Song of the Day: Michael Nau - Good Thing

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJ’s think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole, is “Good Thing” by Michael Nau, from the 2017 album Some Twist out now on Suicide Squeeze Records/Full Time Hobby.

Michael Nau - Good Thing (MP3)

From Page France to Cotton Jones Basket Ride to just Cotton Jones, we've been following the songwriting of Michael Nau for a decade now. Last month, local label Suicide Squeeze released Nau's sophomore solo release under his own name, and it continues his lineage of psych-tinged folk rock.

Today's song of choice is appropriately titled: a slice of hazy, '70s-AM gold, with Nau's warm, laid-back voice against a soothing rhythm and plunked piano. As the song crescendos, a swarm of feedback swoops in like a bunch of mosquitos buzzing near you as you relax on the porch with a beer, the sunset off in the horizon.

In an interview with Performer Magazine last year, Nau talked about future plans: "One thing that keeps me going, as generic as it sounds, it that this is something that I love to do. And it doesn’t really matter to me if someone listens to it; I’ve kinda found ways to make a living out of what it is. If we play shows to a few people, we find ways to make it work. All because you love to do it; that’s what really keeps me going." When it comes to longevity, he jokingly adds, "Don’t change your band name like 20 times [laughs]. That could be helpful!"

Nau is on the verge of a European tour, so no Seattle date yet, but if you happen to be in Brooklyn this Wednesday, July 19th, he'll be playing an in-store at Rough Trade Records. In the meantime, take a KEXP time-warp back to 2008 when Cotton Jones performed live on KEXP from our CMJ broadcast at Gibson Showroom.