Salim Nourallah
(Tapete)
Salim Nourallah may be pop's best-kept secret, a consequence of the fact that he's responsible for some of the most enticing music of the decade, and yet he's still all but unknown. Operating out of the relatively quiet confines of Dallas, Texas, which also happens to be the birthing place for sometime collaborators the Old 97s and Rhett Miller's individual activities, Nourallah has accumulated an ongoing catalog of worthy releases, from his early efforts with brother Faris under the guise of the Nourallah Brothers and their sole eponymous album, to his more upbeat outings with his bands the Happiness Factor and the Polaroids - the albums Self Improvement? and Pleasantry Lane, respectively.
Fortunately though, it's not too late for the uninitiated because two recent releases give ample opportunity to get to know Nourallah. An outtakes compilation, Ciphers From Snowing, is well worth investigation, even if its tracks were recorded in '06 and ‘07. Mostly mellow, its pulsating rhythms complement themes of earnest contemplation. Still, to get a real feel for Nourallah's pop prowess, its best to fast forward to his latest opus, Constellation, an album that showcases his keen melodic prowess and ability to craft songs that are quietly but consistently compelling. Nourallah's wistful, occasionally woozy vocals and slightly circumspect song style bring frequent comparison to Ray Davies and the Kinks, as evidenced on the lovely "Western Hills" and the sweet, softly tinted "Pictures Collected," which borrows both its title and theme of nagging nostalgia from "Picture Book," originally recorded for the Kinks' classic Village Green Preservation Society.
No matter though; Nourallah's ability to tap that template finds him meshing gentle sentiment and poignant, plaintive desire. "Stranger in My Own Skin," "In the Blink of an Eye," "Don't Mind Me," and "Saint Georges" evoke an aura of lofty ideals colliding with dashed expectations, as evidenced in the descriptively dubbed "The Wrong Road." "Do you ever get the feeling your life could have been something better, more appealing from what it became?" he queries sadly. Given the effusive beauty that radiates from this wonderful Constellation, that's a question Nourallah needn't worry himself with.
Standout Tracks: "Western Hills,"
"Pictures Collected," "Saint Georges" LEE ZIMMERMAN
