J. R. Nelson is an artist from Eugene, Oregon who recently released a five-song EP entitled Sleeptalking. The EP is a complete DIY effort from the production to the songwriting. Nelson mentions: “I was raised on Neil Young and The White Album, and once I discovered classic ’80s and ’90s indie as a teenager I knew that I wanted to write songs.”
The first song is called “The Dream” and revolves around strummed guitar, drums, piano, organ and bass. This song has its moments especially during certain sections where the song feels uplifting, like around the one-minute-and-forty-five-second mark. “A Mirror, Dimly” was a highlight to my ears. I liked the vocals and overall mood on this song right away. There are some slight issues with timing but that sort of gives it a real and raw quality. I really liked the tremolo infused lead guitar. “When the Strings Kick In” is a stripped back song with impressive guitar picking. The vocals are very nice and warm here. The vocal harmonies are well done. That being said, similar to the previous track there are slight issues with delivery but it sort of works because it feels raw and live. In this case some notes felt a little off key. “It Isn't Me” was another highlight in the batch. This song is really catchy and there are some fantastic instrumental parts like around the two-minute mark. Last up is “Tracing the Lines” and this was my favorite tune. It sounded like a mix between Elliott Smith and The Beatles. The vocals were the best yet in terms of delivery and being memorable. This EP brings warm pensive sentiment and some good songwriting. The artist made it sound cohesive by combining similar tones, textures and emotional resonance. Take a listen.
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