If there's a defining characteristic of CO singer/songwriter Nathaniel Riley it's that he writes and plays for the sake of the song. In this, he is entirely focused and you can hear that intent. His music is thoughtful, sometimes sparse and sometimes lush in it's soundscape. The beauty that Riley and his collective produced in Bird Songs is the musical reminder that hope and light always shine through times of adversity. The simplicity of the album's 14 songs' intent becomes it's immediate appeal.