Nerv

…The music is almost impeccable, with the compositions going far beyond square metrics, and they dwell into a well executed 6/8 and with the concrete idea of expanding the pentagram. Songs like “El Diablo” show the musical and creative reaches of the band…

…In general, you can tell that they know music more than well enough; you can hear a solid band, but the best of all is that they all know where they want their music to go…

Verdict: A band with the necessary vision to change a lot of things in the national scene.
- Switch magazine #108

Poised to be showcased in 2007's North by North East festival in Toronto, Nerv is on to some lurid demonstrations of sensory overload with their hallucinogenic melodies.

Melancholic, eerie and sensual can best be used to describe the sound emanating from these cats. The angst, though very evident, is well concealed in the melodic waft of guitars and calming vocals.

Cool in a weird way, Nerv will do just that...strike.

Standout Tracks: Get Used+, Road to the Sea, The wolf in n.Y. clothes

- www.catsask.com

The musical landscape in Mexico is, almost always, depressing. Bands who don’t pay attention to their musical composition or, even less, to the quality of their lyrics, boast themselves thinking that, because they are on MTV, they are the real deal. NERV isn’t one of them. The band, native from Monterrey and formed more than a year ago, couples perfectly the sound of three guitars, bass and drums to create a musical combo reminiscent of a strong British influence –from the melody of The Beatles to the preciousness of the Kid A and The Bends Radiohead-, tendency that, unfortunately, is rare to find in many national groups.

The goal of the band is serious, they recently put out
their demo v0.1L, with 4 excellent cuts.. in which the quality of the lyrics (they have form, structure, and message!) and the music –with a strong sense of melody- make patent the promising future for the group that is now raising followers on the different spots where the play on the capital of the state; if you have a chance, listen to them, you won’t regret it. - El Norte

…This [EP] sees a collection of atmospheric and space filled ramblings heading in the direction of a stripped down Interpol. Beautifully arranged and recorded, this demo oozes ambience through the spacious great hall reverb effect applied to guitars and drums. ‘Together’ begins proceedings with an array of digital effects before a Chris Martin-esc piano moves this slow number on; a lengthy opener but mellow and crisp in effect. ‘Part Two’ is an entirely instrumental affair and ambles along with subtle builds of sounds and Latino influenced spaghetti western guitar segments. ‘Eulogy’ on the other hand would sound right at home in a modern Blur set, more conceptual but still fiting in with the general sound of the EP. Best song off the CD has to be the faster and harder ‘Get Used+’ with a dirty fuzz guitar lick combined with Spanish picking.
Three stars.
- www.glasswerk.co.uk

Nerv moves through the wide roads of indie/alternative music, in versions proposed by Radiohead or, more recently, by bands like Doves; an alternative feel mixed with electronica, noise, and dark atmospheres... at times, they remind us of Sonic Youth.

...Nerv has a lot of potential. There was a need for a local exponent in this musical genre, but now we have one (and a very good one) with this band. A bit of production and I’m sure we’ll have an excellent debut in a near future.

Score: ***+
- www.eufonia.net

[‘CD of the week’ during 3 weeks in Sep. 05]

These young men moved and stayed in the UK to continue to develop their sound, and they don’t have anything to ask to the island’s bands…

The first beats of “Road…” and Pedro’s voice reminding myself of Tim Booth at first and then going into falsetto, got me excited about listening to the rest of the EP. Nice guitars, but, above all, a better cohesion on the rhythmic section makes a change for the good in the band’s sound, which shows in the ‘new’ Blissful Idiot, with acoustic guitars and all.

"Debris" and Pedro’s voice... create a third hit in the disc (3 out of 3), with its arpeggio-based ambient… excellent.

"B-right", an acoustic track, quieter: just guitar and voice… cool; the singer-songwriter side that many indie bands have… good track.

