North Carolina's
Nathan Bowles
is a journeyman multi-instrumentalist who has consistently flown under the radar despite a long and varied career. Best known for his drumming and banjo playing, he has been a member of the cult experimental folk bands
the Black Twig Pickers
and
Pelt
and collaborated with
Steve Gunn
,
Joan Shelley
Jake Xerxes Fussell
, and many others.
Bowles
has also released numerous projects of his own that usually combine minimalist Appalachian-inspired folk music with drone, psychedelia, and other avant-garde styles. His most recent project was
Keys
, a largely instrumental banjo and guitar duo album with similarly prolific Chicagoan
Bill MacKay
that came out in 2021.
Are Possible
, his second release for
Drag City
, sees him working in trio format with double bassist
Casey Toll
and drummer
Rex McMurry
. With
primarily on banjo, the band is an effective and organic unit, building tightly composed pieces into energetic improvisations that echo folk, jazz, Appalachian, and even rock music. The six pieces, which range between four and almost ten minutes in length, are surprisingly approachable, melodic even, while still bearing all the wild tangents and emotions of group spirit. Unlike some of his earlier solo outings, this is very much a collaborative effort, justly credited to the
Nathan Bowles Trio
. At their most locked-in, the group creates intricate hivemind grooves like on "The Ternions" or the borderline-funky "Top Button." Every now and then, another instrument makes a cameo, most notably the autumnal flute on standout "Our Air," but for the most part the songs consist of banjo, bass, and drums interacting naturally in the room. At 9:26, closer "Aims" is the longest and most meditative of the tracks, meandering through folk-drone sections, breakdowns, and builds. It's a lovely record with a lot of personality and passion that showcases a rarely heard instrumental combo. ~ Timothy Monger