Def Leppard and Bon Jovi have dedicated a certain amount of their time trying to distance themselves from the hair metal label. Considering how much support they get from the so-called “Hair Metal” camp it seems a bit churlish but I suppose it’s the whole having your cake thing. Nelson may well be the only band that “Hair Metal” doesn’t want lumped in with them. Grunge is often credited for killing the whole 80’s Metal, Sunset Strip, Hair Metal scene. I say when you are shooting at slow moving targets like Nelson the killing is easy.
The blonde-maned twins Matthew and Gunnar are the spawn of Ricky Nelson who was basically the David Cassidy of the 60’s. Ricky was the result of letting Ozzie and Harriet Nelson have sex. The demon seed runs long in this family. And when your only marketable quality is what you see in the mirror, you start a band. I was a freshman in college when Matthew and Gunnar tried to kill music with the dreadful song “(Can’t Live Without Your) Love and Affection”. A paint by numbers pop song dripping with the authenticity of a Bernie Madoff investment. I’m pretty sure the accompanying music video is the sole reason my roommate and I cancelled cable the summer of 1990. And poor Bobby Rock. Him playing drums for Nelson is like Dave Lombardo joining Phish.
The eventual fall from grace was predictable. Say what you want but people with integrity don’t play the game they did. In the twenty-five years since, they have kept busy doing something or other, releasing a few albums along the way. Including the one I am reviewing today called Peace Out. As you probably suspect I don’t anticipate an orgasmic aural experience. I’m guessing it’s just their latest attempt to rebrand the image of Nelson. Let’s find out.
The first song “Hello Everbody” sounds an awful lot like the song “You All Everbody” the fictional hit from the fictional band Drive Shaft featured on the TV show Lost. (Seriously. Look it up.) The next song, “Back In The Day” is an unimaginative recounting of the glory days of the Nelson twins. The lyrics paint such a bland picture you wouldn’t have to have lived their lives to write this song about them. The next song, “Invincible” sounds closer to the pop tart that made them famous in 1990. In other words, I hate it.
I can’t do this. I thought I could, but I can’t. Going through track by track isn’t healthy for me. You win Billy Hardaway. I will say this if you like one song from Peace Out you will like them all since it’s pretty much the same song repeated. Nelson may have their fans, but I clearly am not one of them. If you like your rock on the lighter side with lyrics so generically unoffensive you could listen to it on a road trip with your grandparents then Nelson is your band. I wouldn’t recommend buying this but if you do click the Amazon link on the Decibel Geek Front page.
Peace Out!
1 thought on “Nelson Has A New Record, Peace Out!”
You failed me Bakko.
Comments are closed.