Bill Nelson

[FULIGIN%UMass.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU (Peter E. Lee)]

I reviewed the new Bill Nelson ("Getting The Holy Ghost Across") when it
first came out - about 4 months ago.  Unfortunately, partly through
Mr. Nelson's belief that it would do better in this country when college
was in session, they held off releasing it domestically until about a month
ago.  It must've been frustrating for those without good import record
dealers in their area!  (Or those facing the import ban - when the record
was first released as an import, it quickly became one of our top ten
records, much to his domestic record label's chagrin.  They told us not to
play it, but we ignored them...)  Anyway, because of nervous record company
executives in the US, the project was further maimed before release here.
The company (CBS, as I recall) felt that the title "Getting The Holy Ghost
Across" and the cover (a 16th century painting by Cirvelli (sp?) would offend
born again christians in this country, so they made him come up with a new
title ("On A Blue Wing") and a new cover.  Finally, they decided that two of
the songs that he had left as outtakes would be more appealing to american
audiences than two that were on the original LP, so they changed the
running order and substituted songs.  Despite all of these indignities the
LP is possibly Mr. Nelson's finest.  Unlike much of his previous work, he
employs other musicians to play with him which adds a more full, warm
texture to the pieces.  The eight minute "Contemplation" is awe-inspiring
(it was brutally cut to 3 and 6 minute versions for the US promo single,
avoid this if possible.  You can actually hear where they must have spliced
the tape!) and the UK single "Wildest Dreams" also stands out.  The whole
LP has a textural richness that reminds me alot of Japan/David Sylvian work
(Nelson and Sylvian are frequent collaborators so I guess it makes sense).
The only real problem I find is that at times the album is TOO slick and
accessable, but I have that problem with Kate sometimes too so it's probably
not going to get in the way of other LH readers' enjoyment...  On the whole
I would highly recommend it to fans of intricate, dense, intelligent music
and of Nelson's other solo work in particular.  If you can find the import,
I would recommend spending the extra couple 'o bucks to get the whole concept
as the artist intended, but "On A Blue Wing" is hardly horrible.  For those
who are completists, and especially those with the import of the LP who want
the two tracks added to the domestic copy, Nelson has just released a limited
edition mini-album for the price of a twelve inch called "Living For The
Spangled Moment" containing the 7 tracks that didn't make it onto the "real"
album.  Most of it was, in my opinion, wisely omitted in the first place, but
A couple of pieces, including the title track, really shine...
                             -Peter E. Lee
Fuligin%UMass.bitnet@WISCVM.ARPA

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"I saw everything in you my love.
 It seems that's all I ever saw..." - Peter Blegvad, "How Beautiful You Are"