Best Local Pop/Rock Act

The Deal

Without question this is one of the tougher categories to pick a deserving winner. The guys who walked away with all the marbles were nominated on the strength of a year-old tape and the strong belief that there was more greatness to come.

Formed in mid-'94 by brothers/rhythm section Dave and Bill Nelson and guitarist John Donovan, the Deal have spent the better part of four years gigging all around town, smashing out their mix of mod-inspired Brit-rock and tasty power-pop for anyone who'd have them. Times being what they are -- steady work is tough to land -- and most people aren't adventurous enough to actually dance to a song they haven't heard a hundred times before, the band were often forced to mix their keen originals into a mix of mostly covers.

With the release of their acclaimed tape Four by Three in late '96, the Deal suddenly found themselves at the crossroads of a developing band: either continue on as the rough-and-ready pub rockers or concentrate on writing and producing their own material. Luckily they decided to step back and go pop, writing a slew of new songs (they now feature 25 originals) and heading into the studio to start work on a full-length release. Recorded at Bill Nelson's own Big Deal Studio (Nelson has also worked the board for Chillum, Code Blue, Woodgrain Theory, and Peter and Ellen Allard), the planned release will be the studio's first on 1" master tape. Though not yet available for review, the CD contains the same chunky power chords and boy-meets-girl pretty pop that initially prompted critics to froth at the mouth at Four by Three. They've also added some of the groove and funk elements taken from their years as a cover band.

The Deal put it best in the liner notes of their last release with the sentiment "God Bless the Three Piece." What can be left to say in the Deal's case but "Amen, brother."

-- John O'Neill