www.billnelson.com

Hi All,

Umm I have only played JTA the once so far and my initial impression is that it lacks that certain WOW factor for me, that some of Bill's recent releases have had, Fantasmatron & Model Village in particular.

I find this strange as I also really like Fancy Planets so I expected this to be right up my street.

I still enjoyed the album but my favouite tracks are the Ampexes, with Ampex Xtra as the best.

So perhaps it's Joy Through Ampex-fication for me, a series of short instrumental works linked by rock songs to highlight the nuances & subtleness of the Ampexes!

Hopefully with more listening it will grow on me, and it is still a far better crafted album than you could hear from many artists today.

Like Felix Dreamshire and Palace Of Strange Voltages are the albums I'm most eager to hear!



TaTa

After repeated listenings, I find that the ampexes remind me of rest periods between rounds in a boxing match. Bill bobs and weaves, jabs and punches with his guitar. At the end of each round, we're given a minute or two to recover before the next round. Bill wins with a TKO, and we're dazed, but happy.

I was pleasantly surprised that OWD and others were posting "reviews" and thoughts on the album. What I've found is when a new album is released, many of the posts are about people chomping at the bit waiting for the album, or about cracked jewel cases with missing teeth. Such is the case with Last Of The Neon Cynics. Much of the 17 pages contained these things, and very few comments about the quality of the album. I think that when Bill releases a new album, maybe we should devote a post exclusively to Nelsonians "reviews" ?

I'd like to hear whar others think about this. I really think that Last Of the Neon Cynics got cheated in terms of people posting their thoughts and impressions of the album. Joe

Personally, I generally do my best to write a review of sorts whenever a new album comes out. I am not a professional writer so I can't vouch for the quality of my 'reviews' but I do my best. I'm lucky in that I work for myself therefore no one is looking over my shoulder and the computer is right next to where I actually do all my work, therefore I can spend far too much time messing about on Dreamsville than I probably should

But I agree Joe, I would like to see more reviews from other people.

I am still digesting this album but here are some of my thoughts to date, which of course are subject to change.

First off, this is an electric guitar based album, and it is meant to played loud. I find myself enjoying it more as the decibel level is raised.

As for the Ampexes, they are welcome breaks between the rock tracks. I do hear some of the "rock" tracks in some of the Ampexes, or should I say some of the Ampexes sound to be influenced by, or even alternative versions of some of the rock tracks.

I find this album to be very listenable from beginning to end, which is rare for me in general. So much so that I haven't reached for another cd for my commute in over a week. There may be a couple of songs that don't really do it for me, but most of them sound great. And they are growing on me more and more. Even the songs I know lyrically by heart are not growing old as there is always another musical bit to focus on which had escaped my detection on previous listenings.

I also think this is one of the most natural sounding Bill Nelson albums I have heard in a long long time, and I think this goes along with Bill saying it was too easy to make. Not sure exactly what I mean by that, but compared to other albums of his these songs just seem to flow right off of the guitar and out of his mouth, whereas I can hear more of a "forced" nature to songs as he moves away from the style on JTA. It is hard for me to explain, but maybe some will catch my drift. And maybe the songs aren't as complex as those in some of his other works, but complex by itself doesn't score points with me. It has to be a good tune.

A lot of the songs are just the right length...none are too long, and maybe a couple are too short! Wish "Tall Blue Days" was longer.

Not sure yet where I will place this cd in terms of an overall rating. That will be based on how many times I reach for it in the future. I have plenty of cds that are referred to as classic,etc. that I haven't played in years. How good can they be?

Do I want to see another JTA? Yes. Do I think Bill will do it? No. But if he could keep some of its flavor in future recordings I would be happy.

You know there was a sport I used to play (on a very amateur level) that I got good at, and for lack of a better phrase got a little bored with. I decided that I was going to start trying many other sports and did that for a few years, never really latching onto any of them. A few years ago I rediscovered that first sport. I play it whenever I can now and wish I had never stopped.

What's wrong with rock and roll Bill? I like rock and roll. Its straightforward and appealing. It speaks its mind. It doesn't require you to decode it. (I mean I get there in the end but man that's a different kind of experience all together.) Sure it may not be as deep as some of those other albums but does it have to be? I think it stands on its own merits quite well. Its loud but this album doesn't lose any bite just because of that! Its fun to listen to and very clever too. The lyrics are still far better than anything else rock that I can think of.

It must be hard to drag your past around with you in some ways. Maybe it feels like most people, even if they like you, are never quite on the same wave length. Its hard for us because we follow your music. We aren't right there in the trenches you know. Just thinking about it; Bebop deluxe, to now. What a glorious tapestry of sound it is. Why seek to distance one's self from it? Surely a great many of us are not typical shallow listeners and yet we enjoy this type of work so much. Are we lost for it? Is it nothing more than a rare low hanging branch? Maybe to a degree but I still like it and its excellent. I actually feel like I don't want to be a disappointing listener to Bill, but I just like what I like. I can't help it. I still listen to the deeper material too though I don't always understand it.

Now that I am grown, in many ways I think I am better than when I was younger. However, in some ways I feel I have made sacrifices I can never regain, and time has been lost which I can never revisit. It is not a curse but a great boon in my mind to have a legacy as attached to you as your own shadow, and nothing to turn away from. It may not be the core of who you are but its always there for you none the less isn't it?

Bill obviously knows this though because here it is, in album form. Somehow I don't think Bill is the kind of person to put out an album just to placate others. I've never put out an album deep or otherwise but I imagine even a little album like this requires its share of blood sweat and tears doesn't it?

Just to add a little more....

Certainly wouldn't want to see another JTA right away, but wouldn't mind seeing one in the future.

P.S. Does anyone know the lyrics to "To What Strange Place Will This Transport You?" I can make only some out. Alec was good at this..where is he? Maybe Bill can provide?

Thanks Puzzleoyster!