October, 2004
Beaver Nelson: Motion CD Review
Jeff McCord, Texas Monthly

"Let's do something wonderful," Beaver Nelson sings in his new album's opener, "Let's do something grand / Let us build a monument / That we don't understand." He knows more than he lets on. There are reasons Nelson is not a star, and none of them have anything to do with the songs he writes. In that regard, he's as gifted as they come. With sharp wordplay and a rock edge, Nelson's forceful voice delivers melodic pop smarts. But the Austinite was chewed up and spit out by the music industry in his early twenties; he's overcompensated ever since, and his albums have been low-fi roots-rock affairs. Motion (Freedom), his fifth, takes a step up, and it's as enjoyable a set as you're likely to encounter this year. Though it's still unlikely to make the Clear Channel hit list, this is music impossible to dismiss and even harder to forget.