Kent City, Michigan native Drew Nelson has an interesting bio – he did a tour in the Navy, builds guitars, worked in construction, and now has released his second album, Tilt-A-Whirl. Fans of Springsteen, Steve Earle, and John Mellencamp’s I’m-rootsier-than-that-Cougar-
Working in the literal narrative tradition, even singing from a female perspective on “St. Jude,” Nelson writes powerful short stories about the somewhat fading American dream. He front loaded the record, hitting the listener the hardest with his most sweeping statement, “Promised Land.” Like “Born in the U.S.A.,” Nelson is rocking with a fervor that belies his personal struggle. After noting his goal is to just get by with odd jobs, he concludes, “I left something behind on the Iraqi line/It’s something I’ll never get back.” He also understands revenge. On the farmer’s lament “Dust,” instead of turning over his foreclosed home to a bank, he burns down the place.
Other winners include “Danny and Maria” about the outrage from both families when a rich boy and a poor girl conjugate more than verbs. “Lessons” chronicles a visit to an old family hometown that is now fading from the map. On “Here to There,” a truck driving Texan is bedeviled by the memories of his lost Irish love.
Nelson has a powerful voice, figuratively and literally. He can sound both world weary and triumphant and the record rocks harder than typical long haired guy with bare feet publicity photo shots might lead you to believe (including some nice lead guitar and B-3 organ spots). Nelson has the goods. Hopefully his music will find the audience it deserves.
Grade = A-