The ALBUM REVIEW pages from Blue Desert

Nielsen/Pearson
Neilsen/Pearson & Blind Luck
Vivid Sound Corporation VSCD-566 (original albums both on Capitol)

by Claus P. Rasmussen

If it was not for our Japanese friends we would be in big trouble. Japanese record labels – often obscure ones - have always been supportive of West Coast music, and not only do we find many interesting new Japanese releases by American artists (not getting the recognition they deserve back home), we also find re-issues of classic West Coast albums, which never have been out on CD. A prime example is this one: two old, but excellent albums by the duo Reed Nielsen and Mark Pearson on one CD.

If you have been a West Coast music fan for a long time and do not have these two albums on vinyl, shame on you. Reed Nielsen and Mark Pearson made three albums in the period from 1978 to 1983. The first one "Nielsen/Pearson Band" (Epic) is a fine album – here and there with a hint of country music. However it is their second and third album that truly stand out for us fans of West Coast music. "Nielsen/Pearson" was originally released in 1980 and produced by Richard Landis, "Blind Luck" was released in 1983 and produced by legendary Bill Schnee. On both albums the list of musicians playing is most impressive: Charles "Icarus" Johson, Niel Stubenhaus, Vinnie Colouita, Paulinho da Costa, Tom Scott, Carlos Vega, Steve Lukather, Robbie Buchanan, Mike Landau, Lenny Castro and others. Aaahh - the golden days of West Coast music! Today such an impressive list of musicians is rare?!

Mark Pearson and Reed Nielsen both take care of the vocals, each one doing the lead on around half of the songs. Their voices go so well together – their harmonies are just wonderful. The songs are usually quite straight forward love songs in mid- or uptempo performed with an incredibly tight instrumental backing. There are lots of fine instrumental details, you want to listen to again and again. Check out the tracks "Two Lonely Nights", "Don’t Let Me Go", "Annie", "Hasty Heart", "Sentimental" or "Fadeaway" and you know exactly what I mean. There are many really great songs to choose from both of these albums now on one CD. If I am to describe the difference between the two, I would say that the "Blind Luck" album has a more hard driving up-front guitar sound (and no string arrangements). The songs are memorable on both albums – yes, you can hear they are produced in the early eighties, but that is part of the charm.

Where are Mark Pearson and Reed Nielsen today? I believe Reed Nielsen flirted with country music at one point at least as a song writer; I do not know about Mark Pearson. A re-union would be nice (okay I dreaming!). The Nielsen/Pearson duo is what West Coast music is all about - this CD is highly recommendable and belongs in every West Coast CD collection.

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