NUKE THE SOUP, Dancing on the Edge

If today’s technological advancements in animation had existed when the Beach Boys were conquering the world with the SoCal lifestyle in the early 60s, they would have created the kind of stunning shoreline, majestic wave and immersive underwater imagery we find in the video for Nuke the Soup’s fun loving, bluesy contemporary surf-rocker “Big Wave Dave,” the third lead single from Nuke the Soup’s long awaited, stylistically and thematically multi-faceted third album Dancing on the Edge.

Though this whimsy-filled character-driven gem is a focal point of the 11-track collection, it’s full of irony because the NTS’ Baltimore based frontman Mark Davison is not a surfer but an avid skier – you know, that other outdoor activity driven by great adrenaline rushes and the thrill of engaging with and conquering nature. He and cohorts Brian Simms (keys), Gerry Leonard (guitar), Mike Mennell (bass) and Chester Thompson and John Thomakos (drums) reflect his love for the slopes (and frustration that a back injury prevented him from hitting them) on the two tracks that bookend the set. The rollicking, jangling, blues fired opener “Biggest Storm” taps into the difficult choice Davison made between physical recovery and soul rebirth, reminding us why some risks are worth taking while inviting us down the mountain to experience “the biggest storm of the season.”

The likewise autobiographical closer is a freewheeling romp that takes its inspiration from a quote by Daniel Duane in his surfing memoir Caught Inside. Applying it to skiing, Nuke the Soup shares Davison’s daring spirit and pure joy via the audio track and a stirring video by videographer/digital producer Danny Brown that showcases the splendor of Aspen and the grandeur of the Rocky Mountain lifestyle, some in elapsed time.

Produced by Grammy winner Kevin Killen (U2, Peter Gabriel, Elvis Costello) and Gerry “Spooky Ghost”) Leonard (David Bowie), Dancing on the Edge the album is full of gems between the ocean and mountains as well, ranging from the romantic frolic of “Jump In” to deeply reflective, spiritual minded ballads “My Angel Does” and the hypnotic “I Ride Alone,” which meditates on mortality and life’s unexpected challenges as part of Davison’s overall vision of celebrating his parents and the full lives they lived.