Review Summary: A satisfying continuation to the story
Nate Feuerstein, better known as NF, has poured his depression, anxiety, and everything else he has into his music for more than ten years. Before this, we received The Search, a record saying Nate’s dream, which he had just accomplished, did not satisfy him like he hoped. Three years after that, fans received the mixtape Clouds, which, while it was a good mixtape as a whole, left fans longing for more. Now, four years later, with a new label behind it, NF has released Hope, an LP that portrays exactly what the title suggests, Hope.
As summarized in the opening/ title track, Hope’s main message is giving hope to all of those who are at an ‘all time low’, with indirect encouragement such as “If I had never reached rock bottom would i be the person I’m today?/ I don’t believe so”. This shows that NF has grown out of his sorrow and into a happier person.
As a result of this, his music has changed. Songs like Careful sound a lot more like what hip-hop has evolved into in modern times, but fortunately there are still a lot of unique NF moments that wrap this album together. Pandemonium is the greatest example of this, as it goes through with Mr. Feuerstein speaking his mind for the entire song.
As for gems, there are some a-tier songs on Hope, mainly in the first half of the record. Motto slowly chugs through with engaging lyrics that will have you letting loose that skip button, and Mama is a touching song with a moral that says that at the end of the day, we will want our loved ones back. However, despite these being great songs, Happy steals the spotlight here. Happy is a simply gorgeous track about letting loose and being, well, happy. To summarize, the song says, “Although you may be more ‘comfortable’ feeling upset, it’s always just best to be happy”. That message is complete with Nate’s… singing voice.
On a personal note, I really hope that this album gains just as much popularity as his previous records. It may seem less interesting on account of Nate’s sorrow gone, but it’s important to recognize that he is an actual PERSON, not a figure. He shouldn’t have to stay depressed just to please his fans. It’s great that he feels better about himself, and that he has gone on to live a steady life with his wife and children. NF certainly has given us much, and, if he decides to close his career with this album, it would certainly be a happy ending.
