Tag Archive: Cotton Jones


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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.

Cotton Jones Official Site

Buy Paranoid Cocoon at Insound now!

Cotton Jones – Blood Red Sentimental Blues

Cotton Jones – Gotta Cheer Up (Live on LaundroMatinee.com)

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Music Saves is a perfect little record shop. The side walls are lined with the latest new releases on vinyl, and I can get lost digging through albums and arguing with Brian about the merits of this or that. The bright neon sign outside the shop, along with the neon of The Beachland, are beacons in a tired area of Cleveland, struggling to revitalize and gentrify in a sagging economy.  We’ve been to a whole slew of live shows over the past couple of weeks, and although the edges are worn in the old Colinwood area, the shuffling feet of scene kids and hipsters from all over the city are a welcome nightly sound; even if just for a few hours several nights a week, the street brightens vividly under the flickering lightposts. This is concert zone in Cleveland and this great little record shop may just be the best damn place to buy some vinyl in northeast Ohio.

Melanie and Kevin at Music Saves had the place ready to go for Cotton Jones to arrive.  The crushed velvet armchairs in the “listening area” were set up for some acoustic rocking, as Michael Nau and Whitney McGraw graciously agreed to perform an intimate pre-show performance for Citizen Dick and the store.  At 7:45, Brian and I were getting a tic nervous, and through some comforting words from Melanie and a little Sholi on the speakers, we twiddled our thumbs waiting for everyone, including band, to arrive for the performance.

The band arrived in grand fashion; a van rolled up alongside the store and when the door opened, a flannel-clad disheveled man stepped out carrying a rickety guitar case and sporting a brown, riveted porkpie hat.  Also in tow was a brunette, subtly beautiful with a whole aura of shy grace.  When I reviewed Paranoid Cocoon before it came out at the end of January, I described it as “Maryland Creek Music” in my best attempt to capture the vibe of what Michael Nau and crew have pumped out with this record.  I suppose I wouldn’t have pictured this rather silent entrance happening any differently than it did. Kevin snagged a couple of beers for the two and a small and super laid back crowd of about 25 in-the-know people got to enjoy a kick-ass three song acoustic set to whet their appetites for the regular show down the street at Beachland Tavern.  The videos we captured were of “Blood Red Sentimental Blues” and “Gone the Bells” off of the current release.  The third song was “Less Than Positive,” which Michael and Whitney told us afterward is going to be on a forthcoming EP (to be released in April or May).

One of the best things about Michael Nau is the emotion and semi-brooding soul he puts into his lyricism and vocal sound.  Just watch the embedded youtube clips and you’ll see exactly the treat the limited few of us got to check out tonight.  Likewise, Whitney’s voice is a haunting blanket, bouncing off of Michael perfectly.  If her visage signifies shyness, her voice emits smoky assuredness.  Her launch into the solo section in “Gone the Bells” is worth a few minutes of your time to watch.  The Page France days may be done, but this slightly different spin on similar styles exudes a natural blues-based aura and a retro cool and extremely full sound emerges.  It’s a safe bet anyone in attendance at the pre-show walked out a little cock-eyed at how such a rich and textured sound could be created by two voices and one plastic stringed and war-beaten classical guitar.

A nice side-note to the evening (before reviewing the full show), is that we got to meet a couple of our Cleveland blogger-colleagues, namely the folks at Sensory Overload, Addicted to Vinyl, and ClevelandBachelor.  We certainly appreciated the support of our blog brethren and it was good to see people coming out to support the store and band.  Some of you reading this now left the store with a CitizenDick dymo-taped business card.  Hey, we’re glad you came, too.

