Posted on: September 26, 2022 Posted by: Kim Muncie Comments: 0

Paul Nourigat isn’t going to let the world and life he loves sink down the drain, if that’s where it’s headed, without saying something about it. His EP collection of demos Complex Truths presents listeners with three tracks that tackle modern life with unsparing contempt for anything that strikes Nourigat as limiting individual potential.

Potential is a wide thing. It’s potential for happiness, material success, and decision-making mundane and large, and Nourigat sees a world full of forces set on undermining us. He identifies humanity’s first crew of enemies, as he sees them, in the track “Natural Stupidity”. Backing vocals sweeten his otherwise dark message and the slight off-kilter harmonies occurring inflames the song’s simmering discontent.

It has the most restrained musical approach of the EP’s three demos. There’s no ridiculous figurative chest beating, no peacock strutting around.  Nourigat’s lyrical ire, however, has studied restraint at best, the sort someone takes when they try measuring their words for maximum effect. There’s no fat at all in Nourigat’s writing but, instead, a laser-focused habit of cutting to the core of his contempt.

The contempt receives a more boisterous treatment in the EP’s second demo “Bad Cannot Be Good”. One of the central tenets underlying his songwriting is the notion that humanity is ill-served by those we have allowed to lead us. He provides the song with the ideal vocal and musical arrangement and never slips once into any sort of pseudo-virtuosity.

BANDCAMP: https://paulnourigat.bandcamp.com/album/demos-for-complex-truths-nov-1st-release

“These Old People” is a sort of character study, albeit of a group, and provides listeners with commentary of a kind about their challenges and travails. It delivers a romping blues/pseudo-country music attack that belies the song’s aged subject matter. The earthiness of this one is a lot of fun and Nourigat  clearly enjoys it.

The joy bleeds over into listener’s experience of the demos. He’s presented listeners with, demos or not, a more less finished musical product. There are additional releases from Nourigat in the offing, as well, so no one can say he’s some one-time fad or a shooting star destined to burn out in short order. Something has reached from within Paul Nourigat and demands to be heard – he’s responding to the times we live in, yes, but there is so much more. It’s music we can see all around us, acted out, in our lives.

There will be more to come. Nourigat isn’t going to stop here, as said before, and setting off his career in such a way sets the tone for everything to follow. He has the talents necessary for taking him anywhere and the convictions that will inspire people to follow. Paul Nourigat’s Complex Truths may not have much in the way of simplicity, but they are truths that each of us need to hear. Truths that each of us should already know. He’ll keep sharing the truth as he sees it, there’s no doubt, but the question is how long will anyone continue to listen?  Kim Muncie

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