Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats unveil unheard demo 'Trying So Hard Not To Know'...

Photo credit: Malia James

NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS

UNVEIL UNHEARD DEMO ‘TRYING SO HARD NOT TO KNOW’

CELEBRATING 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF BREAKOUT SELF-TITLED DEBUT ALBUM

ANTICIPATED REISSUE OUT OCTOBER 10

GOLD-SELLING 2015 ALBUM SPAWNED LEGENDARY CAREER

AND FOUR TOP TWENTY TRIPLE A HITS

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats continue to celebrate the tenth anniversary of their beloved, breakout 2015 self-titled debut album, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, today sharing the second demo taken from their anticipated, imminent re-release; ‘Trying So Hard Not To Know (Demo)’. Listen below. The special vinyl reissue, set for release October 10, contains an additional album’s worth of demo recordings, offering a glimpse at the feverish weeks of inspiration that uncovered a new form of creative expression.

The first ever track written for the Night Sweats, ‘Trying So Hard Not To Know’ was fateful for Rateliff: after years of toiling as a more folk-leaning singer-songwriter to moderate acclaim, he was considering returning to his previous, more stable, career as a gardener. Reflecting on the moment of inspiration, Rateliff shares, “I had always loved the southern sounds of Soul from the Stax record catalog and at the same time was listening to The Band and falling in love with their twangy approach to Rock’n’Roll. I wondered what it would sound like if Sam and Dave were in The Band. That idea, along with the circumstances in my life, sparked a melody in me that came out as “Trying So Hard Not To Know.” I was so excited that this sound and writing found its way to me. It was electric and joyous, and it screamed out of me. All the tragedy, joy, and love I had experienced.”

A monumental album in Rateliff’s career, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats kickstarted a ride that has only accelerated in the ensuing decade with career-making moments along the way: From the band’s first appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Saturday Night Live, tours and collaborations with everyone from Paul Simon to Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson, and ever-growing venue sizes from clubs to theatres to Rateliff’s beloved Red Rocks to arenas including a sold out Madison Square Garden show.

Following the inspiration behind ‘Trying So Hard Not To Know,’ the spigot was opened and the songs poured out in the exact blend he’d imagined of bracing Stax-style R&B and richly crafted roots rock. Recording demos in his attic on GarageBand, this experimentation ultimately comprised the band’s eponymous, gold-selling 2015 debut album, which spawned four top twenty Triple A hits in ‘I Need Never Get Old,’ ‘Look it Here,’ ‘Wasting Time,” and the two-times platinum ‘S.O.B.’

On the eleven new demos added to the project, Rateliff shares, “The journey of a song has to start somewhere. Songs can be ideas that sit for years. Sometimes they are hiding from within, and it is up to us to become available, to welcome their melodic birth. Here are eleven unheard ideas that started in my attic a little over ten years ago. I had one mic, a two-channel interface, a two-channel preamp, and my laptop. I used those tools just well enough at the time to capture ideas in the moment they arrived. The process of recording these demos came as such a surprise and lead to making one of my most treasured friendships. I thought I was going to make the last record of my career. Instead, it was the start of a new life.”

Produced by the late, great Richard Swift, the album holds one of the most poignant looks at Swift and Rateliff’s long road of collaboration. Rateliff reflects, “We get a few opportunities in our lives where our paths cross with another force that's greater than our own, and he certainly left a lasting impact on me. I could take him an idea, and he would just create this entire soundscape. His imprint has been on us with everything I've done since then.”

The band’s first late night appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in 2015 proved a major turning point in the band’s career. “Before we'd even played, my manager came up and said, "You just sold more pre-sales than any record you've ever done,” says Rateliff, “we went up there and played and delivered a good performance and had fun. And from then it changed. It was funny because everybody was saying “You’re an overnight success!” But we already had 20 years of a lot of hard work and frustration.”

In a full circle moment, Fallon made a surprise appearance at the band’s landmark, sold-out show at Madison Square Garden this year, joining them for their encore and giving an electric rendition of ‘S.O.B.’—watch here. Watch the band most recent appearance on The Tonight Show here.

The reissue comes following the announcement a new run of U.S. tour dates and festival appearances for the band this fall, including stops in San Diego, Kansas City and performances at Farm Aid, Outlaw Music Festival and more. Additionally, Rateliff will accompany Mumford & Sons solo for select dates on their ‘Mumford & Sons And Friends Tour.’ Full details and list of dates can be found here.

Rateliff and band were just nominated at the 2025 Americana Awards for Album of the Year for their critically acclaimed fourth full-length studio album album South of Here, out now via Stax, as well as Song of the Year for ‘Heartless.’ South of Here saw two #1s: ‘Heartless’ and ‘Call Me (Whatever You Like)’ topping the Adult Alternative Chart, marking their 7th and 8th #1s to date. The band’s video for the title track from the album, directed by Brantley Gutierrez on 35mm film, exclusively premiered on Rolling Stone and was featured by Kodak Shoot Film—watch the video here.

Additionally, Rateliff has been appointed as Newport Folk Steward, the first artist to hold such a role at the legendary festival since Pete Seeger. The position holds a three-year term, which will see Rateliff serving as Steward actively for two years and advising the next recipient during a third transition year. Rateliff has chosen to devote his term to artist advocacy, fellowship and mentorship both at the Fort and beyond.

www.nathanielrateliff.com