Betting on Nelo

What do you get when you combine childhood friends, a southern rock sensibility and loads of chemistry? Really good music, that's what.

Nelo, the quintet from Austin, Texas (formally, and briefly, from Athens, Georgia) delivers in energy and sound and charisma. Their tunes have the great momentum of perfect driving songs. That is, perfect autumn-day-in-the-car-with-the-window-down driving songs. They're kind of songs that cause optimism to bubble to the surface, and heads to bounce in appreciation.

Nelo was at ACL to represent the local sound but also to promote their new EP, "two years ago e.p," which includes a handful of strong tunes including "Love Solution" and "Story of Our Lives." Pick it up and you'll get Nelo fever too.

Schnitzel!