Mowing

Before releasing this, his solo debut, Michael Nau spent the better part of a decade with indie pop duo Cotton Jones. *Mowing* is made of unused material from those years, but Nau gives these tunes a distinct sonic stamp. The album’s hushed, late-night atmosphere bears echoes of early-‘70s singer/songwriter sounds. He evokes Harry Nilsson on the spare, haunting “Good Moon,” while “So, So Long” has hints of *White Album*-era Lennon and the muted “Unwound” is imbued with a McCartney-circa-*RAM* vibe. In a word, intoxicating.

Michael Nau has been the frontman for Page France and Cotton Jones. On his solo debut, he displays his penchant for uplift: Sumptuously warm, the set feels invitingly casual, loose-strung, and slightly accidental, a collection of messy indie-rock demos that he fleshes out into surprising songs.

Michael Nau has been the frontman for Page France and Cotton Jones. On his solo debut, he displays his penchant for uplift: Sumptuously warm, the set feels invitingly casual, loose-strung, and slightly accidental, a collection of messy indie-rock demos that he fleshes out into surprising songs.