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Live From The Current Studio

John Mark Nelson performs live in The Current studio

  Play Now [23:34]

by David Campbell and Leah Garaas

July 14, 2014

John Mark Nelson - A Place of My Own (Live on 89.3 The Current)
by MPR
John Mark Nelson - Shorebird (Live on 89.3 The Current)
by MPR
John Mark Nelson - Boy (Live on 89.3 The Current)
by MPR
John Mark Nelson
John Mark Nelson performing live in The Current studio.
MPR / Leah Garaas
John Mark Nelson
John Mark Nelson performing "Boy" live in The Current studio.
MPR / Leah Garaas

With three records to his name, John Mark Nelson has already accomplished more than the average 20-year-old musician. To celebrate the release of his latest Sings the Moon, John Mark Nelson stopped by The Current studios to chat with the Local Show host David Campbell and to play songs off the new record.

Aaron Fabbrini, John Mark Nelson, Kara Laudon
Aaron Fabbrini, John Mark Nelson and Kara Laudon performing live in The Current studio.
MPR / Leah Garaas

John Mark Nelson's previous two records were bedroom endeavors. This time around, John wanted to record Sings the Moon in a studio, realizing he would have to give up some creative control. So John enlisted mandolinist Matt Patrick to co-produce the album. Together Patrick and Nelson used a more collaborative approach and even recruited local standouts Jeremy Messersmith and Jeremy Ylvisaker (Cloak Ox, Alpha Consumer) to appear on the album. They took stabs at different recording techniques and instruments, too, like recording a guitar take through walkie-talkies and using a music stand and rubber bin as underlying percussion on the studio version of "A Place of My Own."

Aaron Fabbrini
Aaron Fabbrini on the pedal steel guitar performing live in The Current studio with John Mark Nelson.
MPR / Leah Garaas

Listen to the full in-studio session to hear John Mark Nelson chat with Local Show host David Campbell about the records' lyrical story, what records he and Campbell picked up when they went record shopping together and as Christopher Guest fan, what music group from A Mighty Wind he and his band identify with most.

Benjamin Kelly
Benjamin Kelly performing live in The Current studios with John Mark Nelson.
MPR / Leah Garaas

Songs Performed

Matt Patrick
Matt Patrick, co-producer of Sings the Moon, performing live in The Current studio with John Mark Nelson.
MPR / Leah Garaas

"A Place of My Own"
"Shorebird"
"Boy"

Kara Laudon, John Mark Nelson, Aaron Fabbrini
Kara Laudon, John Mark Nelson and Aaron Fabbrini performing live in The Current studio.
MPR / Leah Garaas

All songs off John Mark Nelson new record, Sings the Moon, out now.