Old Settler's Music Festival : Artists : Steve Poltz

Noineen Noiny Noin is without reservation, the most absurdly-named, pulchritudinous, foot- stomping party of 2012. Few will be surprised to learn that it is the title of the newest release from award-winning singer-songwriter Steve Poltz.
Southern California’s Steve Poltz is one of the most beloved songwriters of his generation. His music—as both a solo artist and with cult legends The Rugburns—has enjoyed long stretches in the Billboard top ten, gobbled up acres of mainstream radio and appeared in scores of television shows, commercials and movies. He has collaborated with everyone from Jewel to Glenn Tillbrook to Mojo Nixon, and his legendary live show has earned him a ferocious global fan base that makes soccer hooligans seem coquettish and reserved. In fact, X front man John Doe once said, “My idea of hell would be having Steve Poltz open for me every day. There’s no place left for the audience to go.”

With his latest record, Noineen Noiny Noin, Poltz is back to remind the world that the intersection of beauty and madness is a majestic place to spend a little time. The title refers to one of Poltz’ many tours through Australia, when he asked a promoter if he remembered the year when Poltz first came through Oz. “Oi reckon it was noineen noiny noin,” the man said, referring to the year 1999. And thus an album was born.
Poltz’ 13th full-length album is a wind-in-the-face joyride that takes on a jaw-dropping range of themes, including love, murder, Johnny Cash and transvestites. And that’s just one song. From top-to-bottom, Noineen Noiny Noin rocks, beguiles and entertains, opening like a flower with each new song. A wild, freakish-looking flower, but a flower, nonetheless.
Revisiting his rocker roots, opener “Spirit Hands” begins with the unmistakable sound of a four- string tenor guitar before crashing into a Zeppelin-sized jam, propelled by the thunderous drumming of Malcolm Clark. “Sucker Punch” is a roof-destroying anthem that, like so many of Poltz’ greatest numbers, has a surprise ending that will be punctuated with the sound of the listener’s jaw hitting the floor.

Poltz’ wistful, romantic side has long been the cornerstone of his charm, and “Croatia” and “Slovenia Breeze” are dreamy, dueling odes to the former Republic of Yugoslavia, aching with soulful lyrics, vivid imagery, and Poltz’ stunning acoustic melodies that have cemented his status as a fingerstyle legend.

“Trash,” the Johnny Cash song mentioned above, might actually get Poltz killed if it weren’t so gorgeous. In his iconic “Folsom Prison Blues,” Cash famously bragged that he “shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die.” “Trash” is sung from the perspective of the man Cash shot. In Poltz’ bizarro world, that man turned out to be Johnny Cash’s star-crossed transvestite lover. Discussing this controversial, bizarre and beautiful song, Poltz advises that, “The reason I wrote this song is that it’s fun to lie in songs,” pointing out that because Johnny Cash got to lie in his song, he should enjoy the same freedom. Must be heard to be believed.

“Check Your Head” will see listeners double-checking their music player to make sure the album hasn’t changed, with Poltz delivering a dazzling falsetto in this infectious ode to Sevenites soul music.

The album closes with “Some Things About Me You Should Know,” a heartbreaking confessional and instant Poltz classic that showcases his head-shaking, melodic brilliance.
Requiring the flimsiest of reasons to launch a world tour, it is no surprise that literally minutes after the album is released, Poltz will be back on the road. When will he slow down? “Never— hopefully I’m doing this when I’m 80 or 90. I’m never retiring because the day I retire is the day I break my hip, catch pneumonia and die, and I don’t want to die. Ever.”

Noineen Noiny Noin, released on Arrival Records, LTD., will be released in Australia on April 10th and in the US and Canada on June 19th.

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