A Bird That Sings: The Melodiousness of Jon Nolan!

Today, Jon Nolan & Good Co. released their new album Slow Cooker via Strolling Bones Records. On the album, the New Hampshire native underscores his relatable storytelling with eloquent folk-inspired songcraft accented by flourishes of country and rock brought to life during cozy and relaxed.

A neighbor on death’s door. A small town where people still say “hello.” Friends in a barn attic, making music late into the night. These are the real-life stories that thread through Slow Cooker, the new full-length from Say ZuZu co-founder Jon Nolan.

Rooted in community and recorded mostly live in the upstairs room of Newmarket, NH’s Stone Church Music Club, the album feels handmade - woven from intimate jam sessions, spontaneous connection, and a shared love of storytelling.

It began as a “just for fun” project among longtime friends and grew into something deeper: an ode to slowing down, paying attention, and creating together. The result is a warm, welcoming collection for fans of folk-rock authenticity. Think front-porch honesty with the crackle of a lived-in LP.

I sat down with Jon and we discussed everything from his new album, how he sees himself as a songwriter, on through to who makes him happy in life and even his love for penguins!

Being that Slow Cooker is filled with songs brought to life through cozy and relaxed jam sessions, all of which took place in your hometown of Newmarket, how did your creative sound differ here on this new recording as opposed to your previous outputs? - “First off, let me say thank you so much for your time and questions! I’ll try not to be too on the nose with the Slow Cooker stuff, but this one was about finding the right ingredients and taking our time. There was a lot that was familiar, but the combination of people and time made for a different feel. The busiest Say ZuZu years (the band I came up with) allowed for the time and space to conjure, work over and explore new songs. We were on the road a lot in the late 90s in particular.”

“That was the last time I had the luxury of having the same group of fellows working on a batch of songs until doing these songs with my band. Slow Cooker was recorded mostly live in the upstairs ballroom of The Stone Church Music Club — a familiar and comfortable space for us. What made it unique was a group of old friends finding a sound together, recording “live off the floor.”

Indeed, what were some of the biggest obstacles along the way to bringing this album to fruition and how did you overcome them? - “Anybody who’s stated a “light” home improvement project has a sense of what it is like to be a creative.”

“So, time constraints, logistics, money, and moments of doubt will be obstacles for almost any creative project in my experience, and they were here. Really trying to make something special, on top of living your whole “real life“ with jobs and spouses and responsibilities and other commitments is a lot to take on, and tiring. That takes patience and wisdom. Honestly, what I would credit the most for moving past the obstacles was a sense of trust we built with each other.”

“I recorded us, so that helped financially, but added another hat that can make it harder to see straight, artistically. It was really helpful to have a great sounding board and musical collaborator like I did in co-producer, Geoff Taylor. It’s very rare where we don’t arrive eventually at the same conclusions. We recorded the record over several sessions over most of a year. The band was finding its sound as the songs were finding each other.”

As for the album, I understand that it is being touted as one chock full of relatable storytelling with eloquent folk-inspired songcraft, all accented by flourishes of country and rock, so can you please explain just what all these musical accents within your artistry mean to you; within the context of how it came together, both thematically and musically? - “I grew up in the seacoast region of New Hampshire, at the end of a golden era of a folk scene that was fading away, and a new generation of rock bands that spanned almost every genre was bursting to life in the 90’s. When I hear the varied influences coming through the speakers back at me, I think of the incredible scene I grew up in and all my local friend’s bands, never mind all the stuff that was popular nationally.”

“It wasn’t one sound, it was very diverse. Nineties alt-country was really important to my development, and seemed to me to be a mutt of my favorite sounds and traditions. The sounds and songs I gravitated to the most were in a tradition that told stories, so it makes sense that it’s coming through like that.”

Indeed, a lot of words and terms have already been used to describe your music over the years, but how would you yourself sum up your sound on this new album ... and in just five (5) words? - “Oof, I really want folks to arrive at their own conclusions. But if pressed: Dreamy and earnest working-class Americana.”

Please tell us (in a few sentences or less) a little more about what these tracks noted below mean to you and how they came to be:

Sea Glass - “Life is gonna life, sometimes. Joy and pain await everyone. Slowly strolling the beach with my family looking for sea glass in Maine one summer gave me a moment to contemplate sea glass as a metaphor for how life works if you don’t let the stormy times define you.”

