Nelson Can – EP3 (Alcopop! Records)
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| Nelson Can - EP3 |
Release Date: 29th September 2017
It’s not often I review two all-female Danish trios in a
week but having fallen in love with Velvet Volume earlier this week I am now
rekindling my affections for the glorious Nelson Can with their new EP. Hurra!
‘EP3’ opens with ‘Break Down Your Walls’, a tune pegged to a glorious bass line
that puts me in mind of that classic Breeders tune ‘Canonball’ with its loose
groove maintaining some shape while the rest of the tune loses its shit
everywhere else. ‘Digging Your Grave’ 96 seconds of spooky, atmospheric melody
clearly intended to make you pause and stop being distracted by the rest of the
world around you while you focus on what is, presumably, the new theme tune for
the Morticia Addams spin-off show.
On ‘Downtown’ Nelson Can get back to those slinky bass lines
and coolly menacing vocals that are straight out of a Tarantino scene,
preferably a director’s edit of Pulp Fiction. ‘Miracle’, by contrast, has a
sinister disco bass melody before those dark, husky vocals join in and then the
track explodes in to a crossover anthem. The only issue is that this appears to
be a crossover between PJ Harvey fans and disco aficionados which is one hell
of a niche market to aim for. For ‘Move Forward’, the trio get loose and
channel the likes of the Gossip and the Darts with a more garage punk feel but
still that bassist (the wonderfully named Signe SigneSigne) keeps things groovy
which is a big part of what gives Nelson Can such a unique sound.
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| If Nelson Can, anyone can |
Sounding like an 80s wrestler, ‘Stonewall Frank’ closes out
this six track EP and it’s a triumphant way to finish things up. Blending the crossover between Jon Spencer
Blues Explosion and Boss Hog, the band go heavy on distortion and put their
foot to the floor with three part harmonies and a rhythm section that just
won’t quit…..except it does for few seconds while they sing “a giant woman
called Frank, helps me to the car, she says let’s go for a drink in a
neighbourhood bar”. Then they get back to rocking out and it’s so much fun.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/nelsoncanband/
Live Dates:
23rd September – Nordic Delight @ EKKO, Utrecht
5th October – Rampleys, Silkeborg
6th October – Studenterhuset, Aalborg
13th October – Atlas, Aarhus
14th October – Musikhuset Posten, Odense
20th October – Pumpehuset, Copenhagen
17th November – Sub 89, Reading
18th November – Engine Rooms, Southampton
19th November – Phoenix, Exeter
21st November – The Globe, Exeter
22nd November – The Fleece, Bristol
23rd November – Waterfront, Norwich