WHO IS HE? The musical alias and/or alter-ego of Micah Nelson, who is not only the youngest child of country outlaw Willie Nelson — who dubbed him “Particle Kid” years ago while stoned — but also a member of Neil Young’s latest backing band with sibling Lukas Nelson and his group Promise of the Real.
WHAT IS THIS? The prolific and eccentric artist’s latest dose of skewed psychedelia, roots-rock trippiness and experimental soundscapes.
WHAT DOES IT SOUND LIKE? A little like Beck’s freakier moments — except Nelson’s tunes eschew sardonic silliness for topical and personal lyrics. And sometimes his nasal crooning reminds you a little of you-know-who.
WHAT WOULD BE A BETTER TITLE FOR THIS ALBUM? The Red-Headed Stranger’s Stranger Son.
HOW SHOULD I LISTEN TO IT? Altering your consciousness is not required — but it surely couldn’t hurt either.
WHAT 10 WORDS DESCRIBE IT? Loose, meandering, esoteric, hazy, noisy, rebellious, poetic, challenging, natural, individual.
WHAT ARE THE BEST SONGS? Backwards, Radio Flyer and Stroboscopic wisely add some rocky hooks to the heady mix, making them good entry points to Micah’s world.
WHAT WILL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY SAY? ‘Is it possible to get a contact high just from hearing music?’
HOW OFTEN WILL I LISTEN TO THIS? How often do you want to take a long, strange trip?
IF THIS ALBUM WERE A PARTICLE, WHAT KIND OF PARTICLE WOULD IT BE? A newly discovered isotope that doesn’t behave the way you expect it to, but still manages to survive and thrive.
SHOULD I BUY, STREAM OR STEAL? There’s no point trying to own particles — they’ll just slip right through your fingers.
