Singled Out: “The Darkest Hour,” by Nate Sabat

If you only know Nate Sabat from the killer bluegrass band Mile Twelve, get ready for a whole new sonic landscape. Nate released his debut solo project, “Walking Away,” on November 30, and we’re pleased to feature “The Darkest Hour” here at Red Line Roots.

Of the song, Nate says that it was “inspired by my love for Scandinavian folk music. Some of the tunes have this deranged, angular quality that I had never heard before, and it’s something I tried to capture on this track. Originally the story of the song centered around a father teaching his son to not be afraid of the dark, as the winter sun only graced the sky a few hours each day. But as I began crafting the overarching narrative for the EP, it made more sense for the father figure in the song to play more of a god-like role, and the darkness to be more metaphorical.”

Nate really captures that broader sense, both lyrically and musically. The song is soft and bold at the same time and it’s this breadth that makes it really enjoyable to revisit. Check out the song, and you can find the EP here. And, you should know that you can catch Nate at Club Passim on February 21!
Photo Credit: Kelly Davidson