Cotton Jones’ music is like mom’s home cookin’.  It’s got a warmth and familiarity that just makes you feel safe, like everything is right with the world.  Michael Nau departed from his band Page France and put out his first solo effort, The River Strumming, under the moniker, Cotton Jones, back in 2008.  In 2009, he switched record labels and released the amazing Paranoid Cocoon, packed with ten earthy, bittersweet tracks supported by his comforting country twang, unwavering acoustic guitars, and soft percussions.  Cotton Jones may be a folk singer but the elevation of Paranoid Cocoon over other albums in the genre is due to his subtle infusion of pop and psychedelia into the backbone of every track.

Best Tracks:

Blood Red Sentimental Blue is the center around which all the other songs on Paranoid Cocoon orbit.  Soulful, catchy and beautifully harmonized with a female counterpart, it shows Nau’s ability create timeless songs that touch on the past but embrace the present.

Cotton & Velvet has an end of the summer feel, with slow organs and snails pace drums inching towards Nau’s singing with a nostalgic tone.

Gone the Bells has a more ominous folksy vibe with a nursery rhyme delivery of the lyrics.  Nau drops to a deep tenor for half of the song and fills the other half with a gentle female soprano.

When and Where:

Drop into a hammock with some bathtub gin and get toasted while the sun passes overhead.

Blood Red Sentimental Blue

Cotton & Velvet

Gone the Bells


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