Going Through the Archives with Nesey Gallons: ‘Aurelia

Nesey Gallons was born in Maine and is of French-Canadian and English descent. After befriending members of the Elephant 6 Collective as a teenager in the late nineties, Anna ‘Nesey’ Gallons joined Neutral Milk Hotel in 2001, while finally releasing her own solo debut with 2009’s ‘Eyes & Eyes & Eyes Ago’ on Cloud Recordings.

Nesey, who is now 39, is re-releasing ‘when I was an ice skater’. Written between ages 16 and 25, first released at the age of 28, Nesey writes her own future as she goes back to old projects to see where those fit in within her current life. Listening to ‘aurelia’ 10 years later resembles reading an old journal and understanding how things fall into place eventually.

“I tend to present as gender neutral. I don’t always keep up with arbitrary (or oppressive) social standards of feminine hygiene like shaving. I seldom bother to modulate my speaking voice or other things that would help me pass. So I probably come across like a homosexual cis man more than anything. I am not interested in performing gender to meet expectations established by corporate patriarchy.” says Nesey.

Watch ‘Aurelia’ by Nesey Gallons on YouTube

“I’m an anarchist and punk at heart and not interested in putting bows in my hair to convince anyone I’m trans or a woman if I don’t feel like it!”

Nesey Gallons

Genius, in a way, Nesey works and reworks the same old thing patiently waiting for the right time to release it… Or re-release it. “When not preoccupied with motherhood I am still working on the same novel as 20 years ago, a new album with a vaguely ambitious accompanying stage show hopefully coming in 2025! and I am collaborating on new projects with old Elephant Six friends again.” Nesey says.

Nesey reminds me of what Sea Oleena also did musically in 2011. The music has to be personal to be captivating. There is an aesthetic being nurtured in which the voice becomes its own instrument, but the visuals are just as important. Similarly, Bandcamp remains the most reliable platform for the music to be released onto. ‘Aurelia’ then becomes a song I’ll be returning to for its 8mm music video and melancholia, reminding me of what I used to listen to 10 years ago and how I too still like the same thing but perhaps through a different perspective.

Initially, ‘when I was an ice skater’ was recorded as a suicide note: ‘After living through multiple efforts to take her own life, Gallons resolved to live, and eventually came out as trans in 2016. It is through this lens that her album may now be properly understood both for what it truly was in 2012, and what it has become eleven years later: an expression of queer suffering and despair transmuted to an assertion of life and queer survival.’

The limited 2 LP run of ‘when i was an ice skater’ by Nesey Gallons, pressed by Gotta Groove Pressing, features gatefold artwork as well as an 8-page lyric and photo book. If Nesey Gallons’ journey resonates with you, or if you’re simply curious to hear the evolution of her music and story, don’t miss the chance to experience it firsthand. You can support her by purchasing the limited edition 2 LP run of ‘when i was an ice skater’, which not only offers the auditory pleasure of her music but also provides a visual and lyrical experience through the included gatefold artwork and photo book. Visit Bandcamp to grab your copy and be part of Nesey’s ongoing narrative of growth, resilience, and artistic expression. You can also follow Nesey on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. For more reviews, click here.