DRUM MEDIA
Sebastian Skeet
“One always gets the feeling that something is simmering under the
exterior of Nicholson’s brooding tunes, perhaps a dark anger or a
shy chameleon at work. Either way, there is no denying that he knows
how to write a strong melody and capture that all-important pop vibe
that keeps listeners wanting more. Faith & Science is undoubtedly
his best release so far, even better than the singles he managed to
excite us with all those years ago. Like [Alex] Lloyd, he endangers
his muse by straddling the difficult middle-of-the-road market.
Fortunately, he succeeds in delivering a moving and at times
brilliant album…this album allows Nicholson to jump up a few rungs
on the pop peg…”
TIME MAGAZINE
Ben Preece
“On his second post-Pretty Violet Stain solo outing, Nicholson
assembles an impressive record of perfectly-penned and
flawlessly-produced tracks, all shiny and ready for radio. The sound
created here by Nicholson and co-producer Nash Chambers is
essentially mid-paced rock/pop with an ever-so-slight tinge of
country that, for want of an unnecessary comparison, lands somewhere
between Alex Lloyd and Keith Urban. His vocals, although sombre and
relaxed, never tire, instead quickly becoming captivatingly
reassuring with Nicholson delivering honest mini-stories which are
convincingly autobiographical. First single ‘I Know What You Need’,
album opener ‘Safe And Sound’ and ballad ‘Set Me Up’ are all
stunners while the Tom Waits cover ‘Big In Japan’ provides a fun
point of difference - but it’s the superb ‘Stolen Car’ that’s
strikes more than a note or two.”
HERALD SUN
Neala Johnson
“Shane Nicholson records are not for partying. But if you are
looking for something once the party's over and a bit of
post-midnight navel-gazing sets in, he's your man. Nicholson's songs
of regret and confusion let you know you're not alone. Then he flips
the coin for songs of love and possibilities to get you through
until daybreak. His description of the arrival of an uninhibited
love in Set Me Up conveys all the fear and thrill of the unknown,
while simple and stark plucking sets an atmospheric stage for I Can
Change, a stunning almost-duet with his wife, Kasey Chambers.
In a word: contemplative”
COURIER MAIL
Nicholson's Onside For Hit by Noel Mengel
Shane Nicholson
Faith and Science
Essence/EMI
SHANE Nicholson has always had the gift for writing insidious
pop-rock tunes but the difference with Faith and Science is
that this time he's charging up the field, the goal mouth is wide
open and the ref says he's onside.
Explanation: his long battle to be heard probably feels to him
like a struggle of World Cup qualifying proportions, but at last the
flow of the game is going his way.
First single I Know What You Need has won him more airplay
than he's ever had. The next, Safe and Sound, with its
elegant verse and sunshine-on-a-cloudy-day chorus, should finally
score the goal.
Not that Nicholson is a "hit single" kind of artist: his
slow-fuse melodies sound best playing off each other in the context
of an album, and they've never been better presented than on
Faith and Science.
The former Redcliffe boy's debut solo album, It's a Movie,
was a bare-bones, low-key kind of record, a reaction to his early
years in rock band Pretty Violet Stain.
This time there is sharper contrast in the tones, from gentle
melancholy in Home and Acrobat Ache to bright colours
and positive vibrations in rock tunes like Always Be On Your Side,
which, by the way, sounds even more like a tailor-made radio song
than the other two.
And often all the colours are there on the one song, like Set
Me Up, which starts in deep blue with just piano for backing and
slowly rises up to a feelgood conclusion.
Nicholson has occasionally had to live with Neil Finn comparisons
and certainly Set Me Up won't settle that argument, but in
general Faith and Science finds a writer confident in his own
ability with his most consistently structured set of tunes. Hence
the "faith" and "science".
The contrasts in his music mirror the changes in his personal
life. Of course, people will be wondering which of these songs might
be about his wife, Kasey Chambers. He's not letting on – he's been
writing songs long enough to know to just let the mystery be – but
you might be off the mark if you think Everybody Loves You Now
is one of them.
Listen carefully. With his dry sense of humour, it might be about
Shane Nicholson.
