Nate Parrish is offering listeners a punk rock outlet for the challenges of being human with 'That's Just Life.' The single, which was produced by Josiah Prince of Disciple, is streaming everywhere now and going for adds at radio.
“This song is born out of pure frustration. During these last 2 years, I have experienced significant loss. The phrase ‘that’s just life’ kept creeping up behind me, and I became content with the struggles of life,” the songwriter and multi-instrumentalist explains. “This is nothing new, this is expected, and I don’t... Read MoreNate Parrish is offering listeners a punk rock outlet for the challenges of being human with 'That's Just Life.' The single, which was produced by Josiah Prince of Disciple, is streaming everywhere now and going for adds at radio.
“This song is born out of pure frustration. During these last 2 years, I have experienced significant loss. The phrase ‘that’s just life’ kept creeping up behind me, and I became content with the struggles of life,” the songwriter and multi-instrumentalist explains. “This is nothing new, this is expected, and I don’t need to try and buffer the pain with statements like ‘all things work together for the good.’ Sometimes, bad things happen, and that's it. But that doesn’t mean we lose hope or that God isn’t real. ‘That’s Just Life’ is basically the sonic equivalent of punching a hole in the wall.”
Nate Parrish’s raw punk sound is the perfect medium for delivering that cathartic release. As Nate and Josiah Prince traded ideas, they landed on a track worthy of screaming along with on your hardest days.
“One of the main production elements is a key change. I sent Joisah a voice memo as I was driving, asking him if it was lame to have a key change at the end. He did in fact not think it was lame, and we went for it,” Nate shares.
The result is a song that builds towards its ultimate emotional catalyst. Mixed by Darren King and Sam Moses, “That’s Just Life” shows the continued cementing of Nate Parrish’s signature sound.
“That’s Just Life” precedes the upcoming album Make Me a Mountain, Parrish’s third solo album, following Soul Surgery (2022) and I’m A Wreck (2020). It builds on the success of his heartfelt top 5 radio single “Small.” “That’s Just Life” both doubles down on his punk rock sound and introduces the album’s theme of facing struggles that may seem immovable.
“The theme of the album revolves around the concept of mountains, specifically the characteristic of being immovable but by the hand of God,” Nate explains, expanding on the album’s theme. “So this song is the proverbial fist being shaken at the sky, while at the same time not being uprooted from my faith, standing strong, like a mountain.”
He continues, “This album is special to me just because it’s deeply personal, raw and honest. Sometimes life just sucks, no explanation, no watering it down, no Christian bumper sticker phrases of comfort. It’s just life. I think this album also departs from the traditional idea of what punk has to sound like. If I want to use a vocoder, I will. if I want to use strings, I use strings. I’m only concerned with making music that is authentically me while saying things that matter.”
Even as his idea of what punk can be becomes more expansive, Nate Parrish’s attitude remains authentically, fully punk rock.
“I am primarily motivated by justice, or the lack of it I should say. These days I have plenty to write about on that front,” Nate admits. “One particular thing that has inspired me is the lack of accountability within church leadership and the Christian music scene. I’m also particularly disgusted with the monetization and politicization of Jesus and His church.”
You can expect more songs exploring those themes on the upcoming full-length album.
As an experienced guitarist with a history of playing for rock worship bands Worth Dying For and Kutless, Nate has continually offered a unique blend of musical exploration and thoughtful, spiritually sensitive lyrics that prod at our culture in the interest of drawing us a little closer to Christ.
Underground punk rock mastermind Nate Parrish will be releasing a new ballad, “Small,†streaming everywhere and going for radio adds March 15. “I often find myself overwhelmed, being bombarded with headlines…
