Successfully chucked solo.
Now historically when I receive an album release from Side One Dummy Records, I know that I will be getting some good honest punk rock music, however with Chuck Ragan, what you get is a punk rock attitude played through an acoustic set that was recorded live on February 19th at Los Feliz, California.
Now Chuck Ragan is from California and bears a slight resemblance to actor Matthew Fox, the guy from TV's Lost show (you know, the one that was also in Party Of Five), however he is of course more commonly known as the vocalist from the now defunct band, Hot Water Music.
Fist song, 'Open Up And Wail', shows the honesty of a man and an acoustic guitar, with its stripped-down sound and passion that floods out from his gruff delivery. This is of a course a guy who on many an occasion had spat out songs of tradition, as well as his own, to friends in bars over a few beers after a hard day's graft as a carpenter, and so with the encouragement of wife Jill, realised that people did actually want to hear him. The next song is of hope and whole-hearted delivered in, 'The Boat', whilst there is the foot-tapping-jig frenzy on 'Do You Pray' whereby we also have a couple of friends join in, including a violin/fiddle, and harmonica. This is then where the tempo and added instruments stay on in, 'Valentine' giving a real party feel with a lot of interaction with the crowd between songs.
Chuck takes a moment to thank friends and in particular his father-in-law in the touching, 'Congratulations Joe', whilst he gives a special dedication to his former bandmates who now are in the band, The Draft, in a song that is a little Matt Skiba, 'God Deciding', which of course is apt, as Matt is a very good friend of Chucks, and not only have Hot Water Music often toured with Alkaline Trio, and had a split album with them, but the two musicians are also about to embark on a tour together.
The blues influenced song, 'Fixin' To Die' strides out with gravel vocals that can only be soothed with copious amounts of whisky, and this only shows the contrast in Chuck's vocal capabilities, as next song, 'Symmetry' is slow and gentle, and one that he dedicates to his wife. Then just like in, 'Do You Pray', the hillbilly jig with banjo is evident on the traditional song, 'Dream Of A Minor's Child' which is catchy and simple, just the way life should be.
'Broken Eyes' is one of the best songs here with a punk rock feel to the simple but effective lyrics, whilst the album finishes off with the great old favourite, 'California Burritos', and what we are left with is an album that probably shouldn't work, but does on many levels. It's honest and heart-felt, and so obviously well received by the crowd. Chuck is of course a legend, and it will be interesting to see whether a studio album will be able to catch this magic or not?