Album Notes

From the first time you hear Not Quite Nashville you get the joke; NQN, as their fans refer to them, is not what most would consider country music. With a focus on classic vocal harmonies mixed with solid songwriting and performances, Not Quite Nashville instead incorporates the various elements of Rock, Blues and Country to create a fresh yet seemingly familiar sound.

Originating in St. Louis, MO, NQN is fronted by the duo of Johnny Goodwin (vocals, guitars) and Paul Stephens (vocals, bass) and anchored by the solid skills of drummer / vocalist Robert Roewe. Through their steady and energetic live performances, Not Quite Nashville honed an impressive set of material which culminated in the recording and release of their self titled debut CD.
The twelve songs that make up the CD create a unique blend that swerves from the straight ahead rock of “Louisiana Girl” and “Last Time”, into the power pop undercurrents of “Superfine” and “World Full of Beautiful Women”, over the median into the alt country leanings of “Welcome Home Old Friend” and “No Coming Home”, and back again without ever becoming a car wreck. To the contrary, the result is a very cohesive set of heartfelt and memorable songs that covers a wide slice of American music.

With their debut release just hitting the streets, the band has been working hard at expanding their fan base. “We feel really good about the CD and want to play these songs live as much as possible” commented vocalist / guitarist Johnny Goodwin during a recent visit with the members of the band. Vocalist / Bassist Paul Stephens added, “We had such a good time in the studio making these recordings and that spirit carries over into our live show”. “We are just having a lot of fun on stage each time that we perform”.

Not Quite Nashville’s debut arrives just as country rock makes its most recent comeback. While Not Quite Nashville’s debut more than delivers in that format, one can’t help but notice that NQN’s unique vision and musical direction has set a course that is free to evolve and expand wherever the songs lead. Drummer Robert Roewe summed it up by stating, “Our success has always been based on a song being great as opposed to a strictly defined format”. “That’s what makes it fun and interesting to us and our fans now and in the future”.