By Anthony Mclaude, Rock At Night Philadelphia
Review: Nathan’s Brother album Spot On-January 4, 2021
Though musicians have shined in sharing the spotlight with their respective bandmates, Nathan’s Brother (Maurice van der Linden) who prides himself as a one-man show doesn’t seem too interested in fame as history reveals most famous music groups break up due to jealousy, conflict, and overshadowing the stage.
His debut album, Spot On is an intimate collection of recordings that sheds light on failed romances and relationships that the reclusive singer/songwriter has been in and out of without a dire stroke of luck.
Incorporating thought into the opening track, “Mind at Ease”, it expresses a feel good rote groove with comfortable vocals that piece together a story about a busy disadvantaged man in need of discovering a solution to his busybody lifestyle that forces him to be “always on the run” with no time to think.
“Front Man Veto” on the other side is pure instrumental grunge while the record is still spinning in its changing rotation, breaking a middle ground and causing the album to have two polar halves, the second half for more experimental jams. Nathan’s Brother as his own full band purposely titled this track, “Front Man Veto”. The reclusive one-man frontman exercised his decision of refusing to draw back towards a familiar collaborative past.
Then there’s the applauded curtain call to end the penultimate British-folk rock song, “Echoes of Goodbye”, whose name exudes an emotional subject matter of saying “goodbye;” a final parting of an intimate lovers voice now estranged and echoing through the mind of an enduring heart, yet broken man. Like the expressive lyrics of “I’m out of yours, but you’re never out of mind,” he continues to have many lonely days and wasted praise of an injustice to wait on something that may never be again.
SPOTIFY
https://open.spotify.com/album/59oyNhovoMSvk4iM7pWLku?si=VawVQ2JbSTC7mbYdS-pn-Q&nd=1
Growing up as a child in a Christian household raised by a single mother and grandmother during the 1990s was such an awe-inspiring adventure. In his Elementary School days, he took a feeling of attraction towards rock ‘n’ roll music as he heard "Beast of Burden" by The Rolling Stones, and "Don’t Let Me Down" by The Beatles playing from his uncle’s 1970 Chevy Malibu garage. Records by Madonna, Alanis Morissette, the Fugees, and Lil Suzy were also being played throughout the house by his mother, dressed in a black leather biker jacket and who would occasionally put the radio on blast.
In 7th grade back in 2002/2003 school year, Mclaude had written the number-one narrative story amongst the class and caught the attention of his then teacher, Mrs. DeFeo as she called him upfront and said “Anthony, your story on ‘The Volcano King’ is incredible. You should be a writer.” Ever since that day, Mclaude in his rebel without a cause era has always kept those words in mind as a way to keep pushing himself past the limits. As fifteen years past, he enrolled himself in Cumberland County College studying journalism and wrote for the university’s Award-Winning Newspaper, The Voice as he grew as a creative and tenacious reporter with a nose for news, and a passion for community journalism. In spite of the blessings outshining the hard times, he received the opportunity to be a staff writer for a local news outlet, The People’s Press of Millville, where he has written five articles, two press releases, page growth, and has received encouraging feedback from the community.
Today he is currently working for the magazines of Eclectic Shades and Rock at Night.
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