The Moat

The Moat is a six-song song-cycle that explores the inherent contradiction of what a "moat" is: A fortification of self-protection, safety, and security? Or a defensive structure necessitated by a fear of the outside world?

Each of the songs in The Moat excavates this dichotomy with emotional immediacy, linguistic rigor, and a variety of musical landscapes—from the rollicking, upbeat swings and surges in “Works for Me” and “That Too”; to the jazz-inflected, discursive inner-searching of “True” and “Your Fault”; to the icy, electronic balladry in “Night in Day”; to “Proof,” a soaring, treatise on how the self changes—and must always change—over time.

As a whole, The Moat is an exploration of armor and vulnerability, hiding and exposure, insularity and outreach—all with the goal of deepening our knowledge of who we are in the world.

Nathaniel Bellows: Acoustic guitar and vocals
Michael Coleman: Piano, organ, Wurlitzer
Ian Davis: Bass, electric guitar
Kid Millions: Drums
Michael Hammond: Electronics/Sound Design on “Night in Day”
Engineered, mixed, and mastered by Michael Hammond
Recorded at Figure 8 Recording, Brooklyn, NY

REVIEW : Americana Highways
”Made up of six tracks, high points on The Moat include the opener, “That Too,” a drifting bluesy folk song colored by tints of gospel flavors. A softly braying organ and darker, rolling piano infuse the melody with a rippling surface as Bellows’ grainy vocals imbue the lyrics with intense passion.”

REVIEW: Prism Reviews
”If you find yourself seeking personal truth and shared experience as if you’re a scientist, you might really like this deep and resounding work of art.”