Recorded in 2016, Powertron has languished in the BN archives for eight years.
A potent collection of twelve pieces that highlight Nelson's prowess and invention as a guitarist.
'Its genesis came whilst recording tracks for ‘The Jewel’ album. Amongst these was a track titled ‘Drive Shaft’ which I considered too brash for ‘The Jewel’, but too good to abandon. I decided to create a suitable album to house ‘Drive Shaft’ and ‘Powertron’ was the result. It’s an album of left-field rock songs, mainly vocal but layered with loud and edgy guitars. It will appeal to those who enjoy the wilder side of my work.' - Bill Nelson
Pre-order for May 3 release.
Just to say it arrived and it's fantastic. Stand-out track so far for me is When I Don't Feel Blue where Bill gets a tremendously deep bass tone on the rhythm guitar, there's a wonderfully Bill Nelson widdly riff plus neat chords in the background.
I particularly like the way his voice changes on that track from almost speaking to singing. Btw I've only just realised how young Bill's voice sounds. I know this is eight years old but his voice still sounds just as it did in BBD days which is really pretty amazing. (Even the lyric recalls BBD: "..... waiting for YOU".)
Really great stuff, Bill!
I can't believe Bill sat on this album for eight years, and I'm so glad he did. This is just the pick-me-up I needed at this point in time. Thanks again, Bill for filling our lives with so much musical inspiration and joy. 🙂
Really enjoying this album and nice to hear some loud guitars! A great mix of rock, prog, new wave, space blues (is that a genre??😄) - all delivered with a nice degree of ooomph and wallop. It would make a great live set!!
I love Bill's work and keep up with all of his CD releases but this is definitely one of the better ones from the last couple of years.
Been a while since I checked in. Nice to hear that Bill can still blast some eardrums! Liking the "new" album. Missing my yearly trips up to Leeds to see and hear all things Nelsonic.
Much as I love Bill's vocal & lyrics an instrumental box set would be my Nelsonic Holy Grail.
Have just ordered Powertron, having heard the samples.
I suspect this has lain unattended for eight years because BN feels he can churn this guitar-rock stuff out by the yard (which he can). But no one gets the honeyed guitar tones he gets together with the huge depth of sound (amazing for something home recorded), no one sings like him and no one writes such wonderful lyrics (even if he probably makes them up as he goes along).
I don't want to detract from what Bill may regard as his more serious work (a lot of which I have - not everything but, without counting the box sets like Noise Candy and the Practice of Everyday Life, I have getting on for a hundred Bill and BBD albums of which less than 20 are BBD).
But the fact is that Bill churning out riffs (and who writes riffs like him? Who even plays like him?) on a much-amped electric guitar is pure heaven for the rest of us.
Can't wait to get the album and hear the rest.
I just listened to Powertron in its entirety, and loved every moment of it. It's a real rocker. I'm glad Bill left Django in the mix. Django's timing is impeccable. That's one hip cat. I can tell this album will be on heavy rotation over the next several months, or so. 😎
My copy arrived last night. Hopefully, I can listen to it later today. Thanks again to Bill, and everyone else involved in bringing fresh, new music to us all. I know I won't be disappointed. Keep 'em comin'.😊
Was pleasantly surprised to receive my Copy of Powertron on Wednesday!😉
This is a rock album. To my hearing, it's even more of a rock album than, say, Joy Through Amplification: The Ultra-Fuzzy World Of Priapus Stratocaster
This is one of those albums that we should mention to new attenders at this site that are still somehow missing Be Bop Deluxe. No, it doesn't sound like a BBD album, but the comment by aj below is correct - Bill is heard here creating a glorious rock noise with accessible tunes and the sense that the whole process is easy and fun to do.
There are strong blues threads running through the album but never any feeling that Bill is tied up or down by them - throbbing blues riffs still seem to flex and stretch, just giving enough leeway for Bill to play with a little bit more joy and imagination in the gaps created by what may just have been a momentary whim. Drums - occasionally an element that Bill has kept simple and fairly obvious - are varied and included here as a proper part of the creativity. These songs would work so well on a stage with a band that really click together!
Early in this thread I commented that Bill's 'noisy' would be "a bit deeper and more intelligent than everyone else's noisy". I was right. I hadn't expected the bonus of a sheer happy flow of tunes though. A good comparison to this one (though a little rougher around the edges) is the "Special Metal" release (2016, sadly a Bandcamp only item).
I'm very happy with it. Every so often, it's good to hear Bill rock out and enjoy it on the first listen without needing to tune myself in to it over time. A modern-day "blue moons and laughing guitars"!
Today is Bandcamp Friday!
for those who prefer to buy your music digitally...Powertron is now available as a digital download from Bandcamp!
It's here!🎸
Ditto
My copy being unwrapped now 😀👍
Mine just arrived (in Scotland)!
Received a notice that my copy of Powertron has shipped. Very excited! 🙂
Ordered and awaiting! Having just sold my vinyl collection, I'm also working my way through Bill's back catalogue. My credit card is taking a beating.😁
Ordered! Always looking forward to new music from Bill. The wait begins...