The Cotton Jones Basket Ride - Archery EP
The Cotton Jones Basket Ride
Archery EP
Quite Scientific Records; 2008
Musicians and visual artists have this annoying tendency to gushingly eulogize the past in hopes of latching onto some bygone symbol or recovering a revered relic that might give their present work some sort of false vitality or historical context. Few of these artistic archaeologists can capably unearth these treasures without damaging the actual artifact – sometimes the traits and characteristics of past movements should be left in the past. And from The Doors to The Animals and everything in between, one gravesite that is all too frequently plundered is that of ‘60s psychedelics, yet none do so as reverentially and precociously as Michael Nau. Formerly the principal singer/songwriter of Page France, Mr. Nau has returned under the moniker of The Cotton Jones Basket Ride with a three-EP project, with Archery serving as the second installment. The reason that this six-song pop gem works so well is the reserved tone that he takes with each track, eschewing the preening bombast of Jim Morrison and the over-the-top intensity of Eric Burdon, while maintaining the classic fuzzy guitar tones and warbling organ swells over nouveau indie-folk song structure. What results is a collection of tracks that politely introduces themselves at your door, refusing to barge inside unless granted permission, yet proves to be an utterly unexpected delight as a houseguest. With “Silver Piano Man” and “Midnight Monday and a Telescope” serving as the key cuts, Archery proves to be a charming, if not too terribly original, little EP that will please many fans of ‘60s folk-pop.
