CR & THE NONES – THE GHOSTS ARE COMING HOME
A SPILL EXCLUSIVE ALBUM PREMIERE
New Jersey, otherwise known as the Garden State, may be widely seen as a vein into New York City, it is also a hot-spot for rising talent and live music so it should come as no surprise how many local musicians have risen to worldwide fame. From jazzman Count Basie to disco diva Gloria Gaynor, from pop icon Whitney Houston to heartland rock hero Bruce Springsteen, from world-folk music pioneer Paul Simon to rapper queen Queen Latifah – New Jersey has seen it all.
Today we present yet another New Jersey band, called CR & The Nones, whose new album The Ghosts Are Coming Home is being released via Montclair-based Magic Door Record Label. While often likened to Elliot Smith, Weezer, Christopher Cross and Better Than Ezra, the band’s sound is unique in its own right.
Following up their debut album Living In Fear, they often say that the second album is the hardest. In this case, CR & the Nones shine on these ten tracks, with smooth vocals, driving hooks, warm candor and solid melodies and elements that recall The War on Drugs or early My Morning Jacket.
Self-produced by Chris Gennone (CR to his friends), this album was mixed by renowned producer Ray Ketchem (Guided By Voices, Luna, Versus, Elk City, Gramercy Arms) at Magic Door Recording Studio in Montclair, NJ and mastered by Nick Bolton at Bolton Sound in Jersey City.
Gennone came of age playing in various projects in suburban New Jersey, including his former band, CR and The Degenerates, who released five albums from 2016 to 2018. This new project has allowed him to expand the unique hybrid of folk, country, punk, and heartland rock. CR & The Nones retains the Degenerates’ core of Chris Gennone, lead/slide guitarist Jim Abbott, and bassist John Dewitt.
“I wrote and recorded this album before, during and after Covid, and I lived in five different places during this time, so it was a different experience than other stuff I’ve made. In the past, we’ve kind of just rolled with it and come up with guitar leads, riffs, and sounds on the fly. With Covid lockdowns and the help of some friends, this record really gave me the time and space to write and play my own leads, sing my own harmonies, change arrangements, and take on more of the production aspect of it,” says CR Gennone.
“I went through a lot of personal changes during the making of this record and I feel like the songs kind of take you through that journey. It’s a hopeful record, but also one that still features loss and even desperation at times. But by its end, there’s a feeling of acceptance and understanding.”
More thoughtful and purposive in his songwriting for this album, and encouraged by friends from the NYC and NJ music scenes, Gennone was lured out of his normal songwriting process and comfort zone, opening him to new influences and fostering his growth as a songwriter. Gennone recalls listening to Brian Eno non-stop while recording ‘Ghosts’, and the synth sounds and ambient textures that underpin much of the album are certainly a testament to that.
The Ghosts Are Coming Home album will be available from fine music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.
ALBUM CREDITS
Written by CR Gennone
CR Gennone – Vocals, Guitars, Tambourine, Synths, Piano
James Abbott – Guitar, Lap Steel
John Dewitt – Bass
Tom Barrett – Drums
Featuring Ryley Crowe (from the band Dusk) – Pedal Steel
Kyle Wilkerson (from the band Joy Cleaner) – Vocals
Skylar Adler – Drums
Donnie Law – Guitar
Chris Fox (from the band, Ruby Bones) – Guitar
Ross Burlingame – Piano
Produced by CR Gennone
Engineered by CR Gennone, Skylar Adler, and Andrew Merclean
Mixed by Ray Ketchem at Magic Door Recording in Montclair, NJ
Mastered by Nick Bolton at Bolton Sound in Jersey City, NJ
Video filmed and edited by Joe Evans III
Please also enjoy the band’s latest audio-visual offering:
CR & The Nones
The Ghosts Are Coming Home
(Magic Door Record Label)
Release Date: September 8, 2023
Artist Links
Background Photo Credit: Anthony Russo
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