Description
Nathaniel Rateliff – In Memory Of Loss – Double 180 Gram Vinyl Record
Deluxe Edition. First time on vinyl. 180 Gram Double LP
Released on May 4, 2010, In Memory of Loss is Nathaniel Rateliff’s debut solo album, issued in the United States by Rounder Records and later released in the United Kingdom by Decca in March 2011. Recorded with producer Brian Deck (of Iron & Wine fame), the sessions marked a turning point for Rateliff, who had previously been performing more personal, sombre material both on his own and with his band Born in the Flood. Backed by a rotating ensemble—including Joseph Pope III on bass and Julie Davis on upright bass and vocals—the album captures Rateliff stepping fully into his role as a singer-songwriter, crafting a cohesive statement out of intimate, character-driven songs.
In Memory of Loss inhabits a space between neo-folk minimalism and soul-tinged rock. Across its thirteen tracks, Rateliff’s warm, earnest voice floats over sparse arrangements—acoustic guitars, restrained percussion, and occasional horn flourishes—evoking a sense of melancholic nostalgia. The album’s sound hints at the music he grew up on—Van Morrison’s introspective lyricism, Muddy Waters’ bluesy grit, and The Beatles’ melodic sensibility—yet remains rooted in Rateliff’s own storytelling voice. Critics noted the record’s timeless quality, with Time Out New York declaring that Rateliff conjures “the ghosts of Nick Drake and Gram Parsons,” and Concord Records describing it as a work of “soulful minimalism” that feels both “fresh and classic”.
The album traverses themes of longing, heartbreak, and the passage of time. Standout tracks such as “Early Spring Till” and “You Should’ve Seen the Other Guy” pair vivid narrative details with Rateliff’s impassioned delivery, while songs like “Longing and Losing” and “A Lamb on the Stone” explore the darker undercurrents of love and regret. Although the album did not spawn mainstream hits, its deeply felt performances and evocative songwriting earned it a dedicated following among listeners drawn to its unvarnished emotional core.
In Memory of Loss has come to be appreciated as the foundational document of Rateliff’s artistic identity—a blueprint for the soulful, communal spirit he would later bring to prominence with The Night Sweats. Its remixed and remastered 2017 double-LP vinyl edition, pressed on 180-gram vinyl and featuring two bonus tracks (“You Make All the Noise” and “Pounds and Pounds”), reaffirmed the album’s enduring resonance and introduced its haunting beauty to a new generation of fans.
Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic sealed
Track Listing
Once In A Great While
Early Spring Till
We Never Win
Brakeman
Longing And Losing
Oil & Lavender
Shroud
You Should’ve Seen The Other Guy
Whimper And Wail
Boil & Fight
When We Could
A Lamb On The Stone
When You’re Here
Happy Just To Be
Laughing
You Make All The Noise
Pounds And Pounds
