The Nth Power: Abundance (2015)

The Nth Power came out with a strong showing for its first album Abundance. The album is a showcase for lead singer Nick Cassarino, the drumming Nikki Glaspie and the bass playing of Nate Edgar. Really, it showed how a group of diverse people and players could get together and support a project.

It is not a religious album but it has a spiritual feel and returns to themes of God in the lyrics and in the song titles (Walk on the Water, Holy Rain, Altar Call.)  And, the voice of lead singer Nick Cassarino rages like someone who was raised in the church.

After the band warms up on the instrumental, Intro, they tear into Only Love, a song heard on their tour with lyrics like, “Can I still hear God? Can I still obey?” A nice R&B tune.

Walk on the Water opens with a Nick Cassarino acoustic guitar and Weedie Braimah’s percussion drums. The song is a medium to slow groove and once again Nick Cassarino’s vocals. A lead singer is like an actor; he has to believe his lines or his audience wouldn’t believe his performance. Likewise, a lead singer must believe the lyrics; and Nick Cassarino believes these lyrics and sings with conviction! (It helps that he wrote most of the songs.)

Nick Cassarino sings his heart out on Could it Be supported by drummer Nikki Glaspie on the high hat. Nick Cassarino passes it on to keyboard player Nigel Hall and there is great interplay between drummer Glaspie and Nigel Hall. Towards the last third of the song, Nick Cassarino, who is also the guitarist brings in his rock guitar.

Right Now, another one of those songs the Nth Power worked out on tour, comes in with Weedie Braimah’s congas and Nikki Glaspie drums. It has a funky Latin feel with some excellent bass playing by Nate Edgar.

Holy Rain is a slow jam which wishes for more peaceful times with some professional drumming by Nikki Glaspie and once again lead singer Nick Cassarino sings with the inflection of a church singer.

The bands’ name Nth Power comes from the preponderance of the letter N in their names – drummer Nikki Glaspie, lead singer Nick Cassarino, bass player Nate Edgar and keyboard player Nigel Hall. No ‘N’ in his name, but Weedie Braimah is on percussions.

One of the N's, Nigel Hall, has since moved on, so if you see them on tour, say Hi to new keyboard player Courtney Smith.