Cotton Jones (formerly The Cotton Jones Basket Ride) is an American indie folk band, with elements of psychedelic folk, dream pop, and chamber pop, based in Cumberland, Maryland and currently signed to Suicide Squeeze Records. Michael Nau (born October 31, 1984) is the lead singer-songwriter and plays guitar, Whitney McGraw (born July 20, 1986) is on keyboards, organ, and electronic autoharp, Todd Gowans (born February 4, 1986) also plays guitar, with Greg Bender on bass.

Albums

The River Strumming

On September 23, 2008, the band released their first LP, The River Strumming, through the indie label St. Ives. It was a hand-made package limited to only 300 copies and was described as a "delightful slab of fuzzed-out dream folk." The album was reissued by Suicide Squeeze Records during the summer of 2023 for its 15th anniversary, limited to only 1000 copies, 400 on 180 gram half coke bottle green and half bone, 600 on 180 gram black vinyl. Mark Lager, in a retrospective review on Aquarium Drunkard, described The River Strumming as "a summer night trip through the swamps, a car rambling down lonely backroads...macabre and magical psychedelia, southern gothic style."

Paranoid Cocoon

On January 27, 2009, the band released their second LP, their debut for Suicide Squeeze Records, Paranoid Cocoon. It was described as a "weepy, reverb-drenched blend of Pacific Northwest, 1960s folk-pop, and heartland rock."

Tall Hours in the Glowstream

On August 24, 2010, the band released their third LP, Tall Hours in the Glowstream. It was described as "classic country music filtered through a dream-pop haze."

About the Game

On August 21, 2012, the band released About the Game, a 7" record limited to only 500 copies.

Mowing

On November 18, 2015, Michael Nau announced his solo debut Mowing, introducing the first single "Winter Beat" via SoundCloud. The album's release date was February 19, 2016.

Some Twist

On June 16, 2017, Michael Nau released his second solo album Some Twist. AllMusic described it as a "high-humidity set for long summer days, present or imagined" and Red & Black described it as "outer space road trip music...songs that feel unreal in their otherworldliness."

Accompany

On December 8, 2023, Michael Nau released his fifth solo album Accompany. Far Out (magazine) called ""Painting A Wall" one of the finest tracks this year" and Glide Magazine called the album "Nau’s best solo effort to date."

Band members

Current members

Touring members

Discography