ALBUM NOTES:

Atom Shop is another album of demo material recorded in 1996-97, that Nelson had planned on re-recording with outside musicians, but financial constraints led to this more modest approach.

The album was licensed to Robert Fripp's label DGM, and initially was available as a mail order item via the DGM website before gaining a more general release a couple of weeks later.

Nelson purchased the remaining stock from DGM to sell through Sound On Sound, the album sold out in February 2018.
 

CURRENT AVAILABILITY:

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Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store.

IF YOU LIKED THIS ALBUM, YOU'LL PROBABLY ENJOY:
After the Satellite Sings, Return to Tomorrow, Luxury Lodge, Astral Motel, Noise Candy,

Confessions of a Hyperdreamer, Whistling While the World Turns, Whimsy, Practically Wired


BILL'S THOUGHTS:
 

"The album was recorded at home on my old analogue 16 track system and the songs were originally intended as demos as I had hoped to re-record them with Mitchell Froom producing, (another tremendous world-class record producer).  Mitchell told me that I'd be wasting my money employing a producer for those recordings as I'd got the songs to work in exactly the way they needed to.

"In terms of the actual recordings, though, that 'demo' thing can be psychologically misleading, (as I've come to realise over the years). It's both a relative and a subjective term. What I personally think of as 'demos', others might think of as finished pieces and vice-versa. It's sometimes entirely dependent upon just how I describe them in my sleeve notes or in interviews. Minds are soft and vulnerable and, as William Burroughs once said, 'words are a virus.'
Perhaps I've sometimes been too dismissive of some of my work, maybe I should have dressed it up in glad rags more...

"Did the demo tag indicate an unfinished work there or not? With hindsight, that particular album sounds like a complete, finished statement to me now, 'though I referred to it as a collection of demos and sketches back when it was released."
_____

"Atom Shop, like many of my albums, was considered a little bit odd by some fans at the time of its release. These days though, most listeners will realise that many of my recordings exist in a kind of suspended gravity...ie: It sometimes takes a while for the penny to drop!"


FAN THOUGHTS:

Johnny Jazz:

"Atom Shop is bloody wonderful...A most wonderous and charming collection. A perfect blend of bluesy poppy jazz in our Bill's own inimitable style."


Twilightcapers:

"Thought I would just say how great Atom Shop is. Love those Jazzy Drum 'n' Bass tunes. If you like After the Satellite Sings you'll love this."


Ishikawa:

"On Atom Shop, Bill seemed to be exploring a whole new approach to structure, and the use of powerful, resonant sounds. I was about to list a few songs of note, but it ended up being about 90% of the whole thing. "Train with Fins"... boy, does that one moooove. Suffice to say, it's a cracker..."


Parsongs:

"If you're a jazz fan, be sure to track down a copy of Atom Shop by Bill Nelson. By far the coooolest contemporary jazz this side of fliptown."

"I often think Atom Shop was overlooked by the music press. It's the most alternative of the alternative rock records..."


donger:

"ATOM SHOP is the coolest Bill Nelson release and "Dreamsville" is his hippest song."


alec:

"And how cool is the track "Dreamsville" from Atom Shop? I always think of that track when I'm here at this cool place.
Dreamsville, drivin' thru Dreamsville.
Love everything about the track not LEAST of which is the AWESOME wah-wah guitar and disjointed be-bop trumpet."


james warner:

"I have always had a particular soft spot for "Propeller of Legend". Apart from the gloriously wigged-out guitar, the marimba riff has me thinking of baby elephants as it reminds me of the kind of theme used in those sixties safari movies."


BobK:

"One morning about 7 years ago me and Mrs K were awoken, by the sound of "Popsicle" blaring out on the CD player.  Very strange we thought, particularly as BN sounded a bit out of tune and in an uncomfortably high register. Strolled downstairs to find our 4 year old had put it on, pulled out the lyric sheet and was happily singing along!"


TheGlassGuitar:

"It grew on me slowly and incessantly, to the point where it's now one of my favourites."


Telecat:

"Atom Shop is one of my favourite albums which brought to a close one of Bill's best periods. Along with The Hyperdreamer set and the superb After the Satellite Sings they represent a period when the albums were rarely off my system."


wonder toy:

"Go listen to Atom Shop again and report back. That guy IS cool."

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