Nelson Bragg - Mélodie de Nelson: A Pop Anthology
BIG STIR RECORDS proudly joins forces with NELSON BRAGG to bring you the definitive career summary of the acclaimed LA singer-songwriter's catalog. The new album MÉLODIE DE NELSON: A POP ANTHOLOGY will be out June 20 on Vinyl, CD and Streaming worldwide. The record is far more than a “Best Of” collection: featuring the all-new indie hit single “We're Gonna Laugh About It” along with rarities and freshly remixed tracks, it's Nelson's handpicked assortment of the best power pop tunes from his solo catalog, each one a radio-ready stunner. The album is available for pre-order and pre-save now:
NELSON BRAGG is a beloved fixture of the LA pop scene, known to international audiences (and Beach Boys fans) for his years as part of the Brian Wilson Band during the late-career renaissance that yielded the definitive edition of the legendary SMiLE album. He's also served as an essential collaborator on drums, percussion and vocals for an array of local and global pop luminaries like Stew & TNP, Anny Celsi, Chris Stamey, The Mockers, and legendary Wrecking Crew members Hal Blaine, Don Randi and Jerry Cole. Along the way, he's created and released a trilogy of acclaimed solo albums: DAY INTO NIGHT (2006), WE GET WHAT WE WANT (2012), and GRATITUDE BLUES (2021).
Those albums serve as the starting point for the new collection, but there's much more to it than a simple roundup of popular favorites. The title MÉLODIE DE NELSON may be a cheeky nod to Serge Gainsbourg, but the music it contains evokes the best offerings of Bragg's personal pop pantheon: The Beach Boys and The Byrds, of course, but also college rock titans like The dB's, R.E.M. and Bob Mould. “Melody” is certainly the operative word, and the songwriting on display makes a strong argument that Bragg is now, and has long been, one of its most gifted practitioners.
“For this collection, I wanted to focus on pop songs,” says Nelson. “I felt that I could release the best power pop album ever if I focused on that genre only out of my catalog. So while this is technically a 'Best of Nelson' or a 'Greatest Hits' or whatever silly title one could use, what it really is is the best of my pop and folk rock. I think that makes for a better album and listening experience. These songs hang together pretty well, and proud I am of them!”
Bragg's mindfulness of the listening experience drives everything here. MÉLODIE kicks off with “We're Gonna Laugh About It”, a brand track recorded expressly for the Anthology. It wouldn't do to call the song “previously unheard”: released as a single in early May, its anthemic lyrics and ringing guitars made it an instant hit on global indie radio with chart rankings in the US and UK alike, bringing Nelson his widest audience yet. The track, Bragg's newest composition, is soon to be followed onto the airwaves by one of his oldest and most beloved songs as the second single from this album. That song is “Forever Days” from his debut... and with its sparkling jangly texture and yearning vocals, it stands as proof that Nelson has has had a way with hooks from the very beginning.
A consummate curator as the head of his own imprint Steel Derrick Records and a passionate record collector, Bragg has made sure that MÉLODIE DE NELSON is packed with fresh surprises to delight his devoted followers and new fans alike. Three songs from GRATITUDE BLUES – the swamp-pop stomper “No One's Home In Hollywood”, the chamber pop gem “Every Minute Of The Day” and the irresistible jangle rocker “Glorious Days” – have been completely remixed for the album by esteemed LA producer Steve Refling, and “Lost All Our Sundays” appears here in a version from the B-side of the Vinyl 45 “I Want Love”. Despite the focus on pop hooks, there's no lack of sonic variety on the collection. “You Could Believe” could be the best Rick Springfield song you've never heard, “Lived This Life Too Long” evokes Murmur-era R.E.M. and XTC, while both “Every Minute Of The Day” and “Whitechapel Girl” tap different sides of the classic Pet Sounds arrangements Nelson knows so well.
The vinyl edition of the album, on cloud colored wax, is as beautifully packaged as one would expect, and the CD version boasts three bonus tracks (also included on the Digital release). And there's more to come from Bragg and Big Stir Records: on June 27, one week after the release of the new collection, the artist's full back catalog will be relaunched to all streaming services worldwide (marking the streaming debut of the GRATITUDE BLUES album). These are glorious days indeed for fans of NELSON BRAGG, and lovers of power pop, harmony-fueled folk rock, and beautifully arranged, heartfelt songwriting as a craft. MÉLODIE DE NELSON: A POP ANTHOLOGY is too close to perfect on it own to be considered a simple teaser, but those who fall under its spell will soon be able to follow NELSON BRAGG's full musical journey from its start to the present. Here's hoping there's much more to come.
