"First Light" is Turner Cody's second full length album of original material and evokes musical styles firmly rooted in the American experience, from jazzy standard-esque tunes to sweeping lyrical ballads and blues driven boogie woogie. Beneath the exterior of acoustic and electric guitars, bass, drums, and horns, it is Cody's lyricism that is the driving force of "First Light". His words can be touchingly direct, as in the title track "First Light" and the lazy road song "Lowlands", but also abstract and narrative as in "Camptown Ladies" and "Irene". In every case, however, his songs show the highest degree of attention to craft and detail. Cody's work harks back to the sensibility of what a song should be; poetic constructions of meter, rhyme, and melody.
 
Though the material on "First Light" may be finely tuned, the recording itself is raw and airy. Few overdubs were used and Cody's vocal tracks are all first takes. This process lends a vitality to the recordings that grows with each listen. Jon Natchez's (Beirut) clarinet, trumpet and saxophone add a sophistication to the folky core of the live sound. The energy of "First Light" shows the convergence of great compositional preparation with a live in-the-studio approach. The result feels like a record made for the love of music.
 
Turner Cody lives in New York City where he began his career in 1999 at the fabled Sidewalk Cafe. He featured on the 2002 Rough Trade compilation Antifolk Vol. 1, alongside the likes of The Moldy Peaches, Jeffrey Lewis ad Diane Cluck. On his many tours of Europe, Cody plays bass in the French folk-rock band Herman Dune, as well as opening for them. When he is in London, he sometimes performs with his mates the Wave Pictures. 

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01./A1. Irene    (2:29)
02./A2. Underground    (2:57)
03./A3. Camptown Ladies (3:33)
04./A4. Lowlands (2:12)
05./A5. Corner Of My Room    (2:28)
06./A6. First Light    (3:18)
07./A7. Roll Them Blues (4:14)
08./B1. Think About You Anymore    (3:05)
09./B2. Heart To Heal (2:50)
10./B3. Missed You Dear (2:43)
11./B4. See You Slumber (2:22)
12./B5. My Baby's Been Away (2:22)
13./B6. Coconut Tree (2:35)
14./B7. Going To California (2:36)

Turner Cody - Rhythm guitar, vocals
Sam Grossman - lead guitar, backing vocals
Kevin Thaxton - bass
Mike Fadem - drums, percussion
Nate Brown - Wurlitzer, piano
with:
Jon Natchez - clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophone, trumpet,  Wurlitzer (on 3., 7.), glockenspiel
Gene Park - viola
The Babyskins - backing vocals
Mark Ephraim - keyboards, percussion
Steve Mertens - handclaps

Produced by Turner Cody and Mark Ephraim. Engineered and mixed by Mark Ephraim and Paul Mahajan. Recorded at Headgearstudios, Brooklyn, NY in March and August 2007. Mastered by Paul Mahajan. Artwork by Turner Cody and Jiri Seger.