Time's All Gone

Nick Waterhouse’s first full-length LP is a dynamite-laced collection of über-cool, hip-grinding R&B. In 2011, the California native released an outstanding EP, Is That Clear, which paved the way for an Acura commercial in 2012 and no small amount of adoration from vintage rock enthusiasts around the country. Waterhouse pays meticulous attention to detail, in everything from the vintage analog recording process to his soulful, honey-throated background singers and early-‘60s sartorial tastes. Newer songs—like the sexy “Say I Wanna Know” (the Acura track), “If You Want Trouble,” and the two-part raucous rave-up “Time’s All Gone”—beautifully complement the EP tracks (“Some Place,” “I Can Only Give You Everything,” and “Is That Clear”) in creating a lusty set of tunes that sound like the lovechild of Howlin’ Wolf, Buddy Holly, and The Black Keys. The honking, squawking saxophones, sultry backup vocals, and blues-soaked guitar and organ are driven by Waterhouse’s great sense of timing—he knows precisely how long to pause before blasting a dirty guitar riff or letting a sax belch. Sublime.