Washington, DC denizen Elizabeth Nelson has returned, fronting and writing the songs for another strong full-length record under the moniker The Paranoid Style. As an astute observer of human behavior in a damaged world and a tireless student of pop and rock from across the decades, Known Associates balances timelessness and contemporary verve. The eleven-song set arrives February 13 on vinyl, compact disc, and digital through Bar/None Records.
Elizabeth Nelson has numerous strengths as a musician and lack of perceptible weaknesses. Writing smart songs isn’t an unusual gift but being able to cogently express ideas on how music works in text form from the perspective of a singer and player is rare enough, and then to turn that knowledge back into the creation of albums that are infused with a historical richness as they roll easily from track to track is an artistic skill even less frequently absorbed.
For Known Associates, Nelson has reconvened her recording lineup of Peter Holsapple, William Matheny, Michael Venutolo-Mantovani, Jon Langmead, and Timothy Bracy while welcoming guests Matt Douglas of the Mountain Goats, Lisa Walker of Wussy, and Eugene Edwards, a guitarist for Dwight Yoakam whose playing comes out of the Danny Gatton tradition.
Known Associates’ opener “Tearing the Ticket” name-checks Gatton and Roy Buchanan, with the track offering a gorgeously achy edge halfway between anthemic and melancholy. It’s new wave-tinged power pop, complete with guitar jangle and bursts of saxophone and some calliope-like flute down deep in the mix, courtesy of Douglas.
“A Barrier to Entry” keeps the classique guitar pop angle rolling as it sports a sly nod to the Rivieras’ “California Sun” and dishes a terrifically unexpected vocal upsurge in the waning moments. “DFL” comes tricked out with f-bombs and loaded with high melodic energy as Nelson continues to sing in a controlled, unflustered conversational tone that’s distinctive and vaguely familiar without being too reminiscent of influential predecessors.
There are a few tangible similarities. Dedicated to Linda Ronstadt, “It’s a Dog’s Breakfast” serves up Nelson singing like Lucinda Williams or Sally Timms as the no-nonsense backing gets deliciously rowdy, and “Last Rites for the Comeback Kid” highlights phrasing that recalls head Mountain Goat John Darnielle, amid decidedly ’80s pop inflections including more sax from Douglas and intermingled keyboard lines.
The cowpunk-ish “Shut Up and Deal” nabs a key line from The Apartment for its title and frequent refrain, “White Wine Whatever” is a spirited rocker with a raucous, ripping guitar solo, and the title track is a tight tough roller but less perturbed, at least until another guitar break hits, with Nelson spilling vowels and consonants like a grand champ of extemporaneous speaking challenges.
Drenched in chiming guitars and keyboard swells, “Shark Eyes” blends early Heartbreakers-era Petty with a little old school bar-friendly college rock, “Elegant Bachelors” wanders back into the new wavy neighborhood with Nelson sounding just a smidge Martha Davis-like in the verses (she sounds like nothing other but herself during the choruses), and “Badges and Wages” saves some of the best lyrics for Known Associates’ closing track.
It’s reassuring to realize that in a fucked up world, The Paranoid Style hasn’t lost a thing.
GRADED ON A CURVE:
A-