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The crowd at Music Saves took their $1 dollar off vouchers and meandered over to The Beachland Tavern, where The Modern Electric got things rolling with an anthemic barrage of keyboard piano wizardry and some new tracks on an upcoming self-released debut that’s in the works.  This is a band worth keeping an eye on, as the lead singer, Garrett, is slick and multi-talented shifting between the electronic piano (his forte) to the acoustic while belting out vocals with alarming emotion.  They punched us in the face for a few songs, wrapping things up with an original number called “David Bowie is my Hero,” which did an excellent job of reminding us that we were at a rock show and to loosen our collars a bit.  Good Morning Valentine served as the middle act in this threesome, and hit the audience with some no-nonsense pop-rock.  The telecaster wailed, the cymbals crashed, and the guy in the squirrel costume sat in awe during some of the slower numbers.

This was the first tour stop for Cotton Jones, and to tell a family secret, we were completely unaware of this coming into the show.  The band played a healthy mix of older tunes from EP’s released under the moniker Cotton Jones Basket Ride and current tunes from Paranoid Cocoon.  In quite a surprise, a six piece stepped onto the stage of the tavern.  It was cramped, and despite some feedback kinks, all were able to share the stage and absolutely rock the house.  They opened with “Blood Red Sentimental Blues,” and while the added instruments augmented the aforementioned sound, Michael still clicked away at the same battered classical guitar, it’s tinny whine hovering beneath all of the sonic the six-piece created.  ”Gotta Cheer Up” is a great track on the album, but CJ killed it live.  The stompy rhythm and edgy undertones translated well.  As with the in-store session, the band closed out with the new track “Less Than Positive” which peaked the concert at the best possible moment-at its finish.  Throughout the night, Michael’s blues roots and Jim Morrisonesque delivery shook the room.  Brian and I couldn’t help but wonder how extensively better the entire band will sound in a larger venue.

What stood out throughout tonight’s full set is that Michael Nau gets after it vocally.  The six piece obviously adds many layers to the sound but at the heart is Nau, his guitar, and Whitney crooning alongside.  Lyrics about listless emotion, happiness and despair juxtaposed, and contemplative poetry shot out from the stage tonight.  Listed below are the remaining dates of the tour.  Be sure to catch Cotton Jones and the sweet, sweet retro country-cooked soul when they hit your town.

March 12 – Schubas – Chicago, IL

March 13 – The House Cafe – Dekalb, IL

March 14 – Empty Bottle – Chicago, IL

March 15 – The Record Bar – Kansas City, MO

March 16 – The Firebird – St. Louis, MO

March 17 – Lola’s Stockyards – Fort Worth, TX

March 18 – SXSW – Austin, TX

March 19 – SXSW – Austin, TX

March 21 – The Bottletree – Birmingham, AL

March 22 – Local 506 – Charlotte, NC

March 23 – Black Cat – Washington, DC

March 24 – First Unitarian Church – Philadelphia, PA

March 25 – La Poisson Rouge – New York, NY

March 26 – Union Hall – Brooklyn, NY

March 27 – AS220 – Providence, RI

March 29 – The Space – Hamden, CT

March 30 – The Ottobar – Baltimore, MD

March 31 – The Bog – Scranton, PA

April 1 – Thunderbird Cafe – Pittsburgh, PA

April 2 – Howard’s Club H – Bowling Green, OH

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(Editor’s note: It’s a hodge podge day.  There’s a lot going on at Citizen Dick world headquarters and we’re feeling a tad scatterbrained.)

First and foremost, what are you doing tonight?  Take a second and really think about that.  There is a correct answer.  Clicking on this might help.  Or this.  Or this.  Know the answer yet?  You are going to see Cotton Jones at Music Saves for free before seeing them for a modest fee at the Beachland Ballroom.  You knew that.  You’ve probably already sorted out what you’re going to do for dinner and who’s letting out your dog.  Good for you, planning ahead.  You’re also going to give yourself enough time to be in the record store before 8:00.  We’re excited to meet you.  If you needed any more incentive (which you don’t, because you’re already going), the first Citizen Dick reader to correctly tell me who sings the vocals on “Have a Cigar” will receive a special mention in a future post. (The first person to incredulously tell me it’s David Gilmour gets kicked in the shins, so even if you don’t have the correct answer, you’ll get to see some random violence.)

