Well, Coin of Gold is live now. I think Ive already shared most of what Id like to share as far as context of this project.
Ive shared that the genesis was two old friends wanting to create something, reunited creatively, after a decade of not writing together and many many more years beyond our salad days of drinking room temperature honey browns on a winters day in the pennsylvania woods when we should have been playing bubble bobble in the living room and munching cheese doodles.
Ive talked about community, and the poignancy of using the medium of a long form record as a great excuse to gather up an excellent bunch of humans and cocreate in the spirit of making something bigger and better than one alone could ever….
The last thing ill say— when ted and I were at the beginning of tossing around the idea of doing this, i remember telling him that i didnt want to make another pain record; i was tired of doing that, or i felt id done enough of that the last time out and the time before… I wanted to filter all that pain of existing through the process of ecstatic creation, and I hoped, that the byproduct would be pure unadulterated joy.
I realize now that the sentiment was aspirational, maybe foolish, as if I could will it into existence— i realized the obvious— that the pain is bound to the joy like tails to heads, and that tension, that contrast, that paradox, is really inescable if you want to do anything of merit.
Anyway, there you have it. I think this record gave me everything I had hoped it would and more. The end product satisfies me, and I hope you like it, and if it brings you a little joy, well, that makes me happy. Life is fleeting, lets dance 🪩 💃🏽
Album is live now. Ill try to keep this short. A year ago exactly, after strict quarantine, I was in a garage very near where I grew up, making music with people that I love. It probably was a year ago today my moms best friend showed up and dropped off this portrait of my dad and a bunch of old pictures from the childhood home we sold. It stayed in that room, then travelled back with us. Then i drove solo to nyc with the portrait in the back some months later; eventually i made this on the floor of a house i was living in. Losing people close to you is almost psychedelic in its feverish velocity. I had a dream with my father this morning, it was so palpable I woke up crying. Making this music helped alot, I hope you like it. Thank you to mom and family, everyone who blessed this project with their hard work and talent, my dear maria for being there through these last trying months, danny kokomo for great creativeconsulting and stout friendship. My miami squad, the NJ and TX brothers, greg stefano and CT for hands on lifelong friendship that goes deep and steps up always even when the chips are down. Dedicated to my old man, Pedro Ramon Mencia, pictured above.
Sorry folks, my last post didnt share the credits, it got cut off somehow, which is a real travesty considering the great wealth of talented friends we had playing across these sessions. We had great rooms too, from @thelightaluminum studios in Texas, w french and kevbot, john and dalton, to home sessions w the wonderful @delusionbay , and of course the beautiful time we spent at @fazeonestudio wit the legendary rock @blangemusic super fun times @huginnokmuninn@delusionbay@btateplays@stevenparnelle and @huginnokmuninn and always michael clifford, who wrote many of these with me, mixed and edited and played all over the thang. Also great mixing from @rickmoon and @delusionbay and wonderful mastering by @mo_mauricio_mo // cover art by the one and only nicolas lobo
Well, we have found ourselves at the end of the music that will be released for now under the mosquito tent. There is more, but isnt it nice to leave a little behind. If you are feeling favorous, put “applebees” on ur 4th of july mixes and i will thank you when i see you, i hope it isnt too long // john slavin on bass applebees
“Miami is most definitely not Nashville. Country music isn’t exactly well-received around these parts. Even the big acts — think of your Lady A’s and Jason Aldeans — don’t perform south of the Broward-Dade line. It’s as if nobody bothered telling Pennsylvania native Nick County any of that. County has been championing the sound (and fellow local folk and Americana acts) ever since he moved here ten years ago.
This year saw the singer-songwriter release his third album, A Colorful Corner of Northeastern Pennsylvania, an ode to his home state. The album took shape after County invited a few local musicians to his hometown to record, funding the effort with his online poker winnings. The deeply personal album covers topics like loss and forgiveness with pop, indie, and folk touches anchored to a decidedly alt-country foundation.”
- @miaminewtimes
We are thrilled to showcase @nickcounty ’s work on our website. Check out his current label @publicworksrec and his music wherever you stream.
#unfilteredsoutherngrit #miaminewtimes #nickcounty #southflorida #losmosquitoes #miami #florida
4 lovefools and the broken hearted saloons— los mosquitos volume 2 is live— thank u to the blessed who sang or slanged a strang blew a hole or banged a dram—- recorded at light aluminum studios round rock texas, and faze one and delusion bay studios mia -/: endless love to michael clifford, mo for master, nicolas lovo for arting /-/-
Look, those of u who know me and probably those of u who dont but are reading this because know that my life has been pretty fucked up these last couple of years. I dont think thats cool or good, but thankfully, i had this project and the desire to finish it to paste onto the windshield of my car and keep moving forward.
A friend said to me recently that this album was scary. “Scary how”? I asked. “Spooky, very dark”. Fair enough. I think music is one of the safest and most natural places to languish in our respective darknesses, and I do believe it can be constructive to do so, maybe even healing.
I was grateful not to be alone during this time, and my favorite part of being alive is gathering great people to participate in a long form music project. This group was incredible— from texas to california to florida.
With utmost certainty, the record does not exist without Michael Clifford. It began with us talking art, all the way through, and his writing, his unique perspective, his mind his fingers and his soul is cosmically bound to these grooves. It does not stop there, we were blessed to have technical, musical, creative and energetic imput and guidance from Adoniram in Texas, and Cesar Delusion Bay right here in North Bay Village, where we made songs like 2EYEZ and RRR together in our shared living facility.
This is the third record in a row that has been blessed by the engineering and rhythmic genius of mr Brian Lange of Phaze1, and he once more elevated these tunes to new heights.
I could go on, everyone who played on this record is beautiful, and each made the record more distinctive and alive; i am honored and grateful for every one of you. This is the first of 3 volumes, they are all in the can and you will hear them soon god willing.
Someone said once that the absence of darkness is light. If that is true, surely the converse is as well. I would never want to live without one or the other. In the l words of the late great troubadour Guy Clark, “Ill take a little of both”.
Here are the first bloody drops of a project that starts and ends with me and michael clifford, that we call LOS MOSQUITOS— los mos is many nights writing music, wine some mushrooms, 20 yrs of dialogue between two , many days@and nites more since then collaborating with great people here in south Florida as well as my second home in East Texas. We will release the rest when how we feel and not consult with any swedish nerds or other non musical art entities —/—- i wil prob have A shitload more to say at some point, for now, am in sunk deep low and not so poetic. Making this was my favorite part of these last two years— it may sound feel spooky sometimes, but it is the only place i know to work out all the haunted things happening at any given moment in the mad fantastastical dark corners of my mind. Someone said it wasnt a scary time recently to me, haply for them to feel that way, we all feel@differently sometimes we feel the same. So listen, or dont! Its gonna be a really long album and ur probably not going to like it very much! Its ur god given right! Presave this 🤪🤪🤪U only live for one day in mosquito bouquet. Music by Los Mos, art by Nicolas Lobo. Los Mosquitos Ride!
