Missouri-born Israel Nash Gripka was last heard of in New York City, but Rain Plains, his third solo collection, finds him embracing the wide open spaces of Texas, where he has laid his hat on a ranch – no doubt in a suitably remote location. The tone is melancholy, almost wistful, with bursts of guitar-fuelled fever. Gripka's sound is redolent of Neil Young circa 1970s: layered harmonies, steel guitar, harmonica and a slew of guitars. And his voice at times is uncannily like Young's, though in fairness this might be due to the arrangements, delicious as they are in their datedness. Indeed, those who told me of beating a retreat from the white noise of Young's recent Dublin gig will find solace in Gripka's Irish gigs, including Whelan's in Dublin tonight. Songs such as Woman at the Well, Rain Plains, Through the Door and Rexan Marum deserve a welcoming audience. israelnash.com
Download: Woman at the Well, Through the Door