»You’re not passionate at all and that’s all on you.«
– Nourished by Time in »Max Potential«
The story goes that Robert Pollard – mastermind of iconic lo-fi indie group Guided by Voices – once dreamed of countless ’60s records that didn’t actually exist. So he set out to record these fictional albums with GBV. That these songs rarely sound like actual ’60s music, and instead remix and reframe the spirit of that era, is what makes records like Bee Thousand (1994) or Alien Lanes (1995) so compelling.
Marcus Brown chose the name Nourished by Time in reference to Guided by Voices. And while his music doesn’t sound much like Pollard’s, his approach feels oddly similar: his songs play like hazy, warped recordings from a past that never quite existed – in this case, the 1980s – but still use the sonic language of that time to create something entirely new.
Related reviews
R&B hasn’t exactly thrilled me in recent years. But The Passionate Ones, the outstanding second album from Nourished by Time, might just be my album of the year. Brown’s debut Erotic Probiotic 2 already offered a strange but compelling mix of ’80s aesthetics. Now, at 29, he’s become one of the most exciting voices in the genre. Or rather: beyond the genre. The Passionate Ones only loosely fits into R&B. It’s full of left turns: »Max Potential« features a sample that sounds like the Cocteau Twins, »BABY BABY« has him rapping over chaotic Baltimore club rhythms. The strongest influences, though, come from New Wave and Synth Pop – and that’s what makes this record such a thrilling reinterpretation of R&B.
Escaping the Hustle with Feeling
Other recent artists have dabbled in this exact blend – Mk.gee and Dijon, for example, who frequently collaborate, or Bon Iver’s new record SABLE, fABLE, which also channels a soft-lit ’80s glow. But Nourished by Time takes it further. His songs sound like forgotten radio hits playing from under a pillow: shimmering synths, muffled drums, soft-focus nostalgia. The Passionate Ones is sonically subdued – but emotionally explosive. »When The War Is Over« tears me apart.
What’s striking is how Brown’s crooner-style voice mirrors the album’s sonic world: slightly muted (in the best possible way), but still capable of expressing massive emotional swings.
The album title is a nod to Prince’s »The Beautiful Ones«, a song that shares a similar tone and aesthetic. For Brown, passion is everything. »Low on money, quite high on passion,« he sings on »BABY BABY«. And on »Max Potential«: »If I’m gonna go insane, at least I’m loved by you.«
Passion here isn’t just an aesthetic or emotional device. It’s a response to helplessness. »Working restaurants by day, writing love songs every night.« Brown has pushed through awful side jobs and failed career moves. I see myself in that persistence – and in the politically conscious tone of The Passionate Ones. Helplessness is easy. Passion is power. As the album ends, Brown keeps repeating the title like a mantra. Here’s hoping the passionate ones win.
