Gust of Wind # 2
Cotton Jones – Paranoid Cocoon
Suicide Squeeze 2009
This gust of wind, ebbs & flows with a distinct soul, one that is weathered from the train, its many stops through out small towns, and back through the whiskey bars of our brightest cities.
Cotton Jones – Paranoid Cocoon is an album that feels connected to the roots of America. The tradition of its sounds, and loose feeling of texture, evokes images of a couple lying on an open patch of grass, looking up at the clouds, while their dogs run to fetch a stick – it’s subtle and beautiful, with enough sweetness to combat the zest of an open rd.
Many people can share an experience of driving for miles while forgetting where you’re going, or where you’ve been. There is something about songs that enable our minds to lift above the vehicle we’re in, and fly – fly above and let our souls be free with love. Cotton Jones is that record, and has those songs. It’s a back porch soundtrack for the rocking chair, a PBR, and something special with your lady, or gent. Hopefully if you’re lucky, the moon will be rich and full, the stars bright, and the surrounding neighbors quiet. Then you fully realize the calm, and chill of an evening with complete rest with Cotton Jones playing in the background, through the haze of life and all its rough and tumble.
Digging deeper in this record, my favorite moment was the first few minutes of “Some Strange Rain.” It’s a two minute instrumental intro of lush’s field folk and dreamy-hazy pop. The music paints this picture that is simply even, meaning neutral in emotion – the rain might be poring down but we are happy to be standing in it, or shelling out a few cartwheels b/c we are free to be without stress. The overall song has this psychedelic quality from the sustainability of certain sounds. Its words sound great, but don’t over power the music; they rest right on the ridge of the song, and call out questions that “honey” can only answer.
I strongly recommend this record to anyone who enjoys coffee, swings, sitting on a porch, animals, the beach, rd trips, fresh air, the light shining through the trees, vintage culture, whiskey, love songs, flowers, friendship, meditation, folk, the blues, and the moments when you realize you’ll remember something forever. For fans of Vetiver, Iron and Wine, Willie Nelson, CCR, Bob Dylan, The Byrd’s, and um, well I could go on, but you get my drift.
Reviewed by
Ryan Boos, August 10th, 2009