Frozen Man - “If you’re lucky enough to get older, you’ll think back on experiences with “new eyes.” This is a song about a beloved person in my community that I wish I had been old and wise enough to reach out to to see if he could have been helped. He seemed stuck. I help people professionally now. He was a good guy. He just could have used some more kindness.”

Dust, Sweat & Blood - “This is an ode to moving forward in tough times. Hopefully it will be a bit of a rallying cry for those who need it. For me, it came out of a rough year where I got laid off after working for an addiction treatment company for several years. Some people up top made some bad choices, and a bunch of us got the pink slip. Three friends happened to overdose that same year. It was a mother of a gut punch.”

A Bird that Sings - “This one was borne of the same material as “Dust.” but with a little more bitter sarcasm directed at the universe and a catchier melody and beat to belie the bitterness. It’s me saying “hey man, I’ll take less good stuff if you’d just ease up. Please?” Again, it was a rough period. But everybody can relate with the whole “Man! Can’t I catch a break?!” feeling, I think.”

And was Slow Cooker always going to be the albums name or was there another that nearly won the race come the time to take your hands off the project? - “It was nearly “Back to the Barn” for a second, but “Slow Cooker” bubbled up and stuck pretty early. Jon Nolan & Good Co. as a project started with me, Geoff Taylor (bass) and Rick Habib (drums) in my friend’s barn. We figured out what the “rules” of this project would be in order to build trust and help cultivate joy in that space. So, “Back to the Barn” is shorthand in the band for “relax and focus on the song.”

Being that we’re not called Exclusive Magazine for nothing, is there a hidden message, a secret notation or an easter egg to be found amongst all the tracks assembled for this recording? - “Hmm, well, “Goodbye for Now” was recorded on my iPhone on my back porch (like it sounds). And yes, that is an actual rooster crowing. My neighbor’s rooster. Maybe the easter egg is my dog Luna’s collar jingling, her panting, and the sound of me throwing a ball which bounces as she runs to fetch it.”

OK, I would be remiss if I didn’t ask this question: You play on this album with the backing of Good Company, but in real life, who is the best company that you could ever ask to be in the presence of? - “Oh, easy. My wife and kids. The five of us enjoying a meal, some conversation, jokes and maybe a board game is pure joy.”

Having watched the video for Sea Glass, I found it masterfully shot, yet hauntingly stoic in nature, so who came up with the idea and what can you tell us about the behind-the-scenes set up of it and how the filming went? - “Jay Boyington is a really, really talented cinematographer who is childhood friends with my guitarist Patrick Fitzgibbons. Pat showed me his clips and I thought, “Oh, yes.” Jay and I worked on the narrative together, and we shot it over two furious days on Orr’s Island - the same spot where the song was inspired. My super talented musician friends Jon Roods and Anna Lombard agreed to be the characters in the story. Gaffer Jason Sheppard happened to be in Maine, and we were lucky to scoop him for lighting. It was quite the dream team! It felt like we filmed a whole movie. Jon and Anna gave us so much to work with, it was tough cutting stuff out.”

What would you like all the readers of this interview to know about the new album and what to expect? - “I guess I’d invite them to take the time to sit with and have an experience with the album. We took our time to make sure we were stirring our own hearts, to find the magic in the room with each other, and I took care to make sure the songs were honest. That’s what we want people to feel when they hear “Slow Cooker.” The album is meant to be enjoyed, obviously, but the best way to enjoy it is by seeing us live and then bringing that experience back to the recording. Slow cooking, so to speak. We’re doing a touch of touring and looking to expand our capacity to have that experience with folks. We like to play. We’ll do house shows and no traditional venues too. Show us where the people are at, and we’ll come if we can!”

We here at Exclusive Magazine love Penguins and so we were wondering if you had any love for them and/or had a story of one (soft toy, zoo, chocolate bar, relative, etc.) that you could share with us? - “The Boston Aquarium is pretty great! When my kids were little we must have spent half the time watching the penguins there dart around in the water and waddle on the surfaces. SO cute.”

And finally, we asked Jon to kindly provide a never-before-seen photograph of himself. One that perfectly personified their readiness for the world to hear his new musical endeavor. And kindly, this is what he sent.