New album Bolshevik Roll Up is catchy and memorable
On October 9th, 1940, John Lennon was born. October 3rd, 1990, East and West Germany were reunited as the Federal Republic of Germany. October 26th, 2019, the Nim Nims will release their latest album, Bolshevik Roll Up, with a release party at JJ’s Bohemia.
Yes, the Nim Nims are back with an all new album, eight tracks full of catchy melodies, sharp hooks, smart lyrics, and beautiful arrangements. I’m a fan of the Nim Nims; their music has always been impressive and enjoyable.
But this album is an order of magnitude above their previous work, the result of years of hard work, polish, and refinement.
Why? Well, the cohesion of the album is superb without sacrificing anything in the way of diversity. Don’t underestimate the power of that. In this context there are three potential states for an album. In the first, it may demonstrate a broad array of styles and influences from one song to the next, heavy on variety, but also scattered and aimless, as though it were a compilation album of different bands a la the Ronco company in the ‘70s and early ‘80s. A lot to hear, little to remember.
The second state is the antithesis of the first, an album so “of a piece” that eight tunes run together into one long one. No doubt, this is the band, but the individual songs are so similar in style and execution that nothing stands out in particular. Again, a lot to hear, little to remember.
The third state is the “Goldilocks” zone of album production in which the band’s overall sound is well-represented throughout, but each song is its own signature tune. Variety, without the inclusion of something that likely belonged on a different album. Bolshevik Rollup falls squarely in this final category, a masterpiece that illustrates the range of the band’s chops without sounding like a mish-mash of “everything we could throw in”.
Again, don’t underestimate the power of that, it’s much easier said than done, but the Nim Nims have brought all of their experience to bear with the result being an album of eight very memorable tunes, all of which are clearly the Nim Nims, none of which sounds too much like any of the others. For that reason alone, the album is absolutely masterful.
That much analysis comes before we even begin to discuss the sound the band has cultivated over the years. The radio ready nature of the production (there isn’t a song here that couldn’t conceivably be a Billboard Hot 100 hit) suggests power pop, but that’s selling the band short, I think.
There’s a bit more gravitas than “power pop”, something more akin to very best college bands of the late eighties and nineties. In a word, it sounds great, but there’s depth beyond merely sounding great, and the combination of the two makes for a thoroughly enjoyable album that is fresh and new, yet nostalgic as well.
The Nim Nims have been a perennial favorite in these parts for well over a decade, so the love for the band is already there. Understanding that, and taking into account that this is absolutely their finest work to date, it really is a “can’t miss” album, replete with Rick Nielsen guitar work, gorgeous vocals and harmonies, and just an all around, “Damn, these cats are good!” vibe.
On Saturday, October 26th they will perform the entire album live at JJs with an undisclosed mystery guest (who, if my suspicions are right, is one of the biggest deals going in Chattanooga right now). It promises to be an unparalleled evening of satisfying “smart rock”.