Nathaniel Bellows has been making his mark as an accomplished poet, novelist and virtual artist. Based in New York, Bellows has been widely published, but until now has kept his music pretty close to the chest. For example, he initially recorded his upcoming album, The Old Illusions, privately, for his ears only, and it wasn’t until composer Sarah Kirkland Snider heard the tucked away recordings and encouraged Bellows to re-record them with full production that the album came to fruition. The songs on the album are emotional and personal, and are a clear reflection of his poetic inclinations. Now, you can hear one of the tracks from The Old Illusions, “Oh, Now.”

“Oh, Now” is a dynamic song, with steady guitar and complex lyrics. There are moments of beautiful imagery: “evening comes like bleeding ink/ the palest pink gives into bruising/ genius dying drink by drink/ I like to think it’s not my doing.” There are also moments that take you back into far away memory: “Oh, Now/ the curtain’s lifted/ bring out your dumb and your gifted/ they’ll choose whom to believe.” The song reflects a questioning spirit, as Bellows seems to set the very world he lives in to task. The profound lyrics are accompanied by a steady guitar, but by the end of the song the instrumentals sound more forced, Bellows voice more desperate than before. This is an incredibly complex track that requires more than one listen– each time you play it you will discover something new. Bellows’ lyrics can be taken apart and interpreted how you wish. This track is a wonderful departure from the common, cookie-cutter songs, and will leave you wanting more.

Give “Oh, Now” a listen below.