The album was co-produced by Nicholson and Nash Chambers, but by
his own admission this time he has welcomed outside contributions,
with a cast of top-notch players including guitarists Mark Punch and
Jim Moginie of Midnight Oil and keys man Clayton Dooley (who
contributed a song to the last Whitlams album).
Nicholson still writes a beautiful melancholy ballad – check I
Can Change, with its shimmering harmony vocal from Kasey. But
when he backs it up with the feelgood throb of the next track,
Always Be On Your Side, the effect is even sweeter.
LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR
Nicholson (no, not that Nicholson) stars in his own 'Movie' by
L.KentWolgamott
The easy comparison for Shane Nicholson is Neil Finn. But if a
reference to the Crowded House / Split Enz singer-songwriter is a
little obscure, suffice it to say that Nicholson knows how to craft
a song full of downbeat, introspective lyrics and pop hooks, then
deliver it with just the right combination of weariness and
intensity.
That's certainly the case on "It's a Movie," a
well-done disc of folky pop from Nicholson. "It's A
Movie," which was released to plenty of fanfare in Australia
last year, was produced by Nash Chambers, the brother of
alt-country's Kasey Chambers, who provides background vocals on
"Designed To Fade".
Most of the songs are personal takes on subjects like isolation
and friendship. But Nicholson has some bite, too, penning a wiseass
shot at the music industry in the title cut.
Nicholson also deserves some props for having good taste in
covers. One of the B-sides on an Aussie single included covers of an
Everly Brothers tune and Matthew Sweet's "Sick of Myself."
That's a sign of his love of melody that comes through across the
record.
There's nothing on "It's a Movie" that comes close to
rocking. But that's not the point of the record. This one showcases
Nicholson's song writing and slightly worn vocal style and in doing
so introduces an artist worth hearing to America.
BOSTON HERALD
Nicholson melds influences for sweet, sad sound : 3/4 stars by
Sarah Rodman
This Aussie singer-songwriter should appeal to fans of two highly
talented and very different artists from his neck of the bush:
fellow Aussie and country vocalist Kasey Chambers and dreamy yet
downbeat Kiwi pop crooner Neil Finn of Crowded House.
With the former, Nicholson shares an ability to blur genre lines, as
"Movie" cuts from roots and country tunes to hushed folk
and shimmery pop. Chambers herself shows up to provide lonesome
harmonies on the shuffling rocker "Designed To Fade" and
lends Nicholson her producer - and brother - Nash Chambers.
Finn's strong influence - and that of Finn's own role model, Paul
McCartney - can be heard in Nicholson's warm, melancholy vocals and
assured melodic gifts on songs such as the lilting "The Best
Day Of The Year". the pop rocker "Let's Get Started"
and the imploring piano balled "Keep It Together."
For fans of music both beautiful and sad, this is a
"Movie" worth checking out.
VIRT RECORDS
How the US Label describe "It's A Movie"
Native Australian Shane Nicholson's debut (originally released
internationally in 2002) sounds like a great lost Neil Finn record.
It might almost be said It's A Movie is a good deal catchier than
anything our beloved Mr. Finn has released of late. But as Kasey
Chambers, who sings with Nicholson on "Designed To Fade",
puts it, "Shane is an incredible songwriter with a beautiful
voice." And that in itself supersedes any comparative element,
leaving his rich talent as the deciding factor.
Smooth and tuneful, his primarily acoustic-based songs are
passionate and well worded. And while he does accept some help here
and there, Nicholson handles the lion's share of the instrumentation
- guitars, keys, harmonica and bass - while co-producing with
Kasey's brother, Nash. And if two Chambers family members weren't
enough, include father Bill on pedal steel too. Nicholson,
previously the front man for the highly regarded Aussie band Pretty
Violet Stain, provides shimmering passion pop, with rootsy flair,
for the sombre new world.
USA TODAY
Album Review by Elysa Gardner (***½)
Singer/songwriter-driven guitar-pop increasingly has become the
domain of gracelessly earnest young men who try to pass off whiny
navel-gazing as profound artistry. How refreshing, then, to hear
this lovely, lyrical solo debut from the front man of the Australian
band Pretty Violet Stain.
