Given – Nelson King (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

Nelson King is someone with one helluva work ethic, especially when it comes to releasing songs and albums. His track record (pun intended) speaks for itself. So when he tells me that this latest album was two years in the making (I checked, I had Visions, his last album, under the pen in March ’22), it comes as a bit of a shock. But Tempus does have a way of Fugiting like a bastard, as they used to say in ancient Rome. Probably.

But the uncharacteristically extended transit of time aside, once you get into Given, you realise everything as it should be. I’ve said it before, but there is something both predictable and un-second-guessable about the world of Nelson King. He follows in the footsteps of a long line of rock and roll troubadours who err to the side of the edgy and the slightly offbeat and can call the likes of Johnny Thunders, Nikki Sudden, Tyla, and The Stones sonic brethren.

Tell Me is one of those effortlessly infectious tunes that King does so well: a ragged guitar sound, an understated hook and a vocal line that has you joining in even before the first chorus has run its course. Simple yet, on its own terms, sublime. Setting Sun has a new wave vibe driving it, the ebb and flow of energy and groove not reminiscent of the likes of Talking Heads, Waterfall’s shimmers and chimes with shards of guitars running over a cool downbeat rhythm and Wide Open are spacious yet full of heart.

In contrast to that song, Illusions, which rounds the album off, shows just how great he is at wrapping his songs in lush tones and rich textures to create sonic weight rather than anything as cliche as bravado and bombast, volume, or velocity.

They say a week is a long time in politics, and indeed, two years is a very long time in Nelson King’s musical world. However, Given is worth the wait. It is sort of like a welcome visit from an old friend: it is both recognisable and different, wonderfully familiar yet full of new aspects.

Thanks for dropping by; it’s always a pleasure.