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Cian Nugent

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Cian Nugent
Born1989 (age 34–35)
OriginDublin, Ireland
GenresFolk, Rock, Psychedelic
Instrument(s)Guitar, bass, vocals
Years active2007–present
LabelsWoodsist, VHF, Matador, Tompkins Square

Cian Nugent (born 1989) is an Irish guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and producer.[1] He has played both as a solo artist and with the backing band The Cosmos as Cian Nugent & The Cosmos.[1] He has also collaborated with musicians Steven Gunn,[2] Conor O'Brien[3] and Aoife Nessa Frances. He has released albums on the labels Woodsist, Matador, and VHF.[1] His music has been described by Kitty Empire in The Observer as "pushing at the seam where psychedelia, country and the Takoma school of folk ragas meet."[4]

Career

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(2007–2010) Cian Nugent and Childhood, Christian Lies and Slaughter

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After releasing his self-titled debut EP, Cian Nugent, in 2007, the track When the Snow Melts And Floats Downstream was featured on the Tompkins Square compilation Imaginational Anthem Volume 3.[5][6] This led to Nugent's first US tour, which was promoted by Tompkins Square Records. The tour included performances at Cake Shop, New York, NY, Bookmill, Montague, MA, and The BCA Centre, Burlington, VT.[7] In 2008 the live EP Childhood, Christian Lies & Slaughter was released by Belgian label audioMER.[8] The EP was featured on NPR, who wrote: "Inspired by acoustic guitar legends like John Fahey, Nugent plays instrumental folk pieces heavy with nostalgia for early 20th-century American music."[9] Forced Exposure wrote of the EP: "Nugent's originals (plus a cover of Buell Kazee's Anthology Of American Folk Music staple "The Wagoner's Lad") are well-served in this recording of Nugent's fourth-ever live concert."[10]

(2011–2012) Doubles

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Nugent's debut album Doubles, was released in 2011 by VHF Records. The album was met with positive reviews from music critics, with Pitchfork opining "The perfectly ebullient passages are a mix of Stravinsky, hard bop, and unrepentant pop."[11] Entertainment.ie said of the album: "This is a warm and engaging listen for anyone who appreciates guitar played well."[12] Writing for AllMusic, music journalist Ned Raggett stated "The various moves from unaccompanied to group effort not only help in making the contrast between the two songs more clear, they introduce a feeling of direct joy."[13] In September 2012, Nugent played alongside Damo Suzuki at the Incubate festival, Netherlands.[14]

(2013–2015) Born with the Caul and Higher Purchase

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Nugent's second album Born with the Caul was released in 2013 by No Quarter Records. Lead single Grass Above My Head was played on BBC 6 Music by Tom Ravenscroft[15] and Andrew Weatherall.[16] Writing in The New York Times, Ben Ratliff reviewed the album positively, stating: "Cian Nugent has made a genre-bending acoustic and electric second album."[17] In a 4 star review for The Irish Times, critic Chris Jobes wrote: "Nugent's command of mood and tension and his mastery of his instrument, are a marvel."[18] The Irish Independent wrote of the album:"Those who give it time for its magic to percolate will be richly rewarded with compositions that display a rare skill and a daring sensibility."[19] In August 2013, Matador Records released the single 'Hire Purchase' as part of their Going Home Alone 7" series.[20] In February and March 2014, Nugent opened for Angel Olsen on her tour of the US, appearing at the Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, and (Le) Poisson Rouge, New York.[21] In May 2014 he performed a Tiny Desk Concert for NPR.[22]

(2016–2019) Night Fiction

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Nugent's third album, Night Fiction, was released by Woodsist in 2016. Metacritic assigns the album a score of 73 based on 9 reviews, indicitating "Generally favorable reviews".[23] Pitchfork, giving it 7.3/10, stated "This is patient music at its best."[24] Actor Cillian Murphy played the track First Run from the album while presenting a show on BBC 6 Music.[25] In March 2016, Nugent went on a tour of the US and Canada with Canadian indie rock band Nap Eyes, including appearances at SXSW, in Austin, Texas,[26] and the 2016 Vancouver Folk Music Festival.[27]

