New York, NY (Top40 Charts) New Jersey band CR and The Nones are set to release their new album 'The
Ghosts Are Coming Home'on
September 8 via Montclair-based Magic Door Record Label, previewed by the recently-released title track and the lead single 'The Long Game'.
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 and The Nones retains the Degenerates' core of Chris Gennone, lead/slide guitarist Jim Abbott, and bassist John Dewitt.
Recalling past Garden
State guitar music, Gennone's soulful vocals and his band's driving hooks invoke roads, journeys, and forward motion in general. Counting
Neil Young and Jason Molina among major influences, his sound has always been propulsive. In 2020, CR and The Nones released their debut album 'Living In Fear' via Favorite Friend Records.
'The
Ghosts Are Coming Home' is a culmination of the sound and aesthetic that CR Gennone has been building over many years and multiple bands. With an expansiveness and introspection that recalls The War on Drugs or early My Morning Jacket, the ten tracks here showcase an irresistible sincerity and heartfelt delivery.
"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.
As of
September 8, 'The
Ghosts Are coming Home' album will be available from fine music platforms, including Spotify, Apple
Music and Bandcamp.
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
TRACK LIST
1. The
Ghosts Are Coming Home
2. The Long Game
3. It's Not Personal
4. The Bridge
5. Mind and Body
6. After the War
7. Side Eye
8. The Hills of Pennsylvania
9. Memory Ave
10. Concessions