Long running indie rock combo, The Nephews, have recently released their fifth album, Just Can’t Find The Sound, featuring eight new tunes from the trio of Tim Ellison (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Charles Brownell (drums) and Colin Watson (bass).
Recorded at The Belly of The Whale in Encinitas, with all tracking and mixdown engineering by Chris Prescott, the album also features guest appearances by musical notables Devon E. Levins (guitar on “Little Smiles”), Andrew McKeag (guitar on “Retirement Planning”), Jonathan Segel (violin on “The Last Thirty Days of Autumn”), and Swami John Reis (guitar on “Fresh Air Times Square).
Founded in 1983, according to Ellison, The Nephews four decade + run is down to the band members love of music. “I see the Nephews as being rooted in a love of both sound and the compositional element,” he remarked. “We wanted to be as good as the Kinks! Our longevity lies in the fact that we are still exploring these things.”
How does he describe The Nephews sound? “We are from the first generation of bands that were distinctly (pointedly even) retro, so I do not mind that term,” Ellison commented. “There were bands in the ’70s before us, like Raspberries, who were wanting to write songs again like the early Beatles, but our generation went further and said no, we’re actually going to use the old gear, and we’re not necessarily interested in modern recording technology either!” He doesn’t mind the term “postmodern.” “When I was just starting high school, “Poison Arrow” by ABC seemed to me to be a modern record. I liked it, but that’s not what we were doing.”
What sets Just Can’t Find The Sound apart from earlier Nephews releases? “If you use a particular guitar, or a piece of equipment, it will suggest things to you based on how you interpret the quality of the sound,” Ellison said. “I tend to think in traditional terms, so I basically ask myself, “How has this sound been used before? What is the classic manifestation of this sound?” With the Nephews, this is a particularly important element. It’s like when Jonathan Richman was asked about seeing the Velvet Underground change over a number of years, he said quite simply that their sound changed every time they got new amps.”
Ellison notes a difference in the songwriting this time out. “Our last record, John’s Fishing Village, was mostly written lyrics first, whereas this one was more music first. I think, as such, that it’s a very different record and more of an instrumental showcase for us. The last one was heavier on the poetry.”
How were the album’s musical guests chosen? Well, we are lucky enough to have these people around!” Ellison noted good naturedly. “In all four instances, there was almost no discussion needed among the three of us. The ideas were self-evident and it was clear why we would ask, for example, Devon to play a solo on “Little Smiles,” or Andrew on “Retirement Planning.” They can do things that we can’t and they can do things that add a whole other element within a particular stylistic framework of a song.”
In four decades of playing San Diego’s club scene Ellison’s enthusiasm for making music hasn’t dimmed. “I remember when I first started going to smaller shows when I was in high school, where you could be up close and see the instruments and the amps and all the gear and then see what the band members were able to do with it all in order to create something with a particular aesthetic,” Ellison recalled. “It was something I wanted to be a part of. I wanted to create the kind of band that I would want to see. I still feel this way in my late fifties!”
The Nephews next perform on Saturday, July 25 at the Whistle Stop, it’s a matinee show from 4-7 pm. The band will be joined by the Andrew McKeag Band, and DJ Devon E. Levins.
www.thenephewssandiego.bandcamp.com
