by Ljubinko Zivkovic (@zivljub)
Gathering a staunch cult following with a band, dropping out for a while, and then coming up with a brief solo record (an EP or mini-album, whichever way you want to look at it) is not exactly the easiest route. Yet that is exactly the route Nate Terepka is taking with his latest five song outing Not Yet. Add to that the fact that the five songs we are talking about here are quite personal, needing to relate to a prospective audience in their entirety, and there could be a serious problem.
Still, it seems Terepka didn’t see or feel that as an issue. In the previous decade he co-fronted Brooklyn psychedelic pop band Zula, that had many critics as fans, and a firm but small fan base. When the band went their separate ways in 2019, Terepka moved to Oregon and devoted his time to teaching music. Something went on in his personal life that accumulated and turned into new music, with the five songs here being the result. While that to some might seem as slim pickings, the results amount to much more that a brief EP, as the quality of Terepka’s songwriting and presentation (including mixing, mastering and production) here is worth more than some artists would present on a double album.
Every song here, from the opener “Find Me Where You Look” with its seemingly simple synth intro and structured vocal harmonies, to the piano-led closer “Saying It” is at one hand, carefully constructed, but on the other stuffed with personal emotional details that are presented in such a manner that they are not only exceptional pop songs, but can easily relate to practically any listener that gets in touch with them. The best example of Terepka’s “simple” complexity is “Silence” with so many intricate details but with a strong melody that carries it all the way. Not Yet might be a sign of a great return, and we hope Terepka will continue to teach music along the way.