Bill Nelson's 1971 solo debut (after playing in several local bands) was financed by his local record store, the Record Bar in Wakefield, England. After a copy found its way to BBC disc jockey, John Peel, he began playing tracks regularly, which helped pave the way for a real record contract (the label initially wanted him to re-record Northern Dream, but he had other ideas, which led to the formation of Be Bop Deluxe). While largely acoustic, singer-songwriter fare -- at some points he sounds like an Anglicized Neil Young, in fact, filtered through Michael Chapman -- and typical of its day (even down to the way Nelson looks on the back cover, with patched flares and long, stringy hair), there's also a spirit of future experimentalism lurking under the songs. The backwards guitar work that tops and tails "Sad Feelings" offers a hint of things to come, while both "House Of Sand" and "See It Through" recall Be Bop's "Jets At Dawn." One thing never in doubt is his guitar ability. While it's hardly as developed as it would become, "Smiles," for example, illustrates some excellent picking. The songwriting has an engaging naiveté, an innocence that would soon vanish, but that's part of its charm, too. While hardly essential, it's still fascinating for anyone interested in Nelson's roots, and it is the foundation of his sound.
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