THERE'S STILL HOPE Although it's been a very long time coming, it seems the wait is over and the first solo album from Nato (a.k.a. Nate Orshan), Roomful Of Fans (Mighty Winooski Music, 1998) is now in our hot little hands. Falling into the ever-enjoyable-but-oh-so-vague category of eclectic pop, our closest point of reference here would be Elvis Costello, although Nato seems to have a strong enough grasp of his voice to hold his own against the influence of his influences, delivering a pleasant record chock-full of meticulously crafted songs. The best of the bunch here tend to succeed with a combination of clever lyricism and curiously interesting instrumentation (with most everything played here by Mr. Orshan himself). "From The Noise" vies with "Aide and Seek" for catchiest number, with further competition heating up between "Run Away" and "Luiza." I think at times a couple of these numbers get a little out of control for my tastes, but you've got to give Nato a ton of credit of taking the kind of risks he takes on this record, combining electronics and instruments with a wide variety of song styles on a broad aural palette. Check out the chorus of "Bom-Bom," the intro to "Over My Shoulder," and the chorus to "Monkey" for examples of Nato's sheer bravery. As the focus here is definitely on the songs, it's nice to know that Nato can deliver the goods, twisting each turn of phrase with his uncannily enunciated singing style. What a concept! A record where you can make out all the words! Obviously Nato takes enough pride in his words to include them in the booklet, too. Thanks. Hopefully, this disc will spawn more than a roomful of fans, and perhaps another batch of songs as well. Check it out. Did I mention that it looks great, too? Well, it does. Kudos and congrats, Nato, it was worth waiting for.

VERMONT TIMES APRIL 21, 1999