After the Rain

by Alex HendersonLed by singers Matthew & Gunnar Nelson, the band Nelson brought Rick Nelson's sons a lot of exposure in the early 1990s. Like that celebrated '50s icon, Matthew and Gunnar went for a clean-cut, boy-next-door image -- wholesome sex symbols, if you will. But Matthew and Gunnar didn't sound anything like their father; their music was glossy, '80s-sounding corporate rock and arena rock (sort of White Lion meets Loverboy meets Bon Jovi, minus the "bad boy" element). Rock critics tend to deplore and rail against albums like After the Rain, but say what you will -- "I Can Hardly Wait," "Fill You Up," "(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection" and other melodic tunes are catchy and likable. Granted, this type of pop-rock can easily become bloodless and mechanical, but the Nelson siblings come across as sincere. For all its slickness, After the Rain has heart.