“Won’t Go With the Flow” is a rather apt title for an artist like Robert Nix, whose charismatic and idiosyncratic songwriting certainly exists in its own theatrical, individual realm of rock — with the most immediate comparison being brotherly duo Sparks. Like them, Nix specializes in a personality-filled vein of rock, filled with alternating keys and tongue-in-cheek lyrics and philosophical musings. Nix’s fifth full-length, Once in a Blue Moon, is his latest — headed by this effort, which simply and effectively makes the point: “No, I won’t go with the flow because if I do I’ll end up where everybody else goes.” Additional post-punk influences like Bauhaus, Joy Division, and Gary Numan – in addition to appreciation for other charismatic acts like Grandaddy and Syd Barrett – certainly shine through, though there’s no doubting Nix continues to find success with his supremely individual style.
