Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real have been on the road and performed 200 shows in 2011.  His new album, “Wasted” was released April 3 through Tone Tide Records.  During this rigorous schedule Lukas penned several brand new songs, sound arrangements, and sounds.  The band embraces new recording techniques for this album.  According to his story, he took some advice of Neil Young who encouraged them to record live and in analog, and also like Mr. Young, they recorded under a full moon.  The songs were written by Nelson on the back of a tour bus, shaped by his life on the road.

The title “Wasted” is a snapshot of the wasted time and hard-partying that influenced the songs.  The song “Golden Rule” has an exotic mixture of calypso rhythms and the sound is largely reminiscent of 90’s grunge.  Some other songs remind me of older 60’s and 70’s American roots, “The Joint” sounds like a mirror to his father’s sounds,  “Old Familiar Pain” has a blazing southern rock feel, and “If I was the Ocean” is psychedelic  country.  He seems to be experimenting with many sounds, however, one cannot mistake the that he is reflective and also gives us a little attitude that comes naturally with rock and roll.  And of course, being Willie Nelson’s son, the grand-daddy of country music’s most iconic figures manages to weave cowboy images and storytelling into his song reminiscent of his father.