What follows won’t be another sordid rock ’n’ roll tale of drugs and wildness. “I just get a little high,” multi-talented singer-songwriter Phil Cook tells me over the phone on a drive back to his home base in Durham, North Carolina. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow, and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. Lastly, Phil Cook’s Guitarheels performance at the Haw River Ballroom, an opening teaser set at Schuba’s and his triumphant Southland Revival at Duke Gardens.The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Memorable stops along the way include Megafaun at the Duke Gardens, and the Videri/AC Restaurants Hopscotch Day Party, a Megafaun and On Filmore collaboration at Duke, an early iteration of the current Hiss Golden Messenger band with Willy T in Fletcher Hall at Hopscotch, then as members of the band at MERGE 25, Transfigurations, and a number of other shows. Over the next four years I would see Phil (and often Brad) perform as Megafaun or lately as members of Hiss Golden Messenger, primarily in the Triangle with a couple of trips to Chicago and one to Marshall, North Carolina. If the Cook brothers are involved, get on board, and keep your eye out for Matthew E White and any others they claim. The MusicNOW festival weekend converted me. It was a performance and an evening none of us will ever soon forget. The sheer force of their passion, deep commitment to the songs and connections to their fellow musicians filled the room with infectious joy and pulled everyone out of their seats. You can hear Phil playing piano in the clip above.įive years later I would have been less surprised by the Cook brothers adventurous spirit as they took the stage to perform SOS. Wandering around and in and out of rehearsals, I observed Phil listening closely to his bandmates and friends. The assembled musicians spent their preshow days rehearsing in a local jazz club.
Later that year, Megafaun, Fight the Big Bull, Justin Vernon and Sharon Van Etten performed Sounds of the South at the MusicNOW festival. All three are timeless, exquisitely beautiful and contain clues to the breadth of each member’s talent and curiosity, and maybe a few hints of what would follow. If you’re not familiar with Megafaun, listen to Gather, Form and Fly, Heretofore and Megafaun. Their brief visit to Columbus included an introduction to Brad’s affinity for Steve Reich. The friendly, kind, generous spirit was equally evident. A few days later the same bill performed at the Wexner Center in Columbus. In a sold out room, Phil, Brad and Joe stepped to the edge of the stage and invited the audience to join in their revery. A festival ambassador, I wanted to give the music a listen, introduce myself and share a bit of the history of the festival, offer a welcome. Megafaun were scheduled to perform at the MusicNOW festival in May, 2011. In the fall of 2010, I headed out to see Megafaun open for the Mountain Goats at the 9:30 club in Washington, D.C. I met them both playing with their band Megafaun.
Southland Mission also features Phil’s brother and lifetime collaborator, Brad Cook.
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