You can draw something of a straight line from early rock ‘n roll to punk rock. The two styles share a love of the loud-and-simple, which makes them perfect for the live setting. Nick Waterhouse grew up in the L.A. area as a huge fan of R&B and early rock greats like Ike Turner and Van Morrison, but his shows can veer towards sweaty abandon. His 2012 debut, Time’s All Gone, led to critical acclaim and national tours, but Waterhouse concedes it took its toll.
After returning to L.A., he set about developing Holly, which saw a release earlier this year. Waterhouse takes a darker turn on the record, crafting an album-length narrative that takes to task some of the vapid stereotypes that populate L.A. Still, he leaves room for an inspired cover, tackling “It #1” by Ty Segall, the noted Southern California psych-punk who’s lent his drumming skills to previous Waterhouse projects in the past. While the original is a furious blast, Waterhouse’s “It No. 3” turns the song into a noir-ish slow-burn, full of banging piano and his trademark croon.
You can catch Nick Waterhouse today at Waterloo Records at 5pm and tonight at the Parish at 9pm.
