Ram Hatley, Faithless Angel Credit: Courtesy

(Self-released, digital)

Back in 2006, Montpelier singer-songwriter Ram Hatley wrote and recorded a concept album titled Faithless Angel. It was supposed to have been his debut, but unfortunately Hatley lost the master tracks. And so the unfinished record was shelved for the better part of 20 years.

Hatley, who grew up playing with the Latin-jazz act Grupo Sabor, attended Goddard College in the late ’90s, along with future Grace Potter and the Nocturnals guitarist Scott Tournet. After Tournet offered to revive the project and master what Hatley still had, Faithless Angel finally saw the light of day earlier this month.

In its unearthed form, the record is accordingly raw. At times, it’s like watching an extended cut of an old film, with scenes that weren’t quite completed and concept art still in the background. But that same uncooked quality provides plenty of charming moments as well. The title track, a laid-back Americana-leaning ballad, makes excellent use of Hatley’s gritty vocals and washed-out acoustic guitar, giving the feel of a run-down country house with dusty windows and peeling wallpaper.

The rescued record works as a long-delayed, imperfectly intriguing debut from Hatley. Tracks such as “Stereo Send” and “Spin” show a songwriter with clear ideas and an ear for beaten-down, lonesome melodies. Let’s hope Hatley doesn’t wait another couple decades to follow it up.

Check out Faithless Angel at ramhatley.bandcamp.com.

This article appears in September 30 • 2026.

Music editor Chris Farnsworth has written countless albums reviews and features on Vermont's best musicians, and has seen more shows than is medically advisable. He's played in multiple bands over decades in the local scene and is a recording artist in his own right. He can often be found searching for the perfect soft pretzel or listening to a podcast about the X-Men.