Nate Amos aka This Is Lorelei. (Credit: Gabe Long) Nate Amos is not new to indie music. In addition to being in the art-pop band Water From Your Eyes, he's been putting out literally hundreds of solo songs as This Is Lorelei since 2021. Yet for all of this music—Amos frequently plays every instrument, sings every part—

Nate Amos aka This Is Lorelei. (Credit: Gabe Long) Nate Amos is not new to indie music. In addition to being in the art-pop band Water From Your Eyes, he's been putting out literally hundreds of solo songs as This Is Lorelei since 2021. Yet for all of this music—Amos frequently plays every instrument, sings every part—it is hard to put a finger on exactly who Nate Amos is. Part of the fun of his EPs and singles as This Is Lorelei is they're all over the map, from bedroom synthwave to fuzzy '60s pop to Bruce Hornsby covers. Even on This Is Lorelei's acclaimed first studio album, 2024's Box For Buddy, Box For Star, Amos' playful eclecticism had me wondering if this project was simply his fun place to experiment.That changes on his latest album, The Singer In My Band, his first for famed indie label Matador. Technically it's Amos's second studio album as This Is Lorelei, but it comes off like a strong debut since it's his first release that feels like a complete album rather than a collection of singles. The diverse range of Amos's earlier work is still present, but all the songs are tied together thematically and tonally, sounding like they're all coming from the same place. More from Spin: Update: Oasis Announces 2027 Stadium Tour Riley Green, Zach Top, Garth Brooks Lead Stagecoach ’27 Big Ears Bundles Genre-Blurring Acts For 2027 Bill From the opening strumming of "I Will Eat My Heart in the Morning Light," the album floats along on the charmingly aimless yet still driving momentum. This feels like a road album, both literally (Amos wrote it while touring) and figuratively. The characters in Amos's songs don't know where they're going, but they're always in motion, and his strong ear for memorable melodies makes you happy to go along. This album is the perfect soundtrack for driving without a destination.Each song picks up riders as it goes too. Part of Amos's charm is that his songs seem simple and catchy on first glance, but subtly evolve. Like the single "Oh No Now My" gradually adds layer after layer, turning those four words from a simple reaction to a massive lament with every twitchy, fuzzy noise piled on top of the other. Or how "Hey Sarah, Is It Gonna Rain Forever?" builds from a simple question to a longing desire thanks to zithering stings that fly away, out of sight. Even the title track is a breezy bit of classic country with a bluegrass solo, yet never feels exclusive to either genre since Nate's smiling vocals sound ready to slide into power pop. As before, it's impressive that Amos pretty much does it all—his only guests are his father, Bob Amos, on banjo for a song, and occasional backing vocals from his sister, Sarah Amos, and Water From Your Eyes bandmate/partner Al Nardo—but the real star is his songwriting. Each song is built on a base straight from the Great American Songbook, but with something extra. An anxious guitar. A piano that's perfectly imperfect. A rough edge that marks this as Nate Amos. His lyrics function in a similar fashion, with memorably evocative character snapshots that linger in your brain, like "buddy are you mad or glad that you wound up this bad" or "she gave me needles and a pattern for my heart, but every time I pulled the threads my memory pulled apart."Closing track "Don't You Cry in Lonesomeness" finds the album slowing to a stop, calling to mind Magnetic Fields, who might still be This Is Lorelei's closest sonic comparison since both artists find new takes on classic pop through a modern lens and deadpan wit. Yet at the same time, I could also compare songs to Jeff Tweedy or R.E.M. or Alex G. But for all the artists The Singer In My Band calls to mind, this album is always This Is Lorelei. Only Nate Amos combines it all like this, and now I'm glad we're getting to know him even better. To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, click here.