B-Side Guys

Most people buy used guitars on a whim and leave them gathering dust in closets. Paul Nourigat on the other hand bought a used $100 Stella from Craigslist for his sixtieth birthday in 2018 and proceeded to release six albums in four years. Curious Directions, his latest collection of fifteen originals arriving today, October 24th, confirms that improbable trajectory as genuine artistic emergence rather than late-life vanity project. The Portland, Oregon-based singer-songwriter writes from accumulated perspective—born in Taiwan to American parents, relocating through Turkey and Germany, living in twelve homes before adulthood—transforming geographic and temporal distance into songs that examine the forks in life’s roads with uncommon clarity.

The album’s central theme addresses paths chosen for us versus paths we choose ourselves, documenting how those decisions compound into the lives we eventually inhabit. Nourigat’s multi-genre Americana approach—blending folk, country, rock, blues, and occasional pop—creates melodic variety that serves thematic exploration rather than demonstrating restless eclecticism. He’s not genre-hopping for its own sake; he’s matching sonic approach to specific emotional territories each song occupies. That intentionality distinguishes artists with developed vision from those simply trying different styles.

“Curious Directions,” the title track, examines friendships lost along the way but remaining important to who we’ve become. The rock framework provides energy that prevents nostalgia from becoming maudlin, acknowledging loss without wallowing. Nourigat’s deep vocals carry conversational quality—he sounds like someone telling stories rather than performing them, an approach that builds intimacy across the album’s span. His background includes publishing ten books over the last decade alongside writing over 250 songs, and that literary sensibility shows in lyrics that balance thought-provoking storytelling with vivid detail.

“Sliding Side-to-Side” and “Tunes In My Mind” showcase the surf-rock influence that appears periodically throughout Nourigat’s catalog. The former recognizes the dips, valleys, and bumpy rides in everyone’s journeys, while the latter addresses the question he fields constantly: how can you write so many songs so rapidly? Rather than offering dry explanation, he wrote a song about it—the kind of meta-textual move that works when executed with humor and self-awareness. These tracks demonstrate his willingness to address both profound themes and lighter subjects without treating either dismissively.

“Souls Are Singing” documents the blessing of his front porch in Portland, writing music as people pass by. That image captures something essential about Nourigat’s approach—he’s not an isolated artist suffering for his craft in deliberate solitude. He’s observing life happening around him and translating those observations into song. The folk-rock arrangement here lets the lyrical content breathe, understanding when production should support rather than compete with storytelling.

“They’re Counting You” ventures into red dirt country territory, delivering a warning about organized gambling and the illusion that you can beat systems designed to extract money. The track demonstrates Nourigat’s willingness to offer opinions without becoming judgmental—walking that thin line between perspective and preaching. His life experience (he’s now sixty-six) provides authority to address topics that might sound condescending from younger artists still figuring things out themselves.

“Pleasant Bruises” and “Takes Guts to Change” form a thematic pair examining growth’s necessary discomfort. The former operates on premise that sometimes you have to hurt to succeed, while the latter’s title speaks for itself—change requires courage most people can’t consistently muster. These rock and country-rock tracks benefit from the diverse instrumentalists Nourigat engages from around the world. Curious Directions features musicians from Paris, Atlanta, London, Cyprus, Kiev, Milan, Rio de Janeiro, Istanbul, and Portland, with multiple drummers, pianists, guitarists (bass, acoustic, dobro, lap steel, pedal steel, electric), and backing vocalists creating layered sounds that provide unique variations across the fifteen tracks.

“The Darkside” addresses Nourigat’s own brushes with mortality through drinking, acknowledging he’s “so very lucky to be alive.” The rock arrangement doesn’t soften the confession—this is direct reckoning with personal history, the kind of honesty that builds credibility. When paired with “Don’t Say Game Over,” which argues against counting people out and advocates encouragement over dismissal, a fuller picture emerges: someone who’s survived his own darkness and now actively resists the impulse to write others off.

“Edges Of The Soul” explores how people get drawn to dark places despite understanding consequences, while “Sippin From the Same Cup” uses music as metaphor for examining originality—tipping hat to those who came before and showed the way. That latter track’s folk-rock framework suits its reflective content, acknowledging that all creation builds on existing foundation. For an artist who started making music at sixty, that perspective comes naturally—Nourigat knows he’s entering conversation that’s been happening long before him.

“Imagined Places We’d Fly” documents dreams sustained during broke periods when “we couldn’t rub two nickels together.” The folk-rock arrangement emphasizes the song’s wistful quality without sentimentalizing poverty. “Old Friend Jo” takes a surf-rock detour to celebrate coffee—he needs two cups daily—proving Nourigat can write about mundane pleasures without diminishing them. That tonal range prevents the album from becoming relentlessly serious despite addressing weighty themes.

“New Boulevards” examines young people departing hometowns searching for something different, while “Bit loose and Carefree” pushes back against cultural narratives insisting we should be unhappy. Nourigat’s tired of hearing it, and suspects listeners are too. The song argues for reclaiming narrative space, acknowledging struggle’s permanence while refusing to let it dominate discourse. That closing sentiment encapsulates Curious Directions‘ ultimate perspective: life offers hard choices and uncertain paths, but agency and attitude matter.

The album was produced in part in Portland with session musicians and in part with other musicians contributing remotely, mixed and mastered locally with producer Adam Selzer’s support. The all-analog, no-AI approach feels appropriate for artist whose entire project rejects shortcuts and quick fixes. Nourigat’s trajectory defies conventional wisdom about when artistic careers begin and what’s possible later in life. Six albums in four years, fifty-three released originals, two hundred more written and waiting—this isn’t hobbyist dabbling but serious creative commitment.

Curious Directions succeeds because Nourigat writes from genuine perspective rather than adopted pose. His wide-ranging life experiences and constant observation provide deep well of material that ages and genders can relate to. The multi-genre Americana style never feels calculated or market-tested—it’s natural expression of someone who absorbed various musical traditions and synthesizes them intuitively. For an artist who feels fortunate to have this chance so late in life, he’s making remarkable use of the opportunity, creating work that rewards repeated listening and proves you can start anything at any age with sufficient dedication.