Vid Nelson - Beautiful Show (2019)

Vid Nelson is a 27 yr old singer-songwriter, multi instrumentalist and producer from Provo, UT. A songwriter since the age of 8 and self producer since the age of 16, Nelson is an artist who covers the elements of soulful rock & roll and psychedelic hiphop, fusing a sincerity of lyrical vulnerability and precise simplicity. With a vast range of vocal abilities, Nelson illustrates a canvas of mental experiences and struggles. Tastefully complex, yet easy to absorb, his songs create a safe space that helps listeners feel less alone in their own endeavors

Vid Nelson must know my taste in music because this is exactly the kind of album I’ve been waiting for. The best concert I’ve ever been to was a My Morning Jacket show, and Millennials took me right back to that place—standing amid a foggy, stoned crowd, colors exploding from the stage as glow sticks flew through the air. Many of the tracks are soft and relaxing, while others are full of a deep, churning energy. Every track on Millennials is bursting with groove and emotion. Nelson’s passion for music shines clear through Millennials—the album is a mix between Evil Urges and Mac Demarco’s 2. Thick layers of sound are Nelson’s forte, and Millennials takes his lively style to the next level.

Millennials is sunny-day music—music that just makes me feel a little better and care a little less. Nelson still has the spunk that I remember from Taste Test Pity City, but his sound is more psychedelic than before. The bass is full of personality, the drums are laid all the way back—for that matter, everything is laid back. Above it all are the guitar licks and solos—be it the drippy bars of riff in “Overthinking” or the sharp fingering in “Don’t Let Go,” Vid Nelson knows how to handle the hell out of his six string.

Nelson explored a lot of sounds with Millennials. Hooting, humming, whistling, shouting—he sings it all. If you like the way Jim James sings, you’re probably going to like Vid Nelson. The panoply of guitar sounds are more than enough to surprise and satisfy—from clean acoustic to faded and filtered. Jared Cooley joints on harmonica in “J Rad,” showing off his smooth, sultry skills. Churning bass and thick vocals make “Growing Pains” my favorite track on Millennials, but every track has its own magic.

I’ll be jamming this album all year, but more than that, Millennials has made me optimistic about what 2017 has in store for our musical pleasure. Nelson uses Kickstarter to fund his albums, so if you’re as hyped by his music as I am, it’s easy to support the man’s craft. And if you’re not convinced yet, take a look at soundcloud.com/davidnelsonmusic, where you can find his musings, as well as a song or two from the album.