Jon Nolan
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Jon Nolan

Band Americana Rock

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Press


"The WIRE (NH)"

"...the honey-voiced Nolan does away with any bit of chaff ... and builds on his distinctive repertoire of amiable rootsy pop songs." - A Voice Like Honey


"Portsmouth Herald (NH)"

"From front to back this record beckons to be heard."

"The professionalism heard in Nolan’s songwriting, and overall production prove that he’s a force to be reckoned with on a local, and national level in this genre." - A Force to be Reckoned With


"The Portland Phoenix(Maine)"

"As for Nolan's Summers, they're seasons I'd like to spend a lot of time in. Fans — and there are a lot of you — of Say ZuZu will find themselves transported. The heart felt purity of Nolan's voice comes through in waves of warm sunshine, and even the packaging captures that hint of nostalgia his songs engender even in their first listen. You ever hear a Smiths song and tear up just a bit over the first girl in Doc Martens you fell for? "Mary (Won't You Come Along)" had me swooning similarly at the two-minute mark.

Employing the wonders of the studio expertly, Nolan furnishes layered vocals, guitars, and that bit of piano to class up the joint, all in proper proportion. The percussion is pure Beach Boys, bright and shiny, and Nolan's got plenty of Don McLean in him, too. " - CD Review


"Boston Herald"

#2. Jon Nolan, “When the Summers Lasted Long” (Mill Town). From the wilds of New Hampshire, the former Say Zuzu frontman turns on the charm with effortless melodies and a rootsy pop sensibility.
- Best 5 Alt-Country CDs of 2005


"PETER BLACKSTOCK"

"Anyhow, what I wasn't prepared for was to slip Jon's solo record into the CD player several months later, when it arrived in the mail, and be totally charmed by what I heard...I did in fact listen to When The Summers Lasted Long over and over...True enough, it would've sounded right at home on the AM airwaves back in those days when the summers lasted long. I tip my hat to Mr. Nolan for taking me back to that place; to be sure, this music is its own reward."

"#20 Jon Nolan~ When the Summers Lasted Long" - from Blackstock's NoDep best of 2005 Critic's poll - from his blog on NoDep dot net


"If SLAID CLEAVES says so..."

"Jon Nolan's record is the best of the year so far." - ... it must be true!


"The Portland Phoenix (Maine)"

"That voice, dripping with nostalgia, paired with instrumentation that was like walking out your front door on a summer morning into sunshine that just about knocks you over." - From a Recent Feature


"Northeast Performer Magazine"

"Nolan artfully blends the New England vibe and the midwest vibe and the southern vibe and all the others into one wholly American sound on When the Summers Lasted Long. Nolan knows how and when to rock." - Nolan Knows How & When to Rock


"No Depression"

"Marshall Crenshaw meets The Jayhawks" - Town & Country Feature (nov/dec issue)


"Entertainment News&Views (Miami)"

"Albums like this are often overlooked, the soft, soothing ambiance overshadowed by more brazen bids for commercial acceptance. Nevertheless, one gets the sense that this is a album that will linger, a timeless collection as warm and resilient as a well-worn memento of summers gone by." - "A timeless collection..."


Discography

2005 - Jon Nolan "When the Summers Lasted Long" (Milltown)
2004 Say ZuZu - "Live in Germany" CD/DVD(Blue Rose)
2001 Say ZuZu - "Every Mile" (Blue Rose/Milltown)
1999 Say ZuZu - "Live" (Broken White)
1998 Say ZuZu - "Bull" (Broken White)
1997 Say ZuZu - "Take These Turns" (self)
1996 Say ZuZu - "Say ZuZu" (self)
1995 Say ZuZu - "Highway Signs and Driving Songs" (self)

Photos

Bio

Good songs, and compelling performances will always have a place in rock and roll. The solo debut from Jon Nolan of New England’s Say ZuZu has both.

As a result, When the Summers Lasted Long has received praise from fans and critics alike from all around the world – including several nods from the reputable American music magazine No Depression. First they featured Jon in their Town and Country section on the Nov./Dec.’05 issue. ND’s editor & co-founder, Peter Blackstock, continued to throw praise Nolan’s way with a heartfelt and complimentary blog entry on the magazine’s website, and finally he included Nolan in his “Top 20 of 2005” list along with heavy hitters like Ryan Adams, Son Volt, Daniel Lanois and Kathleen Edwards among others.

Nolan started recording some “demos” for what would become When the Summers Lasted Long on some gear at home. The magic of those demos convinced Nolan to use the tracks as keepers, and the finished versions were brought to legendary producer/engineer Paul Kolderie (Morphine, Radiohead, Uncle Tupelo) in Cambridge, MA for a little analog love (see: mixing). The end result is an honest and charming , americana pop record chronicling Nolan’s transition from youth to adulthood in the way that Darkness on the Edge of Town did for Bruce. A classic theme, yes, but it was Nolan’s too. “Say ZuZu was the vehicle that brought me from my teenage years into adulthood – the one constant,” says Nolan of ZuZu’s eleven years together. “The breakup affected me deeply.”

Loss of innocence, nostalgia and lonliness are painful for sure, but they are also wonderful catalysts for great music. When the Summers Lasted Long is an americana/pop gem, an under-the-radar classic.

For more than ten years Jon Nolan fronted the New Emgland roots-rcok outfit Say ZuZu. They released six full length studio albums, had a record deal in Europe on Germany’s Blue Rose Records, and played several hundred shows in 25 states and five countries – Italy, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany and of course the USA. They toured Europe several times in addition to pounding the pavement on their native soil, but became cult faves in Italy in particular where they sold more than 10,000 CDs. They shared the stage with such acts as Joe Ely, The Derailers, their good pals Slobberbone, Patty Griffin, The Bottle Rockets, The Dixie Chicks and countless other fine (if lesser known) acts.

"#2. Jon Nolan, “When the Summers Lasted Long” (Mill Town). From the wilds of New Hampshire, the former Say Zuzu frontman turns on the charm with effortless melodies and a rootsy pop sensibility. " ~ "Best Alt-Country CDs of 2005" - BOSTON HERALD

"#20. Jon Nolan, “When the Summers Lasted Long” - Best of 2005 No Depression Magazine Ctritc's poll - PETER BLACKSTOCK