Press
Reviews of “Here”, “None of the Above” and “Nevertheless”
They shine individually and collectively. But what is so giddily refreshing about Nevertheless is how they stretch themselves as producers, sound designers, and arrangers — how seriously they take the challenge of telling stories and conjuring moods, evoking places and eras, and connecting to the imaginations and emotions of listeners, all while honoring the well-honed improvisational power trio at the heart of the enterprise. It is quite a balancing act.On eleven witty, stylish, and referentially playful compositions plus one remix, NEQ make the case that theirs is music for the people. While the song forms are indeed long and the solos are indeed many, NEQ treat every song as its own world, full of surprise, thematic development, immersive texture, and plenty of elegant and adventurous melody courtesy of principal writer Nelson. I would argue that anyone who has ever enjoyed a Morricone soundtrack, a surf record, or the genius of Jobim or Piazzolla should be able to find some delights here.
John Burdick - Hudson Valley One
The result is the album “Nevertheless,” released late last year. The drummer mixed and engineered the recording, no easy task as the band is augmented by organ, keyboards and percussion. It’s a tight mix in which the music moves in different directions on different songs. It’s rhythmically rich and Nelson’s guitar work is strong. He also wrote nearly all the music.
RJ DeLuke - Albany Times Union
“Prime Time Is Over” changes things up with a roiling, dark and funky beat with old-timey mellotron backing keys. By now the NEQ template is clear: the songs begin with intricate and inventive melodies, then settle in for extended jamming. Nelson’s guitar this time is steeped in fuzz tone with some tasty harmonics. The synth solo during the second half ranks with some of the best from ELP and the like.
Divide and Conquer
Todd Nelson the guitarist for the legendary Units/Fear of Strangers has had an interesting solo career since their break up.Todd has recorded some unique music but nothing he has done has prepared me for this release.
It’s called “Nevertheless” and his new moniker is NEQ with Kyle Esposito on bass and Manuel Quintana on drums. The songs are incredible and are segued perfectly.
Jim Barret - Radio Radio X
“Nelson’s graceful playing is subtle and full of nuance, understated and respectful of the tune, not just out on it’s own agenda”
“A stellar break-out recording that is worth the wait.”
“It is easy on the ear as Todd plays with feel rather than flash and the melody is never too far away.”
“And the groove rarely stops on Here, though it is nicely varied. “Wheels across Sonoma” recalls music from one of the Pat Metheny Groupʼs best albums, the soaring travelogue American Garage: You get the sensation of hot wind blowing through the sunroof as your car cruises through the Mexican countryside, maybe on the way to California.””
“Nelson impresses without ever showboating; while more nimble-fingered than most axslingers (at times bringing to mind such heavyweights as Bill Frisell and John Scofield), his guitar lines hew mindfully to the emotional intent of each composition, and he is always sure to leave plenty of space for both the melody and his rhythm section...”