Cotton Jones

Last updated

Cotton Jones
Origin Cumberland, Maryland, U.S.
Genres Indie folk, psychedelic folk, dream pop, chamber pop
Years active2008-present
LabelsSuicide Squeeze Records
SpinoffsMichael Nau, Dream Sitch
Spinoff of Page France
Members
  • Michael Nau
  • Whitney McGraw
  • Todd Gowans
  • Greg Bender
Past members
  • Chris Morris
  • Bryan Martin
  • Matt Smith

Cotton Jones (formerly The Cotton Jones Basket Ride) is an American indie folk band, with elements of psychedelic folk, dream pop, and chamber pop, based in Cumberland, Maryland and currently signed to Suicide Squeeze Records.

Contents

Michael Nau (born October 31, 1984) is the lead singer-songwriter and plays guitar, Whitney McGraw (born July 20, 1986) is on keyboards, organ, and electronic autoharp, Todd Gowans (born February 4, 1986) also plays guitar, with Greg Bender on bass.

Albums

The River Strumming

On September 23, 2008, the band released their first LP, The River Strumming, through the indie label St. Ives. It was a hand-made package limited to only 300 copies and was described as a "delightful slab of fuzzed-out dream folk." [1] The album was reissued by Suicide Squeeze Records during the summer of 2023 for its 15th anniversary, limited to only 1000 copies, 400 on 180 gram half coke bottle green and half bone, 600 on 180 gram black vinyl. [2] Mark Lager, in a retrospective review on Aquarium Drunkard , described The River Strumming as "a summer night trip through the swamps, a car rambling down lonely backroads...macabre and magical psychedelia, southern gothic style." [3]

Paranoid Cocoon

On January 27, 2009, the band released their second LP, their debut for Suicide Squeeze Records, Paranoid Cocoon . It was described as a "weepy, reverb-drenched blend of Pacific Northwest, 1960s folk-pop, and heartland rock." [4]

Tall Hours in the Glowstream

On August 24, 2010, the band released their third LP, Tall Hours in the Glowstream . It was described as "classic country music filtered through a dream-pop haze." [5]

About the Game

On August 21, 2012, the band released About the Game, a 7" record limited to only 500 copies. [6]

Mowing

On November 18, 2015, Michael Nau announced his solo debut Mowing, introducing the first single "Winter Beat" via SoundCloud. [7] The album's release date was February 19, 2016. [8]

Some Twist

On June 16, 2017, Michael Nau released his second solo album Some Twist. [9] AllMusic described it as a "high-humidity set for long summer days, present or imagined" and Red & Black described it as "outer space road trip music...songs that feel unreal in their otherworldliness."

Accompany

On December 8, 2023, Michael Nau released his fifth solo album Accompany. [10] Far Out (magazine) called ""Painting A Wall" one of the finest tracks this year" and Glide Magazine called the album "Nau’s best solo effort to date."

Band members

Current members

Touring members

Discography

List of releases by Cotton Jones
YearTitleLabel
2007The Cotton Jones Basket Ride EPQuite Scientific Records
2008The Archery EPQuite Scientific Records
The River StrummingSt. Ives Records
2009 Paranoid Cocoon Suicide Squeeze Records
Rio Ranger EPQuite Scientific Records
2010 Tall Hours in the Glowstream Suicide Squeeze Records
2011Sit Beside Your Vegetables EPSuicide Squeeze Records
2012About the Game 7"Porchlight Records
List of releases by Michael Nau
YearTitleLabel
2016MowingSuicide Squeeze Records
2017Some TwistSuicide Squeeze Records
2018Michael Nau & the Mighty ThreadLight in the Attic Records
2019Less Ready to Go1487217 Records
2023 Accompany Karma Chief Records

References

  1. "Cotton Jones Basket Ride: The River Strumming". Archived from the original on November 1, 2016.
  2. "Cotton Jones - The River Strumming". Suicidesqueeze.myshopify.com. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  3. Lager, Mark. "Cotton Jones Basket Ride - The River Strumming (15th Anniversary Reissue)". Aquarium Drunkard. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  4. "Paranoid Cocoon - Cotton Jones | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  5. "Cotton Jones: Tall Hours in the Glowstream Album Review | Pitchfork". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  6. "Cotton Jones - About the Game". Porchlightrecords.limitedrun.com. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  7. "Michael Nau : Winter Beat". Aquariumdrunkard.com. November 18, 2015. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  8. "Mowing". Suicidesqueeze.myshopify.com. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  9. "Some Twist". Suicide-squeeze.myshopify.com. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  10. "Accompany". coleminerecords.com. Retrieved December 12, 2023.