Maurer, Nick / Come On In! – New LP

Nick Maurer’s Come On In! is the stuff of a modern American fable. The 20 year-old Cincinnatian’s first release on Happy Families feels wise beyond years but is equally moving in its innocent enthusiasm.

Each track is its own kaleidoscopic universe. The listener can catch a glimpse inside through its lyrics (hushed, or exclamatory, or clever and observant), or instrumentation (lush and shimmering; its own living thing). It brings to mind the folkloric storytelling of Daniel Johnston, Jonathan Richman’s longing, danceable rhythms, and at its best, reminds you of walking through a neighborhood block party on a hot summer night.

Nick Maurer is watching a busy street parade from an open window many stories up, and Come On In! describes to us each passerby. His production incorporates the sounds of the environment: chirping cicadas, whirring bicycle spokes, crowds whooping and cheering. This remaster of his first release includes live recordings and then some. Three spoken-word interludes from anonymous guests punctuate the 20-track, remastered-for-vinyl album that include live performances with his band The Grocers, field recordings, and stories told solo on guitar.

Written while still in highschool and recorded using his cellphone, Come On In! feels timeless. You could have found it in your parent’s record collection, or heard it from a street corner in a far away city, and it would still feel the same: like you are stepping into a colorful picture book illustrated with a careful hand.