Donovan Quinn
photo by D Smith
BIO
Honky Tonk Medusa is Donovan Quinn’s first album that he’s both recorded and produced since the Skygreen Leopards’ adventurous Life & Love in Sparrow’s Meadow. Along with Quinn’s work on vocals, guitar and synth, the album also employs San Francisco musician’s Jason Quever (Papercuts), Michael Tapscott (Odawas), along with his regular rhythm section of Nick Marcantonio and Michael Carreira. Working in reverse order to many current acts, the sound of Honky Tonk Medusa is molded to each individual song; letting the lyrics and spirit of the song dictate the instrumentation and style with the lyrical narrative tying it all together. The story of the album is one of decaying American cities, Internet age entropy, and equal parts romance and loneliness. In addition to the music the album features artwork by San Francisco artist Joe Roberts and liner notes by Elisa Amrogio (Magik Markers, 200 Years).
PRESS
“Though best known for his work with the Skygreen Leopards, Quinn has been culling his private weird recordings since he lived in a rotting trailer in the suburban sprawl of Walnut Creek, California. Due to popular insistence, the man has finally gone solo. Quinn is a Marlboro man mystic channeled through Francois Hardy just woken from a nap: frowsy, susurrant and surly. He curls out chords like Duane Eddy on ludes, strumming on some ether plane of American guitar groupmind. It warms my heart that perhaps people will hear Donovan and be able to discern a true contender from the hollow trees out there.” – Elisa Ambrogio, Arthur Magazine
“…points towards Donaldson and Quinn’s ability to find the benefits of song in the most unlikely places, including the shifts between seasons, within blades of grass, in the honeyed clouds, on the dark side of a leaf changing color, beneath an icy rock.” – Brandon Stosuy, Pitchfork
DISCOGRAPHY
- Donovan Quinn & the 13th Month (2008) [Soft Abuse]
- Your Wicked Man (2010) [Shrimper]
- Honky Tonk Medusa (2012) [Northern Spy]