Need to Know: Nelson

No, not the bleach-blonde, heavy metal Brothers Nelson of the early 90s. But the French post-punk quartet Nelson of Now. They put out their debut, Revolving Doors, in 2006, but I heard them for the first time just a few weeks ago.

Nelson channels Gang of Four with their rhythmic intensity, overlapping vocals and lyrical depth. But they add to that electronic embellishes, heavier bass and a denser sound overall. It's comparable to the Norwegian electro post-punk of 120 Days, but Nelson is tighter with more pop and less post-rock -- you won't find any 7 minute songs here.

No news of a sophomore follow-up yet, but the band is touring central Europe as I type, so here's hoping a new album is on the horizon. In the meantime, here's a sample MP3 and video:

Hear and download "The (Over) Song."

"You Can't Stop Thinking About It" vid:



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www.myspace.com/nelsonrock