Nicholson's sweetly rippling tenor and the glowing melodies that
drive songs such as Keep It Together and the title track may remind
some of Neil Finn. But Nicholson's wry, wistful sensibility is
distinctly his own, and he and co-producer Nash Chambers — brother
of fellow Aussie minstrel Kasey Chambers, who makes a guest
appearance — ensure that this picture sparkles.
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS
Album Review by Mario Tarradell (B)
We're in the throes of a confessional male singer-songwriter movement.
Look at the mass-appeal success of newcomers John Mayer and Jason Mraz.
In the wings are Damien Rice, Gavin Degraw and Josh Kelley. Sensitive
guys with guitars and pianos are plentiful.
Enter Australian Shane Nicholson, whose debut solo album, It's a Movie,
was co-produced by Nash Chambers, brother of fellow Aussie singer -
songwriter Kasey Chambers. Ms. Chambers, best known on the alt-country,
coffeehouse rock circuit, lends her haunting twang to the folkie number
"Designed to Fade."
Mr. Nicholson, who spent almost a decade fronting Brisbane-based melodic
rock group Pretty Violet Stain, works from a stripped-down, folk-pop base.
His tunes start as simple, acoustic guitar-and-voice pieces. The intention
is to showcase the lyrics, his unadorned yet subtly captivating pipes and
the pure melodies. Some embellishments are added – namely strings, electric
guitar, upright bass, piano, drums and lap steel – but the uncluttered feel
of the music remains.
He's no rocker. The closest he gets to breaking a sweat is on the angst -
filled relationship number, "I Wish I Was You (Sometimes)." But Mr. Nicholson
can't be classified a balladeer either. He waxes his honest vignettes with
bluesy determination, never wallowing in melancholy words. "Life On Mars,"
essentially a song about isolation, benefits from strings and piano that
color, but don't drench, the proceedings.
"Nice To Be Here," with its instantly memorable melody and chorus, turns out
to be his strongest bid for radio airplay. Catchy, yet not blatantly so.
This is, after all, the guy who wrote, "It's a Movie," a sly, sarcastic ode
to the music business. "We've all got fresh hype," he sings, "Metal to soul,
funk, rap to rock/And you'll be making room/For every new kid on the block/
It's got to be a movie/'Cause nothing's this unbelievable."
It's a Movie works best when the songs are well-structured and the production
values enhance the pieces rather than obliterating them. But on a couple of
tracks, Mr. Nicholson loses himself in the mystique of his own verses.
"Keep It Together," presumably a tough-love admonishment to a troubled friend,
packs in too many images and rhymes to make any cohesive sense. And "Satellite
Song," which ends the disc, is one spacey mess.
Confessional singer-songwriters do have outbursts of self-indulgence.
Mr. Nicholson keeps his mostly in check, though. On It's a Movie, he shows
promise. He may have to get in line for a large audience, given all the others
ahead of him, but he does deserve attention.
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
IN LIKE FINN by Tony Davis
Those who feel Neil Finn no longer sounds enough like the classic
FM-friendly Kiwi of yore may have the perfect solution: Shane
Nicholson.
This may sound like a backhanded compliment for a very talented
young singer and songwriter, but Nicholson doesn't seem perturbed.
"I'm not ashamed of it when people say I sound like Neil Finn", says
the Brisbane-born-and-raised Nicholson.
"I love it, it's a great compliment to me. I'm just not quite sure
how he feels about it."
Nicholson, the toothpick-thin former frontman for the band Pretty
Violent Stain, is now 26 and back with a solo album called It's a
Movie.
Co-produced by Nash Chambers, brother of Kasey (who also sings on
one track) and son of Bill (who plays lap steel on another), it's a
suite of 11 new songs, all penned by Nicholson. They are melodic,
mostly downbeat and sound very much like they could have been
written and sung by a certain ex-Split Enz guitarist.
"The music I have the earliest recollection of was I Got You by
Split Enz", says Nicholson, "that and The Leyland Brothers' theme
music. So Finn's singing voice is the first I can remember hearing.
But I think a lot of songwriters would be influenced by his song
writing. He's a pure genius."
Pretty Violent Stain broke up after recording a famously expensive
album in Wales, then failing to be the next big thing.
"I'm trying to be very low key this time, to make the album in a
shorter space of time, with local people, and cheaper," says
Nicholson.
