Small Doses

For the past couple of years, I've been writing songs that I will start releasing home recordings of in a new "album" on Bandcamp called Small Doses.  I hope to add a song every month or so.  I'm thinking of them as demos and may rerecord them later.  They'll be free for at least a little while and I'll spread the word on Twitter and Instagram, tyring to keep the noise to a minimum.  If you care, stay tuned and enjoy.  If you want to support my recordings, buy some of my songs on Bandcamp and the proceeds will go into my mixing and mastering budget.  I started off with a new song called "Come Alive".  Enjoy.

Nate
March 4, 2018.

Nothing in Return

I'm excited to announce the release of Nothing in Return on March 11, 2015.  It's a split cassingle with Nathan Golub being released by GFR Tapes.  Golub's side features a new song, "Liberty Drive-In" and our side has two new songs "Blossom Nomad" and "For the Voiceless" recorded by Nate Tarr with Nathan Golub on pedal steel.  Tapes will be available from Harvest Records, Chaz's Bull City Records, All Day Records, Nice Price Books in Raleigh, and online through GFR Tapes.  Digital downloads will be available through Bandcamp.

Keyboard cam
The Indy did a little feature on us.


We're playing an EP release show Friday May 2 at the Pinhook in Durham, NC w/ Stuart Edwards (of Old Bricks fame) and Nathan Golub (solo).  There's also an awesome show before ours that starts at 6pm w/ Marisa Anderson and Ama Divers.  Chris Girard is pulling double duty in Ama Divers and with Stuart, and Brian from Ama Divers recorded our record.


We're releasing an Ep on Churchkey Records on April 22, 2014.   We are really stoked on it and hope that you'll want to pick it up!
Photo by WBS
I did an interview with a nice fella from Pittsburgh for his blog.  Thanks Hugh!

-Nate
Opening for Barton at the Pinhook on Oct 23rd 2013.  His new record is fantastic.






Head On Management Hopscotch day party 2013.




For the past few months I've been working on writing a new EP.  Hopefully more to come on this soon.

-February 2013 




             From August 25, 2012 at the Pinhook.
Nate did an interview with Shuffle Magazine
Steeple Vultures review from the Triangle Music Blog
Shuffle Magazine reviewed Steeple Vultures.



The Independent Weekly liked Steeple Vultures.
Steve Oliva does it again.  CD release show.  June 9 at the Pinhook.

A Crass Menagerie

What we look like in 2012.  Photo with Golub's bad taxidermy collection by WBS.

The Dirty Version

In 1999 I was hanging out with my friend Zachary Mull at a record store when he bought a book of tab for Springsteen songs.  As a politi-punk who only associated Springsteen with 80's jocks and Born in the USA (this was before Springsteen's come back mind you), I was at first confused but trusted Zach's expertise on the subject.  In the next few weeks WBS made me a few mixed tapes and I was way into it.  We started a Springsteen cover band (The Boss) with Krystal, Zach, and WBS.  I learned to play drums for the band and it was WBS and Krystal's first band.  The idea was to do it as newby's (except that we needed Zach's to hold it together).  We played one show of covers and then decided to become The Dirty Version and write original stuff.  We played for a couple years, hardly playing out at all, until Krystal and I moved to Pittsburgh.  It was a lot of fun; they are awesome people.  We recorded 2 demos, but I did an awful job recording the second one so I'll refrain from sharing it to spare us all the embarrassment.  But Zach has posted the first demo here and I've got to say that I like it more now than at the time, despite it's/our flaws.  You should also check out Zach's solo stuff (Romance Novels) and his defunct band, The Dawn Chorus.  He is a great songwriter, fo realz.  I also have a wonderful video of the disastrous Boss show and hope to one day get it from dvd to youtube or some shit.

-natetarr, June 1, 2012.
Shuffle Magazine is previewing a song from our new record!

Tuff & Tender

Krystal got a bandcamp site together for her solo stuff from a few years back.  Check it.

One in a dozen

Paste Magazine says we are one of 12 NC bands you should listen to but we think we are one of about 30 NC bands you should listen to.

Things are moving forward nicely with Steeple Vultures, my next release. We have the cover art done, the recording finished, and a release date: June 12, 2012. Steve Oliva printed up the covers and they look amazing. Keep your eye on him as his posters and art blow up www.kitchenislandshowprint.com. The cover was drawn and designed by Chris Wright and he don't disappoint. The recording will be available digitally through Churchkey Records and we'll have a limited number of hard copies for sale. I'm really excited about sharing this one.

photo by the WBS.  Nightlight, Chapel Hill 2011.

Churchkey Records Comes Through

As some of you know, a new Wood Ear release has been in the works for way, way too long. Circumstance, preoccupation, and occasional lack of motivation during the last 2 years have kept me from finally just getting my shit together and getting the record out. Well, the good folks at Churchkey Records have put the wind back in my sails by offering to help by releasing Steeple Vultures in the spring. It will be a seven song cd with a limited number of hand-screened covers made. Sort of like the last release but better. The last 3 songs have been recorded, and I'll be mixing them soon so look for a release date in the next 2 or 3 months.

-natetarr
january 3, 2012


Live recording 7/1/2010

Two of Durham's finest institutions are the Pinhook Bar and Chaz's Bull City Records. I had the pleasure of once again playing a show at the Pinhook on July 1, 2010 and fortunately Chaz decided to tape it with some sort of low key cassette tape recorder that was never seen nor heard nor plugged into a board or anything. There was just Chaz standing there and somehow a decent recording afterwards that he posted on his blog. Maybe Chaz IS a cassette tape recorder and he's too embarrassed to admit it. I'm onto him.... Take a listen at www.bullcityrecords.com/wnng/.

The Hard Way Ep





The Hard Way was my first recording as wood ear. I recorded it in a rush (1 day) just trying to get a record of some songs I'd written. In the end though, I was stoked enough on the recording to print off 100 copies, which are now long gone unless maybe School Kids, Chaz's, or CD Alley has any left. The cover art is from an old postcard that my friend Chris Wright (seldomwright.com) made and Ron Liberti was kind enough to print up the jackets.