To sum up:

YOU + COTTON JONES + MUSIC SAVES = BEST NIGHT OF YOUR LIFE.

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up-2gentlemanIn other news, we failed to tell you about an entertaining record that dropped on February 24, Jet Black from Gentleman Reg.  We’re blaming the month of February for this oversight; it’s short and packed with action, forcing us to forget stuff.  Ontario native Reg Vermue’s second release on Arts and Crafts is full of well-written, quietly devastating songs.  Reg’s work recalls that of any number of singer-songwriters, but maintains vitality through precise descriptions of angsty situations and occasional instrumentation left turns.  It’s a lonely record at times, but it’s not monochromatic.  One of the album’s highlights, “We’re in a Thunderstorm,” finds the narrator imploring  (I think) his lover to not “be a disgrace tonight, because I don’t have time to celebrate your failures” in front of, essentially, a disco beat.  The track sounds like a desperate and unfulfilling night at the club, but doesn’t lose the tenor of the album (much of the rest of which hews closely to the indie-folk/rock tradition of sensitive acoustic ballads).  The rest of the album is well-executed, but it’s on “We’re in a Thunderstorm” that something clearly unique is being presented; that thumbprint is visible on other tracks, but it’s most obvious here.

Another personal favorite, “Rewind,” toes the more traditional line much more closely and delivers the album’s best chorus, with a browbeatlingly repetitive lyric: “There’s no point in going back when a masterpiece is crumbling.”  That song’s quiet majesty is offset nicely with the strangely cacophonous “How We Exit,” which puts Reg’s mildly delicate voice in front of a darkly pulsating soundscape.  There are some lighter, bouncier moments on the record, including the lead single “You Can’t Get it Back,” which features a slinky guitar line and some power chords, but it’s the radically divergent moments and the quieter tracks that stand out.  Jet Black is worth your attention; enjoy “We’re in a Thunderstorm,” below.

“We’re in a Thunderstorm” – Gentleman Reg

Pick up Gentleman Reg at Insound.

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n272217We told you at the front end that we would occasionally tell you about books and things other than music; in large part, we’ve failed to do that.  Today, we work towards redressing that oversight.  Dear Everybody, Michael Kimball’s stunning third novel, tells the story of Jonathon Bender, a depressed weatherman who had committed suicide before the book begins.  The book is presented as a collection of Jonathon’s letters, his mother’s journal, newspaper clippings, interviews and other detritus that has been amassed  by the Jonathon’s estranged brother after his suicide .  Within the novel, the collection serves as the brother’s attempt to make sense of Jonathon’s life, but, for the reader, it’s a towering and tragic depiction of a depressed psyche.  The bulk of the collection is comprised of Jonathon’s letters to, as the title suggests, everyone: his family, his girlfriends, his apartment, the Easter bunny and so on.  Instead of a traditional narrative, the letters and other materials show the reader how Jonathon came to end his life, moving from his contentious childhood through his adult battles with mental illness.  It’s a story that’s been written before, but the unique presentation serves to give the ideas freshness and empathic validity.  By ceding the narrative completely to the letters and journals, Kimball forces the writing to do all of the work (there is no telling here, only showing).  It’s reminiscent of Updike’s S., but with a wildly different focus.  There are moments that are dryly humorous, and Jonathon’s voice is unique and likable, but the  conclusion (which is foregone from the first page) left me a wreck; even though the book’s premise is that Jonathon kills himself, it was still a blow when he did.  Kimball has crafted an unconventional masterpiece, and I’d encourage you to read it.  It’s a quick read, probably due to it’s construction, but an emotionally weighty one.

