Nelson
After The Rain

THE REVIEW

And the brunette showgirl?

Among the glitz, lipsticks, lacquers, and eyeshadows that filled the beauty cases of '80s pop stars, the case of twins Gunnar and Matthew Nelson is a unique and rare one: two perfect peas in a pod, two blond manes as straight as spaghetti, a provocative look of high school party heartthrobs, and a flashy necklace to highlight the hairless chest. But could you imagine two guys like that in our high schools? How long would it take for them to become the laughingstock of all the bullies in the institution? But Americans are strange, and probably, the two were blessed by pin-up girls and stunning models, had the admiration of their classmates, in addition to having secured quite a bit of money with the millions of copies that this "After the Rain" sold. And yes, because they may be worth jeering at and sticking gum in their hair, but when they get to the microphone, one has to admit that their crystalline and hyper-melodic AOR deserves applause and standing ovations.

Sons of rock 'n' roll singer Ricky Nelson, who tragically passed away in 1985, they inherited from their father a conception of music made of carefree days spent on the beach having fun and doing nothing, but with a musical approach that mixes pop with the guitar energy typical of hard rock.

There's no denying it, this "After the Rain" is a jewel of melody and throat-splitting pumped-up choruses, a cornerstone of melodic rock worthy of sitting on shelves next to classics like "New Jersey" by Bon Jovi or "Hysteria" by Def Leppard.

It's 1990, grunge had yet to have the devastating effects we all know, and adult rock was the major source of income for record companies. The big majors provided bands with lavish productions, the best recording studios, sparing no expense, as they were sure that the economic return would far exceed the initial expenses. A great AOR album couldn't do without a mega production and "After the Rain" is mind-blowing with its clean and crystalline sounds, chromed arrangements, excellent musicians (notably rock/fusion guitarist Brett Garsed and drummer Bobby Rock). In short, Geffen Records spared no expense and the results are evident:

"(Can’t Live Without Your) Love and Affection", their most successful track, captivates with its initial arpeggio only to explode in the chorus, sung in unison by the two brothers. But the title track, "Bits and Pieces", "More than Ever", and any of the other ten tracks are textbook for the genre: clean, direct, almost subliminally entering your head and sticking there. More than a tribute, the two pay homage to their idol Bon Jovi, but the personality they show, the ability to make typically soft sounds rough, is top of the class, from those who don't need any reference model.

Probably "After the Rain" was the last album of the genre, by a debut band, to sell so much, as well as the greatest and unrepeatable success of the Nelsons, fallen into the oblivion that touched everyone, more or less, who until a few years before was at the top.