nelo (rhymes with “hello,” spelled all lowercase, says the one-sheet) is a young band from Athens, Georgia by way of Austin, Texas. And while these kids were in high school a decade ago, they managed to endear themselves to that Dave Matthews-meets-Sister Hazel brand of Southeastern jam rock, a sound they still bring to the table in 2008. But while many bands have tried to emulate that sound, it’s not always this easy to find one that does it well. nelo does that with decent songs and outstanding musicianship. Plus, lead singer Reid Umstattd can positively belt this stuff out. In all, nelo has put together a really nice debut that is tailor made for AAA radio. Most of it is jangly pop/rock, but some of the best tracks are the slower ones, such as “On Top of Love,” “Alright,” and “Please.” This band might blend in with a lot of other artists, but if they keep writing material this solid, they could wind up on tour for the next twenty years. (LABEL: Justice Records 2008)