"I wanted to be a bit more focused on the lyrics and the melodies
and not so much on production and performance [and] I wanted
something a bit more relaxed, perhaps a little more melancholy,
where I wasn't screaming."
Nicholson is softly spoken, articulate, thoughtful and rarely lost
for an eloquent explanation of what he is trying to achieve.
In spite of mounting hype from Warner Music, he is fiercely
determined to do it his way and seems unfazed by the financial side.
Finishing up behind seems to him to be almost the natural order of
the universe.
"I've got friends that sold a lot of records and still owe money to
their record company. It's the way things go. It costs a lot of
money to make a record, and that money is money, and people need to
get it back.
"I'm much more interested in making records than I am in selling
them. Obviously though, by default that means I need to sell a
certain amount to warrant the expense of making another.
"But that's my goal, just to do that."
Nicholson admits that the life of a musician in Australia - and he's
been one for a decade - is tough. But he recalls with a smile that
he did once have a real job: installing garage doors.
"It was seriously hard work, 72-hour weeks. I've been there - not
for too long, I admit - but I know what I don't have to do when I
get up in the mornings."
Largely self-taught, Nicholson plays piano, guitar, drums and a bit
of harmonica. ("Just in the studio, because we can fix it and make
it sound like I know what I'm doing.") He says he is more interested
in creating songs than becoming an instrumental virtuoso.
He cites America's Elliott Smith as his favourite current
songwriter; there's even a snatch of an Elliott Smith interview on
the album.
"I've got to say there's not a lot of new things I listen to a lot.
I still enjoy listening to Beatles records and a lot of the older
stuff like the Clash."
Then the conversation returns to the Neil Finn similarity. We tried
to stay away from it, we really did.
"When we made the album we were very aware of it.
"I can't say I went out of my way not to sound like I always sound,
but we were more aware of other elements we could use to steer away
from [the similarity]. Things in the arrangements and harmonising to
try to make it individual.
"But to be honest I do what I love to do, and if that means it
sounds like Paul McCartney or Neil Finn or whatever, I so don't care
about it."
ABC DIG
TOP TEN ALBUMS OF 2002 by PHIL CULLEN
"The former lead singer for Pretty Violet Stain produces the best
album Neil Finn has never recorded. Such comparisons are inevitable
as Shane lays down a unique collection of songs that also rival Alex
Lloyd's meter as deeply impressive and thoughtful talent. Perfect is
that, a pop rock song that lingers longer.
BEAT MAGAZINE
SHANE NICHOLSON
Designed to Fade (EastWest/Warner)
"Pretty Violet Stain frontman goes solo and finds the gentlest,
warmest rootsy sound imaginable. He also finds Kasey Chambers and
pops her on backing vocals, but thats only a finishing touch on what
was already a simple and simply moving song. What makes it, for the
most part, are Nicholson's words and the unassuming way he sings
them. It's music for music's sake, and it has the power to soothe
even the most savage beast. And he even gives a good Matthew Sweet
cover on the b-side. Sigh..."
TIMEOFF MAGAZINE
SHANE NICHOLSON
Designed To Fade (EastWest/Warner)
"Warm, relaxed and worthy acoustic stuff from this local
singer/songwriter. Co-production from Nash Chambers and backing
vocals from sister Kasey sure haven’t hurt none either. From the
album It’s A Movie. Includes covers of Matthew Sweet’s ‘Sick of
Myself’ (1995) and The Everly Brother’s hit ‘Bye Bye Love’ (1957). "
TIMEOFF MAGAZINE
SILVER SCREEN SONGS by NICK COPPACK
"Forget glossy production and grand orchestral arrangements - Shane
Nicholson isn’t having any of it.
"It’s all about the songs," he maintains. "That’s the most important
thing."
Nicholson, who many will recognise from his time fronting Brisbane
guitar pop group Pretty Violet Stain, is talking up his debut solo
album It’s A Movie.
"I didn’t want it to sound like any particular style or have all
these trendy sounds on it. By dressing it down I’m hoping to put
more of a focus on the song itself. All the records I love are
‘song’ records so that’s what I wanted to try myself - a really
simple, honest record."
It’s A Movie is certainly that. Recorded with producer Nash
Chambers, the album features 11 acoustically driven cuts that are
unmistakably Shane Nicholson. And that’s not to say the songs sound
like an unplugged version of Pretty Violet Stain. In fact, as
Nicholson explains, that’s exactly what he wants to get away from.
