Nels Andrews

“These nine songs report from the edge of heartbreak on a world of fevered intensity….. Moody, intense, thoughtful and very good!”

- Irish Times 2/29/08

“The sound of dusty southern tracks, observation, love, loss and discovery.. The anti-Jack Johnson, if that serves as any encouragement.” - Virgin media (UK) 2/28/08

“Seamless smoke rings of atmospheric campfire reflection, tempered with heady, tumbling slow-roots melodies and a restless wisdom. . At the moment, there are few others in Americana who carry his rugged presence. For Nels Andrews is that much sought-after treasure in music. He’s the real deal.” - MAVERICK (UK) 05/08

’Sunday Shoes’ was always going to be a hard act to follow, but Nels Andrews handles this new set of nine self-penned songs on ’Off Track Betting’ with intelligent assurance. For all intents and purposes, ’Off Track Betting’ has temporarily replaced the bebop of Charlie Parker for the soundtrack to Kerouac’s bestseller, if only for a while. If this is the evolving route for all things Americana, then it’s fine by me. - FROOTS (UK)

“One of The Best Albums of the year”
- Bob Harris, BBC radio2

Nels Andrews has obviously spent a fair amount of time absorbing the arid, wind-kissed poetry of his New Mexico environs. The modest aural quilts that his band, the El Paso Eyepatch, weaves on "Sunday Shoes" bear the region's sonic stamp ... (and) likewise convey a sense of weathered grace
- Harp Magazine

On "Sunday Shoes" , Nels Andrews proves that he deserves a spot in the ranks of today's Americana heroes. His rootsy brand of mellow folk-rock conjures up memories of Jay Farrar and his story as an Albuquerque carpenter turned inspired musician sounds like a Western version o Ray LaMontagne. With help of backing band The El Paso Eyepatch, Andrews itch for storytelling reaches new musical heights. On “Jesse's Mom” Andrews writes “Jesse's mom thought she was born with gypsy in her blood/when she layed down ith a black man in the West Arkansas mud/back before those things were done.” This stuff of Larry Mcmurtry novels has flooded Andrews' imagination and captivated this particular writer. With the perfect accompaniment of guitar, banjo and the Emmylou Harris-esque backup vocals of Michelle Collins, in songs like “Milk and Honey” and “Meadowlake”, Andrews shows he's at the top of his craft.
- American Songwriter

For his second visit to the UK to promote the acclaimed “Sunday Shoes”, Nels Andrews is in electric mode, with the bulk of his band to back him. An enigmatic figure, six foot of brooding intensity with a flower on his guitar head, he is plagued by tuning problems throughout, but nevertheless delivers an awesome set. His music, while excellent in the semi-acoustic duo mode he toured last year, moves up a level with the band. Guitarist Jeffrey Richards, loose of limb and lithe of note, relishes the opportunity to show his chops, switching between banjo and guitar, while the sound is filled out by bass and drums. Pretty much all of “Sunday Shoes” makes an appearance, with Nels filling in some background on most of the songs gestation. So we get the prostitute fancier at the bus stop of “Central Ave. Romance”, his Devon ex on “Broken Conversation” and many more. The audience is transfixed, no one leaves, no one goes to the bar, they just listen, to a lyricist whose words have a power and intensity that is rarely matched, and remind you of the glory days of Morrison and Dylan, whether it’s the “long women in short dresses” of “Petal To A Bee” or “Denim Scarecrow”’s narrator who “wear’s his sex like a shirt that’s two sizes small”. His intensity is both exhilarating and enervating, and however long he played for, it was probably enough, though at the time I thought he could have gone on forever, otherwise I would have been so engrossed that I’d have forgotten to breathe. Sometimes going to see someone for a second time can be a disappointment. You don’t have the “shock of the new” to sustain you, and your inevitably high expectations are often not lived up to. Not with Nels Andrews though. Great as his last time out was, this is simply superlative. He’s over here for a while longer, get out there and catch him now.
Jeremy Searle
- Americana UK

”I'd be surprised if "Sunday Shoes" isn't the sleeper Americana CD of the year for me,
and for a lot of other listeners too, especially those who love a good story, superbly sung,
a strong melody, a lovely taste of melancholy, and a true sense of musical and intellectual integrity.”
- Bonny Holder, Rockzilla.net - Rockzilla

Sparsly arranged, slyly intelligent country-folk stuffed with juniper winds, Juarez jails and long women in short dresses, delivered with all the gruff urgency of Tom Waits over lap steel and ruptured guitar.

- UNCUT