Lightning strikes twice --- Nelson --- 2010 (Frontiers)
Apparently, these guys were huge in the nineties, even netting a number one hit single, as well as several other, lower-placed but still top forty singles. I personally have never heard of them, but they seem to have been on top of the world when they released their first album, “After the rain”, and it shot into the US top twenty, giving them their number one single. They are brothers, both sons of the late Ricky Nelson, and have been recording and gigging since their debut twenty years ago, this being seen more or less as their comeback album, their last effort having been 2000's “Like father, like sons”. Their latest album has seemed to attract almost universal critical acclaim.
So what's all the fuss about? Let's listen. Well it opens powerfully, big Boston-style guitar melodies and good backing vocals as “Call me” gets us started. Both the brothers sing and play guitar, with Matthew adding bass to his talents, while brother Gunnar takes the drums. Because they both sing then it's hard to praise one or the other, but whichever Nelson takes the lead vocal on the opener certainly has a voice well suited to radio-friendly rock, and whoever's on the guitar here certainly knows what they're doing. The song is full of hooks, and certainly opens the album well. This continues with “Day by day”, another fast rocker in the style of Bon Jovi or Magnum, great guitar work and powerful drumming driving the song along.
It would appear the guys write all their own material, and “Ready willing and able” is a faster, uptempo boogie rocker that tips its hat to some of the glam rock bands of the eighties like Motley Crue, Hanoi Rocks and Quiet Riot, a real “let's have fun and rock” song that also nods to the overblown rock personas of the likes of Coverdale and Dave Lee Roth. One of the guys, at any rate, has a guitar technique that makes it sound quite a lot like Bryan May's signature, while there's also a lot of Brian Robertson-era Lizzy in there too.
Things slow right down for “How can I miss you?”, the first ballad it would seem, with a beautiful, epic guitar intro, which then powers up and in fact it's not a ballad at all --- I hate/love it when that happens! Big hooky chorus really makes this song something special, with a lot of Europe and Bon Jovi in it, very impressive, and “You're all I need tonight” is another powerful rocker with some great guitar.
Starting on a lovely piano melody from Gary Corbett with some sumptuous strings backing, “To get back to you” must surely be a ballad this time? Aching, passionate vocals from one or the other of the brothers, great melody and surely this would make a perfect single? Information on the album is, surprisingly, a little hard to come by, so I can't say if it was or not, but it's definitely a candidate for lighters held aloft in a live setting. It's also the longest song on the album, almost six minutes. Great, powerful and emotional guitar solo just about puts the icing on the cake of this song, making it, so far, the standout. “When you're gone” ramps everything back up in a fast rocker with that guitar sound that makes you think you're listening to Boston: wonder if they use Scholz's Rockman effects?
A half-ballad then with some jangly guitar in “Take me there”, some more nice strings arrangements and keyboards from Corbett. This is
very much in Bon Jovi territory, but doesn't suffer from it. Probably would have been another good choice for a single. Another great hook in the chorus --- these guys certainly know how to write a great rock song! --- and some fine guitar work, which continues in “Come”, an uptempo rocker with lots of energy, borrowing a little of its melody from Prince's “Sign o' the times”, a song indeed which is bound to engender much snickering with
double entendre lines like
"When you come/ Come again!/ Next time you come/ Bring a friend!" then “In it for the money” is a little more restrained (though not much) as the boys poke fun at older “celebs” who don't realise they have had their day and should retire gracefully, but still think they "have it" . Sort of ZZ Top guitar here, very bluesy rock but with a serious hard edge.
A guitar-driven half-ballad in the style of Robbie Williams, “Change a thing” keeps things going with a certain sense of the Beatles and ELO, then the album closes on “Kickin' my heart around”, a heavy rock cruncher which provides the knockout punch to a pretty breathless bout, all told. If this was a debut album I'd be impressed. For it to be the comeback album from a band who have been around for over twenty years, but largely ignored for the greater part of those two decades, is nothing short of phenomenal. The energy, enthusiasm and freshness about this album is amazing. I have to get a copy of their debut, as it's said this is the “natural progression” from their first album.
I'm kind of amazed I never heard of these guys before, but they're certainly impressing me now. Natural talent like this is rare, and should always be encouraged and cultivated. Luckily, these two brothers come from a family that has always had music in their veins, and to whom, almost literally, music is the lifeblood that holds them together. The late Ricky Nelson can be justifiably proud of his two boys, as they carry on the family tradition.
TRACKLISTING
1. Call me
2. Day by day
3. Ready willing and able
4. How can I miss you?
5. You're all I need tonight
6. To get back to you
7. When you're gone
8. Take me there
9. Come
10. In it for the money
11. Change a thing
12. Kickin' my heart around