"El Diablo", which we played on the show, an energetic track, aggressive in comparison to the rest… a keeper. Everything sounds great. Just like “The Wolf…”, the best of the previous material (Extended Demo). I have a hard time choosing, and, yes, “The Wolf…” has everything, and is, perhaps, the most elaborate, but the first three tracks are more to my liking.

The drum/heart beats and the guitar-based sonic curtain of “Deceit”, the last track, gives a nice ending to the CD with ripping distorted guitars.

…This album is a great leap forward from the last one (good job). This is the type of bands that deserve all our support, here’s our grain of sand. Look out for them…

Score: **** (four stars out of four)
- http://www.eufonia.net

What do we have here? Nerv is one of the better kept secrets in Mexico’s independent music.

Without a doubt, Nerv is a band that, since the beginning, shows the scent of transcendence. Their sound is very British and a bit classical. Lyrics in English and brit-rock guitars...

...the British influence is just the tip of the iceberg (“Blissful Idiot”). When they play the game of conventionalism, they do it through a strange mixture of sincerity and sarcasm. Because the essence of the sound takes root in very cold ambiances and roams through dark atmospheres, potent riffs and a load of textures. They handle a “triple guitar attack” + keyboard that sounds as if you were in a cemetery at daybreak in which death surrounds you (“Part 2”). You know that any moment now you’ll be joining it. But you are uncertain if it will be tonight you’ll leave forever or if you’ll have the opportunity to say good-bye to those you love.

At times the band may sound energized and powerful. The best proofs are aggressive and sharp songs like “El Diablo” and “Get Used”.

The production on this record is interesting because of its atmospheres. These tunes clearly could get a lot of people moving and sweatily attacking each other in a live show.

Sad but true: some things that reach national radio by no means measure up with brilliant deliveries like this one, which remain hidden.

...this EP’s vocals are impeccable, not excessive but not scarce. The strongest feature of the lead singer is that it has a whole lot of STYLE. Excellent evidence: “The Wolf in N.Y. Clothes” which also has an outro of guitar that overflows with class. And if we’re talking of punctuality at drums, it doesn’t stay behind. In no moment is it stuck, but it plays softly and with elegance that generates another type of intensity. As it should be.

This is an EP that will really alter any indie fan’s nerves. I could say that Nerv are a complex, profound and overwhelming... Essential. - http://www.indie-gente.com

[Editor's Pick]

...But don’t think this is some rehashed pop-rock thing wrapped in indie bubble wrap. No this is in fact great indie rock from our southern country brothers. The guitars are by far the best part and will carry you on their shoulders for a great ride of melody and melancholy drippings of guitar string strumming. - www.smother.net

...What is here is a bunch of songs and some of of them are dead good. One being “Road To The Sea”, all clanking bass, abrasive guitar blasts and phased shimmer, cool. More upbeat n breezy is the, um, blissful “Blissful Idiot”, the guitars, electric and acoustic are a bit of a treat... the metallic, controlled mayhem of “El Diablo”, guitar squalling in the approved manner and very fine drumming indeed... the best is the tricky, electro piano-ed shimmer and croon of “Deceit”, a kind of apologetically menacing Chris Isaak fronting a reflective Black Sabbath that breaks out into deliberate and doomy guitar violence.
- www.unpeeled.co.uk

(Issue #25)

Great band and a very good production that you can feel and taste… Finally a band WITH STYLE that has a dark side (‘El Diablo') and a bright side (‘Blissful Idiot') and THEY COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER WELL. It's good to find that there is a band that is looking forward. Interesting arrangements, cold atmosphere. Great instrumentation that may not be virtuous, but follows the less is more fitly, as you can hear in the leads of ‘Get Used'. It's dark, electric folk, sometimes intricate, intense, sometimes sounds like pacheco seventies (‘Eulogy’ and ‘Part Two') and sometimes non-corny dark of this century.

If this band develops well and doesn't fall in evil hands, it will transcend… Indie-noise, ‘not-cocky' dark, and progressive rock fans, you better check out this band. Believe me, this demo is a keeper. - www.rockandroll.com.mx