"When you play in a band you have this pre-determined template, a
‘sound’ that just happens when you all get in the same room and play
together. If I’d done another record with PVS using the same tunes
I’ve recorded here on my solo album, I could have told you exactly
how they would have ended up sounding, and that depressed me. I
wanted to break out of the mould and start again and recording solo
was the perfect vehicle for me to do that."
Despite the rumours, the long period of inactivity, and fellow
members of Pretty Violet Stain working on other projects (Halfday,
Love Lies Bleeding), Nicholson insists the band hasn’t broken up.
Instead, he says they’ve put it in a box underneath the bed, only to
be taken out when they’re ready to play.
For now, Nicholson is focused on his solo career and loving the
freedom it’s given him to explore new sounds.
"I wanted to build from the first element and work up rather than
start with a foundation that already exists. So I brought people in
to play on the record who haven’t played together before and it was
more of a jigsaw record, put together slowly. It was a fun risk to
take."
But while he was surrounded by musicians in the recording studio,
life on the road as a solo artist is "pretty lonely".
"I love the freedom of being able to bring in whoever you want when
you’re recording, but the downside hits you when you’re touring. You
really miss the camaraderie, just having your mates around," he
says. "But on a creative level, which is most important to me, it’s
pretty liberating and rewarding."
Nicholson’s newfound freedom shines on It’s A Movie, most notably on
tracks like ‘The Best Day Of The Year’, ‘Nice To Be Here’, ‘Let’s
Get Started,’ ‘Perfect’, and ‘Day In The Sun’. Not surprisingly,
Nicholson says writing as a solo artist is much easier as he only
has himself to please.
"I’ve always had a clear idea of the direction I want my songs to
head in," he says. "Even in PVS I would always write alone, but when
you take ideas to a band, they’re bound to change and usually they
end up getting shaped into that same comfortable formula you’re used
to."
Despite the context of its solo recording, It’s A Movie is sure to
appeal to fans of Pretty Violet Stain’s pop/rock. The band’s melodic
bent maintains a presence throughout, particularly on the folk/pop
of single ‘Designed To Fade’.
"I bought this Bonds T-shirt a while back and the tag on it said
‘designed to fade’," Nicholson says of the song’s genesis. "It
struck me as kind of ridiculous that this company was basically
saying ‘Don’t send this back to us if it falls apart - it’s meant
to’!"
Such a casual observation inspired Nicholson to explore the
sentiment further.
"I thought ‘everything’s designed to fade really - including us’,"
he adds, before explaining further how ideas spring from the world
around us.
"Inspiration always comes from people around me; things they say or
things they do and the situations they get themselves into. But it’s
not like something will happen and I think to myself ‘oh, I really
have to write a song about that’.
"I’ll just be messing about with some chords and be in a particular
mood, singing a nice melody perhaps. Then it hits you and you
remember something that happened recently and wow, you’ve got a
song."
He makes it sound so simple, yet when you listen to It’s A Movie
you’re almost inclined to believe him - such is the ease with which
he delivers each tune. It’s also a record he hopes will lay the
foundations for a long and successful solo career.
"I’m glad I made this record the way I did," he says. "Nothing
fancy, nothing out of the ordinary; just good old fashioned songs. I
don’t think you can ask for anything more than that.""
TIMEOFF MAGAZINE
It's A Movie (East/West/Warner)
"When Pretty Violet Stain went on an ‘extended break’, Shane
Nicholson jumped at the opportunity to record and co-produce his
first solo effort. And far from being tempted by fancy production
methods, Nicholson has presented the songs in a stripped-back and
honest format.
From start to finish, It’s A Movie plays more like a campfire
acoustic sing-a-long than a record slaved over for months. First
single ‘Designed To Fade’ is already familiar to many and with
Nicholson’s knack for hooky vocal melodies, it shouldn’t be long
before other tunes such as ‘Perfect’, ‘The Best Day Of The Year’,
and the album’s title track find welcome ears.
