Nick Kinsey Releases Smooth New Americana Single [stream]

Nick Kinsey has no shortage of musical experience. A veteran to the NY Americana scene, you may have even seen him before drumming in Elvis Perkins’ backing band. He also contributed drums and woodwinds to bands such as My Morning Jacket, Cold War Kids and Dr. Dog as well as in his own side project, Diamond Doves, which was made up of Wyndham Boylan-Garnett and Brigham Brough. Now the time has come for Kinsey to take the mic for himself. Last week he christened this budding phase of his career by releasing his first single, “Chateau Ludlow”, under the new artist moniker Kinsey.

With a repertoire like his, it is no surprise that “Chateau Ludlow” is an instant tour de force. He croons like the raconteurs of the past, delivering melodies with emotional conviction and vulnerability that remain in dialog with a cornucopia of anomalous sounds — this includes guitars, organ, marimba, saxophone, clarinet, drums and other percussive toys, all played by Kinsey himself. Kinsey sings with comforting familiarity about wistful romance, cocaine and aimless nights on the Lower East Side (hands up if you’ve had a night like this on Ludlow Street!). “Chateau Ludlow” has already solidified itself in my personal Americana pantheon, somewhere at the intersection of Bob Dylan, Wilco and Neutral Milk Hotel. Be sure to keep your ears open for this guy, folks, because this is just the beginning and there’s lots more to come.