Amanda Mills
Growing up on the predominantly black north side of Milwaukee, guitarist Carl Nichols was steeped in African and Caribbean music. On the mostly white east side, bassist Johanna Rose got her start playing in punk and bluegrass bands. Partners in life and in music, the duo has been performing together as Nickel & Rose since 2016.
“We are always able to find something that’s in common between our different styles,” says Nichols, who introduced Rose to West Africa folk music. In return, Rose taught Nichols bluegrass standards. “It’s amazing to learn and try to find new ways of putting
things together,” she says.
There’s been a major resurgence in the popularity of classic American styles — roots music like folk, bluegrass and even country. But with their convergence of styles, Nickel & Rose deals in a more inclusive brand of Americana. “Everybody considers ‘Americana’ to be rock and roll, or country rock,” Nichols says. “But if you listen to any kind of music now, you can hear influences from European folk music, African music, African American [genres] like jazz and blues. All those styles, individually and in different combinations, I consider to be Americana.”
The duo is debuting their second EP, Americana, at an Aug. 24 release show at the North Street Cabaret. The album is officially out on Sept. 14, but they decided to release it early in Madison since they have ties to the city — they frequently play here and Nichols has collaborated with Madison musicians. “Madison has treated us well,” Nichols says.
Compared to the earlier EP, which the duo describes as “more deliberately experimental,” Americana represents a more developed sound that strikes a delicate balance between their distinctive influences. The two trade vocals, with Rose singing lead on two of the five tracks and the pair singing together on the gorgeous, Appalachian-inspired opening song, “Dog River.”
On the haunting title track, Nichols weaves together traditional fingerstyle bluegrass guitar with solos in the distinctive Bajourou style from Mali. Rose’s resonant plucked bass line provides the song’s resonant heartbeat. “If I wasn’t standing on this stage, would you wonder why I was here?” Nichols sings in the opening line. Essentially it’s a breakup song, but in a way it’s solving the problem that it’s pointing out.
The feeling of being out of place is familiar for Nichols, who’s often the only black person at folk gigs and festivals. The pair made headlines recently for calling out the LogJam Festival in Mosinee for displaying Confederate flags on the grounds. Rose understands how it feels — gender diversity is also lagging in the folk music scene, and at gigs she’s often the only woman on the bill. But the duo has made it a mission to push for inclusivity in the community, especially at home in Milwaukee. “It’s more diverse — we do a lot of genre-bending bills and collaborations,” Rose says. “In Milwaukee, people aren’t concerned about having a punk act with a hip-hop act.”
