At the ripe age of 19, many teenagers are shuffling around their university campuses, still deciding which fraternity or sorority to choose among other things like their future career. Not Slater Nalley, though. He’s writing EPs that teleport listeners to an era that’s both recognizable yet intangible, somewhere between the ’50s, when country music was still finding its footing in popular music, moving toward rockabilly and honky-tonk with the likes of Elvis Presley. There is a timeless feel to this era of music, with crisp, clear melodies that support him rather than drown him out.
These attributes set the framework for his debut EP, Hey Georgia, where a medley of soul and country bones is accentuated by whining pedal steel and acoustic brushes, and is seeped in cavernous, amped guitars and quick-stepped piano clicks.
What’s striking is that this EP was developed just two years after Slater started his career, a time when most artists are still refining their craft. Yet you can already tell he’s found his identity and sound. It is surely one that will turn the heads of Gen Zers who are unaccustomed to the weathered tone of an angsty teenager, and of baby boomers, as they’re sent back to an age of phonographs and radio.
However, rather than playing the doppelganger and larping as the second coming of John Mayer or Morgan Wallen, he’s developing something intrinsically his own. There’s an immediate warmth to Slater Nalley’s latest, retro and vintage, with just a subtle modern fringe around the edges. While we probably don’t get the full extent of his range on this EP, the lack thereof opens the door to future exploration for this young artist.
Nalley also manages to escape the fate most newcomers fall victim to: melodies that are repetitive even across smaller projects. That said, his old-school, retro sound creates a few barriers to entry for passive listeners immersed in today’s autotuned, highly produced music. This landscape pigeonholes the EP’s standout value for the modern consumer into two overtly eye-catching singles, based on melody alone: “So Into It” and “These Please.”
“So Into It,” specifically, is an irresistible bop. It reels you in with slick acoustics, rolling into an upbeat drum beat that gives way to a wave of layered guitars. It’s a highly delectable, formulaic build that Slater capitalizes on and should continue to.
With support from a small team of country-soul writers (Ben Chapman, Anderson East, Geoff Warburton, Hank Compton, and Ilsey Juber), Nalley equips listeners with the tools to contextualize storylines of relationship toxicity, drinking problems away, and being hung up on a girl. These aren’t inherently nuanced beats, they feel refreshing and sparkly when supported by his soulful drawl, the choir-like echo of backing vocals, and production that matches it.
Slater Nalley’s six-track EP stands out in a crowd of newcomers who are following in the footsteps of legends past, as well as current players in the game. He brings newer generations highly digestible songwriting, paired with a detailed quality attuned to a classic stylistic approach. He is certainly an artist to watch, one who should turn heads and keep classic country relevant in the modern-day limelight for years to come.
