San Antonio artist Nicolette Good releases her first full-length album, “Monarch,” with a CD release show on July 13, 2012 at 502 Bar.
“Monarch” was recorded in Austin at
Ramble Creek Studio and includes songs “Marathon,” “Son of My Sister,”
“Call Me,” and “Pretty Clementine.” Good produced
the CD along with engineer and instrumentalist Britton Beisenherz and
guitarist Jesse Basham in a collaboration that is at once haunting,
adventurous and sweet.
Good found Ramble Creek by tracing
the breadcrumbs from favorite albums back to Beisenherz. Under his
creative direction, Good evolved from her singer-songwriter
roots to push the boundaries between traditional Americana and
indie-infused textures.
The title track, “Monarch” tells of a
pauper who thinks he is a king, confusing the usual notions of power.
Other people and places on the album are dealing
with metaphorical monarchs; sometimes they themselves are in power,
sometimes not. The album is a strong representation of Good’s
songwriting over the past two years. “The Road” is the oldest tune in
her repertoire, while she didn’t finish writing “Monarch”
until hours before recording it.
Finding inspiration in Ramble
Creek’s collection of vintage gear and unlikely instruments, the trio
performed everything from a microKORG, to a music box,
to a cat toy when building the songs. Broadening her palate since her
self-titled EP in 2011, Good also incorporated banjo, piano, organ,
double bass, pedal steel and subtle guitar effects.
Contributing musicians brought depth
and power to the soundscape, including percussionist Jon Greene (Matt
the Electrician), bassist and pedal steel player
Jesse Ebaugh (Heartless Bastards), clarinetist Jonathan Doyle (White
Ghost Shivers), organist Oscar Interiano and cellist Steve Bernal (Monte
Montgomery).
At the
July 13 CD release show at 502 Bar, Good will be joined by Austin’s
Collin Herring and San Antonio’s/Austin’s Pillow Talk. The CD costs
$15.00 and will
be available at Hogwild Records after the release, on iTunes, and
online at
www.nicolettegood.com.
In support of her album, Nicolette
will be joining Austin-based singer/songwriter Vanessa Lively for
several Texas tour dates in July.
Nicolette Good was named the San Antonio
Current readers’ choice for San Antonio’s best singer/songwriter
in 2010 and 2012. This year, she was a winner in both the Grassy Hill
Kerrville New Folk competition and the Wildflower Performing Songwriter
competition.
Supporting show dates:
July 13, San Antonio at 502 Bar – CD Release with Collin Herring (Austin) and Pillow Talk. 9 p.m., $10
July 14, Austin at Flipnotics – CD Release with Matt Harlan, Miranda Dawn, Little Brave, Graham Weber and Vanessa Lively. 8 p.m., $5
July 18, Houston at JP Hops House – with Vanessa Lively
July 19, College Station at The Village – with Vanessa Lively
July 20, Waco at Texas Music Café – with Vanessa Lively and Kiya Heartwood
July 21, San Angelo at a House Concert – with Vanessa Lively
July 22, Bergheim at a House Concert – with Vanessa Lively