singleton has a talent for sharp, witty lyrics
that are literate and poetic. Musically speaking Itinerant Youth is
full of vibrant songs that take on lives of their own. Singleton &
band have managed to capture a live-feeling sound on CD to top off
well-crafted songs and outstanding musicianship.
My favorite track here is Pascal’s Wager, a condemnation of the sort
of false salvation and narrow-minded understanding that humanity
sometimes imposes on religion. The song is intelligently written,
incredibly musical and performed with an edge that is compelling.
Singleton uses his raspy rocker voice to perfect lengths in a song
that should be a concert favorite for years to come. Leaving Texas is a
quiet and introspective tune about crossing new
horizons. The Ballad Of Stagolee And The Preacher Man is a retelling
of one of the earliest stories about American gang violence. The song
has an urgent quality that lends to credibility and vitality of this
violent tale. The writing here is exquisite in both the storytelling
and the musical expression. Other highlights include The Fog In The
City, Please Forget Me and Thief In The Night.
Nathan Singleton & His Sideshow Tragedy have managed to capture the
zest of a live show on CD, along with top notch songwriting and first
class musicianship. Itinerant Youth is a musical force majeure that
will overtake you if given the chance. In the old days of LP Records
and needles you’d wear this record out. In the modern era the parallel
would be getting Carpel Tunnel Syndrome from continuously hitting the
back button on your mp3 player. Itinerant Youth is not an album you
can afford to miss. It’s a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc,
and an absolute must for your shopping list.
Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)
-wildysworld.blogspot.com
Live Show Review
Littlerocklivemusic.net
Nathan Singleton and his Sideshow Tragedy delivered a performance with
so much verve and energy that words will not fairly describe it. The
Austin-based band rocked the place with what might be called their own
brand of punk-laced Texas rock, but don’t try and pigeonhole this band
– their musical tastes are quite diverse. Singleton is an incredible
guitar player, whose Dobro looked like it had logged a lot of Texas
highway miles. Even the broken string (“luckily it was the high E, so
it didn’t affect me much”) couldn’t slow the virtuoso, whose youthful
appearance belies his road-warrior years. And the inappropriately
named Sideshow Tragedy was anything but — bassist Justin Thompson,
active and rambunctious, was just as much an integral part of the
show, and it was all held together by the strong, rhythmic beat of
Singleton’s long-time musical accompanist, drummer Jeremy Harrell. In
this set, the audience appeared almost stunned, as though they
couldn’t believe what they were seeing. Only the fact that the band
was returning to Austin after 2 weeks of touring prevented a trip to
see them again the following night. And once more, homage was paid to
Matt White and White Water, as Singleton seemed very sincere in his
praise of the venue as his favorite place to play, anywhere.
“Borrowed Guitars” review
Austin Chronicle
Like the unwieldy title of this debut, Nathan Singleton’s music is a
hodgepodge of ideas and sounds. Borrowing from a broad range of other
artists can only work if you’re either extraordinarily talented and/or
possess the cojones not to care while spilling blood all over the
place. While Borrowed Guitars owes most of its success to Singleton’s
attitude, his mix of Chris Whitley, the Waterboys, Dylan, and the Old
97′s is unparalleled, at times joyous, otherwise hoary and dark. With
producer Gabriel Gonzalez (ex-Sparta), the young Austin
singer-songwriter has crafted a true album. Songs like the chugging
“Prisoner” and the stifling gloom of “Cannibal Choir” are well at home
in their surly blues and forlorn country. “After Love” meanders a bit,
and closer “Prayer for a Woman” seems precious after what precedes it,
but Singleton and company have created something that pegs him as a
talent to watch. –Austin Chronicle