Nicholson’s lyrics are cryptic without being too obscure, and his
vocals gravely without being grating. Perhaps an occasional move
away from the standard singer/songwriter style would command more
attention, but at the end of the day, Nicholson has focused on his
strengths and released a solid album that deserves more than an
occasional listen."
BEAT MAGAZINE
Shane Nicholson Interview by Sarah Ortenzio
"You may have noticed this singer/songwriter in Beat a few weeks
back - his debut single, Designed To Fade was appropriately selected
Single Of The Week. The release of his new album, It’s a Movie, is
set to intently tug on your heart strings and imbed itself gently in
your psyche. If you have not yet heard his beautifully poignant
debut single, or indeed, do not yet know of Shane Nicholson,
consider this your calling"
Spending ten years with Brisbane based band, Pretty Violet Stain,
provides the perfect backdrop for this composed solo artist. The
band formed at school as a result of their collective detestation of
sport and over the span of a decade, supported the likes of Alex
Lloyd and The Dandy Warhols as well as releasing a few CDs. "Going
solo was so gradual; we never sat down and decided to part for any
reason." Shane explains. "We’d been together for so long and I think
we all new that we were ready for something different. I was writing
a bunch of different songs while we were on tour and they didn’t
seem to fit what we were doing at the time. I got so excited by the
prospects of writing myself, and the band slowly faded - not touring
as much - so I thought I’d see what I could do in the down time."
Shane started recording this album three times before he finally
settled with Nash Chambers as a producer. "I had to see through
trial and error what I really wanted and eventually got the
confidence to stop looking for a producer that I thought could
change it into something better, but rather, for someone to enhance
what was there - that’s why Nash came in." And so, fourth time
lucky, Nash Chambers produced an album that was true to the heart
and soul of Shane Nicholson. Wanting to break away from the Country
association, Nash was reluctant to place any elements of that genre
into Shane’s music. "I had to fight for those parts." Shane recalls
with a smile. "Nash argued that people would say it was his
influence, but I really wanted some of those folk/country
instruments as part of my album." Despite the inevitable arguments,
Nash and Shane ultimately complimented each other brilliantly. "He
works simply." Shane says of Nash. "He thinks the first time you do
something, it’s the best because it’s true and it’s raw. I tend to
sit there and want to perfect things, so we argued a lot but
eventually found our middle ground. He really taught me not to worry
and think so much about it and just let the song guide you."
"We really didn’t work towards - does it fit here, will it get
played on radio - we just didn’t really care. I learned so much from
being able to sit back and say, ‘fuck it’ and just enjoy it, and
really let the songs be the guide. I’ve learned a process of not
trying to perfect something against the sound in your head, but more
letting the song itself dictate how to do it. You always have a
picture in your mind, but this was the first time I let the original
picture get bent and twisted by the song rather than the other way
around."
Listening closely to Designed To Fade will reveal another member of
the Chamber’s family. Kasey makes a beautiful appearance, providing
sinuous backing vocals that further instil an unlikely balance of
melancholy and hope. It’s a Movie is so honest and unpretentious
that it immediately collides with an emotional impact, rather than
an auditory explosion. "I don’t think it’s eclectic at all." Shane
modestly states, despite the reviews the album has already received.
"It’s very simple, and very basic - the focus is on the lyrics. I
wanted to get away form that whole mindset of trying to get it on
radio and marketing it." Ah yes, there is nothing more admirable
then an artist creating music in its purest form. Bring back these
artists that speak not of fame and fortune! Shane speaks softly, but
his words overflow with integrity. "I’m quite happy for this album
to not sell anything until people have heard the third one and then
go back and find it. I’m cool with that because I’m happy to make
records rather th en sell records - that means more to me."
However, this does beg the question of the purpose behind his music.
Doesn’t he have some kind of outlook for the release of the album?
"I’m not worried if it does well or not because for me it’s already
served it’s purpose. It’s quite a cathartic process and I’ve learned
a lot from it - so for me - the record has already been successful."
Consider then, It’s a Movie, as a journal your closest friend is
allowing you to read. "It is kinda like putting a soundtrack to your
diary." Shane agrees. "It’s a diary of my life in the past year, and
in that respect, the album is rather simple. It doesn’t necessarily
have a set style/sound." So what is Shane’s definition of amazing
music? "Something that affects you and you don’t even know why. You
just feel it."
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