Last Hurrah

In the same vein as Townes Van Zandt, Beaver Nelson is a songwriter with an interesting bent and a most individual way of looking at the world. Having survived the disappointment of several run-ins with Nashville, Nelson surfaces strong and without compromise. His music is very much about the pain of simply being alive, yet he injects a dose of humor into his view of things. Songs like "Landed In the Mud" and "One Car Collision" are typical. Lyrically, he shows a great deal of skill, and his wordplay flows fluidly into his music. "Too Much Moonlight" and "Things Get Shaky 'Round Midnight" are fine examples of his almost scholarly approach. A wise old soul who has lived many lifetimes, Nelson continues to forge ahead, charting new territory as a songwriter of distinction. More ragged troubadour than stage-crashing pop-star, Beaver Nelson is an original whose gruff façade becomes more and more attractive as the moonlight fades and the music takes over.