Circuitously related to books, Mrs. Citizen and I took in The Watchmen movie last night.  I was a bit reluctant to go for a variety of reasons (I love the book, Alan Moore wasn’t going, comic book movies always screw things up…), but my wife’s enthusiasm won me over.  I ignored the press on the movie, becuase I didn’t really care, so I was completely unprepared for what they did (editor’s note: total spoiler coming up).  They changed the goddamn ending.  Completely.  It was awful.  I was actually buying in to the movie until the last 30 minutes or so.  They did a passable job with Part IV (for my money the greatest single comic book ever written and in the discussion for on of the greatest chapters in any work of fiction) and they didn’t add too many stupid bits or take out anything critical.  In the back of my mind, I was curious about how they were going to proceed without including any of the island plotline, but I never thought they’d make a wholesale change at the conclusion.  It pissed me off.  I took a little heat from the Mrs., who claims my slavish dedication to the original smacks of an ostrich-like inability to face the present.  Screw that.  Stupid movie studio took a shit on a landmark piece of fiction.  I want my seven bucks back.

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Lastly, I’d like to add a song to The Vault, our periodically updated section featuring music that we love and find important.  This is my first addition and, for the most, it speaks for itself.  You could accuse me of being clever by making my first song in The Vault Fugazi’s “Song #1,” but (paraphrasing here) I doubt I’ll really care.  It means nothing.  Noooothiiiiing.  Enjoy this stellar live clip; remember how this band made you feel about the world.  See you at Music Saves.

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We are stoked for this upcoming Wednesday, folks. Cotton Jones is on tour at the moment, in support of the amazing album Paranoid Cocoon and thanks to the folks at Suicide Squeeze Records, and of course, Music Saves, we’re able to present a small and intimate pre-show performance.  The guys (and gal) in the band are excited to come play and we hope you’ll join us for this crazy cool opportunity.  Show starts at 8 PM, and the garden party continues next door at Beachland Tavern where you’ll receive $1 off the regular show for attending the pre-show.  Thanks to the folks at Music Saves, Suicide Squeeze and Cotton Jones for getting this rolling.  Be sure to read our album review of Paranoid Cocoon if you have not and we’ll see your ass on Wednesday.  I’ll be the one five brews deep and buying all kinds of records.

Also, for more information and regular updates on site postings, etc, don’t forget to add us on twitter @citizendickorg

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We’re not quite sure what’s going on, but we’re not here to complain about it.  Our local music venues are housing some great shows in the upcoming weeks.  It could be that we’re just a dusty stop along the trail, but we’d like to think the scene is on the up and up here.  If you’re a Clevelander and reading this site, get your ass out there to support these bands.   We’ll be bringing our business cards to the show, so don’t be surprised if you leave the Beachland palming a two-of-clubs with ‘Citizen Dick’ dymo-taped to the back.  We’re not claiming to be cheap bastards, but the next Black Label is always in our thoughts.

February 28 – DD/MM/YYYY and Don Caballero – The Grog Shop

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March 1 – Harlem Shakes and Tokyo Police Club – The Grog Shop

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March 2 -Deer Tick and Jason Isbell – Beachland Ballroom

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March 5 – Dan Auerbach, Hacienda and Those Darlin’s – Beachland Ballroom

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March 11 – Cotton Jones – The Beachland Tavern (yeah!!)

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Other notable shows on the horizon:

March 22 – Ben Folds – Lakewood Civic Auditorium

March 31 – Gaslight Anthem – Cleveland Agora

April 2 – Andrew Bird – Allen Theater

April 8- Dinosaur, Jr. – Musica (Akron)

April 21 – Neko Case and Crooked Fingers – Allen Theater

May 17 – Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers – Beachland Ballroom

We’ve got some possible interviews in the works and will be writing reviews for most, if not all, of these shows.  Lots of great things blowing through the Cuyahoga Valley the next couple of months.  We’re not quite sure if we’ll see something as sweet as the bands we’ve posted below, but nonetheless, we’ll be there with bells on.  TGIF, musical brethren.

