Beaver Nelson
Motion
(Freedom Records/TMRU)

Motion, Nelson's fifth independent release in six years, points to the determination which alternately rewards and plagues many songwriters. Here, it's definitely paid off, for while the album is markedly more adventurous, turning to Beatles-esque melodies ("It Really Shouldn't Be So Hard"), solid rock 'n' roll sensibilities ("Minute Man") and even tropical beats ("It Is There"), it retains a fine sense of less is more.

The blatant confidence asserted in previous releases, such as 1998's The Last Hurrah and 2000's Little Brother, is now more relaxed and has reached a comfort zone infinitely more appealing. But without selling himself short, as Nelson lets his lighthearted lyrical sweetness be undermined by a nippy sarcastic nature, as evidenced by "The Unfortunately Entitled Hey Little Mockingbird."

There's no denying that Nelson's Americana is as American as it gets - understatement without oversimplification seems to be the unwritten rule. Though his songs fail to stray far from the standard recipe, they provide the satisfaction of good home-cooked meals concocted with little more than the right staple ingredients stashed away in the cupboard.

A. Koledin