He's enlisted the talents of Yula Be'era of Nanuchka, Brian Viglione, Jared Scott of Demander and World/Inferno saxophonist Peter Hess to craft a solo record of intriguing diversity. Tracks range from rolling piano ballads to jingling klezmer tunes. The next year, he began work on Major General.įull of smart, poetic lyrics sung in Nicolay's hyper-emotional tenor, the album is a blend of punk, rock and cabaret. Minneapolis City Pages: Chances are, you know of Franz Nicolay, the dapper Brooklyn gypsy punk frequently found pop-eyed and hitting high notes behind the Hold Steady’s keyboard, but you probably thought all he did in his downtime was wax that much-discussed mustache. In this amazing road tale he captures how it feels for a wandering artist, scrounging in the underground punk scenes of Russia and the Balkanssleepless nights and shaky trains, strong beer and unsavory companions. Starting in 2007, Nicolay mixed all of these styles into a set of solo demos that he sold at performances. Franz Nicolay is on a rollYou canÕt help but be on his side. Franz Nicolay has always been the kind of musician who can sound like he’s roaming the world in the course of a single song. His tenure with The Hold Steady has given him a rock aura somewhat tempered by his founding of the Anti-Social Music Collective and his work with the gypsy-klezmer troupe Guignol.

Nicolay showcases his eclectic style throughout, tinkering with piano, accordion, guitar, mandolin, saw and harmonica. Known for his waxed mustache and theatrical keyboard work with The Hold Steady, Franz Nicolay has just released his second solo album, Major General.

Franz nicolay