I just thought I’d tell you. All the demons have been slain. Cotton Jones’ Paranoid Cocoon was softly released by Suicide Squeeze records to not a whole lot of fanfare early in 2009, and it holds quite a bit of sentimental value to most of the writers here. I reviewed this album in late January and from the jump, I fell into Michael Nau and Whitney McGraw’s sultry one-part Johnny Cash/one part Jim Morrison mixture of psych-driven folk. I don’t know much about Nau’s home state of Maryland, but at times, the easy melodies and subtly driven hymns of tainted optimism seemed perfectly bred for the hardened outer shell of the rust belt here in Cleveland. We hooked up with our pals at the local record store, Music Saves, and had Nau and McGraw come in to do an in-store just before they played the hospitable Beachland Tavern. It’s great to see performers strip down their sound into something viable and intimate, and when the two launched into “Blood Red Sentimental Blues,” I was hooked even further. Not only was this our first in-store sponsorship, but it kicked ass, too. Nau is one of those performers that doesn’t have to overwork to expose his vocal talent. Beat up classical guitar and sexy maiden along for the ride. It works, and every song on this album has stayed with me through each season of this year.
Most of the album is about the aura and lyricism. It really is a collection of tracks poised for duality, and can be enjoyed from multiple perspectives. On one hand, the record pops off about as calm as can be, serving lazy times and soothing moods. For most of the year, Paranoid Cocoon was my background soundtrack. I’m mopping the floor, “I Am the Changer” is fueling it, I’m sipping a pre-work espresso, and “Gone the Bells” relaxes me. On the other hand, Nau and McGraw don’t let listeners go so easily, and that’s what makes this album much greater than its initial listen or two. Nau’s lyricism has never been marked with flowers and bunny rabbits, but there’s a cathartic emphasis on lights at the end of the tunnel and freer days. No matter how many times I listen to this record, I uncover something new, some new snippet of metaphorical wisdom or ambiguous value. On a surface level, the album is fabulous musically. It propelled me through a long winter in Cleveland and stayed with me through the dog days of summer. If you were in the market for neatly packaged and soothing folk with an edge, there was none better than Cotton Jones this year. Enjoy the live vids of the in-store we sponsored, along with “Blood Red Sentimental Blues” and a live version of “Gotta Cheer Up” from LaundroMatinee at MOKB.
Check out the rest of our “Best Albums of 2009″ list.
Buy Paranoid Cocoon at Insound now!
Cotton Jones – Blood Red Sentimental Blues
Cotton Jones – Gotta Cheer Up (Live on LaundroMatinee.com)
