NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS

Tearing At The Seams ★★★★

No surprise that new soul supremo Nat and his Night Sweats are brimming with confidence on this bold and swaggering follow-up to their million-plus selling self-titled debut. Their horn-bolstered funk-filled sound gets a terrific boost in the instrumental opener Shoe Boot, an invigorating pointer to a fuller, fatter sound. Rousing heart-lifters here include Say It Louder, the Van Morrison-styled Hey Mama and the full-flowing, organstrafed confessional title track.