Magma – I’m unsure of the title, but this was twittered by Rain Wilson the other day.  Shit yourself at the 1:40 mark like Diamond Jim did.

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Morris Day and The Time – Brian was singing this all day yesterday and annoying me.  We pay homage by posting the vid.

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About two hours east of Cincinnati, the antithesis of suburbia blossoms in a little place called Greasy Ridge.  The tired streets wind through nostalgic lanes of sycamore and maple clusters, many careening through wilting cemeteries and underneath rusted train trellises, forging pathways to a deeper look at America’s heartland. Town Square is reminiscent of Harper Lee’s Maycomb, where stringy weeds push through the cracking sidewalks, and pulsating urban tension is replaced by rolling wooded acres of land, lively with the trickling of creek water through clay deposits and eroded soil.  Kids build tree forts in places like this, and the enveloping aura of trees and woods and nature billow into my memory whenever I see small towns, retro diners, cafes, porch swings, chipping paint, and lazy summers.

Is there a place like this in Maryland?  Surely there is and Cotton Jones’ forthcoming LP Paranoid Cocoon evokes it by hitting the jarring sensory memory  chord of that imagined past’s first and lost loves and branch-covered walks through wooded thickness.  On January 27th, listeners will be greeted with a consistently pleasing sonic and lyrical landscape.  From top to bottom, this album is a delight, and Michael Nau’s utter coolness, even upon the initial listen, seeps out of every echoingly retro track.   Paranoid Cocoon begins with “Up a Tree (went this heart I have),” where Nau and sidekick Whitney McGraw tandem attack repetitive lyrics behind a loopy guitar fill, crossing borders between The Doors and Johnny Cash.  The track closes with a whistled-out, stuttering synthesizer and horn section, setting the tone for the mixture of ambient surroundings that speckle the entire album.

Each track is poised for duality.  On one hand, the record is well-suited for dreamy background noise, as its consistent stylistic nature does not vary much from track one to track ten.  On the flipside, the record’s ambitious lyricism, soft yet pulsing percussion, and oozing coolness can’t be ignored.  In other words, if you’re listening to this album as you rummage through the refrigerator, you’re likely to lose focus and drop the cheesecake all over the floor.  Nau and McGraw know this, and that’s what makes the album sing.  Inevitably, tracks like the organ-laced “Gone the Bells” and the lyrically acute “I am the Changer” reach outward to a sentimentality of nostalgic milkshake sips at an old-school diner, roller skates, and first break-ups.  In the latter track, when Nau self-assesses,  ”You know I’m a waiter.  The hesitater.  I’ll get to it later.  But I’m a liar.  Got a tongue on fire.   I ought to cut it off,” we’re thrown into his world, where clever and lazy auras sit neatly atop well crafted compositions.

An interesting progression takes place with the tracks “Little Ashtray in the Sun” and “Blood Red Sentimental Blues.”  Little Ashtray is an edgy song, lyrically smart, and floating just above the coolness crestline, allowing it to skirt a country label, and fall into a more rock n’ roll situation.  The rolling keyboard drops right into the latter track, a calming and whiskey-sipping singalong.  Two very different styles are meshed together back-to-back, forcing one continual old-timey vibe.  Listening to these two tracks gives  me the hypothetical spark to talk to the guy next to me at the bar about the struggles at the local power plant, the war, and the boys coming back home to their wives, “Flowers in the ice so big and young, a pretty little ashtray fell in love.”

Ten tracks creating a consistent mental image; echoing nostalgia, simple times, ripening trees and driftwood polarize your senses.  As if performing inside the electrical motherboard of a tube amp, Nau and McGraw never fail to enchant again and again.  Like the lazy days of August in unnamed small towns across the midwest, Paranoid Cocoon wraps its own sonic cocoon around its audience.  It’s quite a treat from beginning to end and it’ll no doubt be in our playlists all year.

Cotton Jones – “Blood Red Sentimental Blues”

Cotton Jones – “Gotta Cheer Up”