Dryvetyme Onlyne

Cotton Jones
Rio Ranger EP
Quite Scientific; 2009

Guest Contributor: Jen Broadwell

Michael Nau and Whitney McGraw, assuming the stage name Cotton Jones, relocated to Michigan during the winter months of 2008 to record their full-length debut, Paranoid Cocoon, for Suicide Squeeze Records. An album recorded in an unheated studio in Michigan during winter months deserves to have its own retrospective song on a follow-up EP – Rio Ranger EP. “Where You Stop For A Minute” notes the locations that failed them, including Florida where they found themselves with nothing to show but a sunburn. Thus, after such precedents, Michigan became their dwelling for the duration of the recording. This song also recalls home for all its cleansing and rejuvenating qualities, comically encompassed by the following phrase: “Home is where you stop/ For a minute/ And clean your teeth.”

Cotton Jones likes to employ folk instrumentation, not unlike bands such as Fleet Foxes and Other Lives. Organ variants produce wavelike resonances heard in “Nicotine Canaries” and also, by layering lengthy chords with keyboard staccato, assemble the memorable riff found in “Where You Stop For A Minute.” Jazz-impacted cymbal repetition and steady, dominant bass drum patterns are displayed throughout the album. Furthermore, classic, right out of elementary school music class wood blocks are used to enhance the song “Don’t Got A Lotta Time.”

“Always Feeling Good” is the fourth song on the album and the first one with a detectable acoustic guitar. McGraw advances to the spotlight for its intended female solo, her voice ringing out childlike and lovely. Her words sing of hope for reaching a desired destination that may or may not be a physical location: “In my mind/ There’s a mountain/ but I can’t pull it over/ In my ear/ I hear an ocean/ But always dry it over.” “Only Minutes Young” bids another charming melody accompanied by the following lyrics, whereby Nau expresses gratitude to those who have offered their love and companionship: “Old friends call me dear friends/ New friends call me old/ There’s no sun/ Sun as good as my sun/ There’s no love/ Love as good as my love.”

Cotton Jones has combined a plethora of uncommon instruments with drum simplicity and melodic repetition to create an overall mellow, yet catchy, effort. A hint of maturity peaks through the instrumental blend via lyrical messages, either reminiscent or forward-looking. Similar to other indie folk-pop duets, Cotton Jones emanates a rather ambient and dreamlike atmosphere for its listeners.

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Jen Broadwell is a music blogger from Houston, TX who runs the site Music Artiste. She enjoys attending local show and writing scene reviews and interviews. She also enjoys indie festivals and national indie shows and often posts her thoughts on such events, along with new music videos. Since her hobby doesn’t pay the bills. she works for the University of Houston in Development.