(2020–present) Live at Cafe Oto and Do I Care

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In 2020, he released the live album Live at Cafe Oto, which was recorded at Cafe Oto in London. The album was published through Rough Trade Publishing.[28] A collaboration with Conor O'Brien on the track Do I Care was featured on the compilation album In The Echo: Field Recordings from Earlsfort Terrace, released in September 2021 by Ergodos Records.[3]

Discography

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Albums

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  • Doubles, 2011, VHF Records
  • Born with the Caul, 2013, No Quarter
  • Night Fiction, 2016, Woodsist
  • She Brings Me Back To The Land Of The Living, 2023, No Quarter

Live albums

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  • Live at Cafe Oto, 2020, self-released

EPs

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  • Cian Nugent, 2007, self-released,

Live EPs

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  • Childhood, Christian Lies, and Slaughter, 2008, Incunabulum, audioMER

Singles

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Compilation Appearances

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  • Imaginational Anthem Volume 3, Tompkins Square Records, 2007
  • In The Echo: Field Recordings from Earlsfort Terrace, Ergodos Records, 2021

References

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  1. ^ a b c Jurek, Tom. "Cian Nugent – Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  2. ^ Ham, Robert (22 December 2015). "Cian Nugent: The Best of What's Next". Paste Magazine. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  3. ^ a b Brayden, Kate (12 August 2021). "Lisa O'Neill & Colm Mac Con Iomaire share 'Peggy Gordon' from new compilation album". Hot Press. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  4. ^ Empire, Kitty (31 January 2016). "Cian Nugent: Night Fiction review – his fingers do the real talking". The Guardian.
  5. ^ "Imaginational Anthem Volume 3". tompkinssquare.com. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  6. ^ Margasak, Peter (27 November 2013). "American Primitive refined by Cian Nugent on Grass Above My Head". The Chicago Reader. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  7. ^ "Tompkins Square's Acclaimed 'Imaginational Anthem' Acoustic Guitar Box Set Hits The Road". tompkinssquare.com. 2008. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  8. ^ "Childhood, Christian Lies & Slaughter". audiomer.org. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  9. ^ Vallejos, Tamara (5 November 2008). "Cian Nugent: 'Knots'". npr.org. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  10. ^ "Cian Nugent – Childhood, Christian Lies & Slaughter". forcedexposure.com. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  11. ^ Currin, Grayson (12 July 2011). "Cian Nugent – Doubles". Pitchfork. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  12. ^ "Cian Nugent – Doubles". entertainment.ie. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  13. ^ Raggett, Ned. "Cian Nugent – Doubles". Allmusic. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Incubate 2012 Festival Guide". Incubate. p. 51. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Tom Ravenscroft". bbc.co.uk. 15 November 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  16. ^ "Andrew Weatherall at the BBC". bbc.co.uk. 16 February 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  17. ^ Ratliff, Ben (8 November 2013). "Sounds of Senegal, San Francisco and Beyond". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  18. ^ Jones, Chris. "Cian Nugent-Born With The Caul". The Irish Times. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  19. ^ "Cian Nugent-Born With The Caul". Irish Independent. 5 November 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  20. ^ Wheeler, Harry (1 March 2013). "CIAN NUGENT & THE COSMOS – HIRE PURCHASE". Folk Radio UK. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  21. ^ "Angel Olsen released a new track from upcoming LP; Cian Nugent opening her tour (updated dates & streams)". Brooklyn Vegan. 9 January 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  22. ^ GOTRIC, LARS (3 May 2014). "Tiny Desk Concert, Cian Nugent". NPR. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  23. ^ "Night Fiction at Metacritic". metacritic.com.
  24. ^ Healy, Pat (27 January 2016). "Cian Nugent – Night Fiction". pitchfork.com. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  25. ^ Murphy, Cillian (8 May 2016). "Cillian Murphy". BBC. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  26. ^ Pearis, Bill (21 January 2016). "Cian Nugent and Nap Eyes releasing new albums, touring together this spring (dates, song streams)". Brooklyn Vegan. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  27. ^ "Cian Nugent (Ireland)". Vancouver Folk Music Festival. 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  28. ^ "Cian Nugent – Live at Cafe Oto 2020". roughtradepublishing.com. 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
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