A sound for broken ears.
Following on from his debut live album, 'Los Feliz' that was released only a few months back on SideOneDummy Records, and of course reviewed here, former Hot Water Music man, Chuck Ragan gives us his studio version. This includes half of the songs on that album, plus another six songs.
Chuck Ragan has a raspy voice that poetically sings over a strumming acoustic guitar like a punk version of Jack Johnson crossed with Billy Bragg. First song, 'The Boat' is a gentle song about hope, that gives you an idea of how Chuck sings with much passion, whilst 'For Broken Ears' was my favourite song from his live album, with more than a passing resemblance to Alkaline Trio, which of course is therefore not surprising to learn that Chuck and Matt Skiba have toured together of recent times, and Matt help contribute to the album to..
'Californaia Burritos' as it might sound is slightly Mexican mixed with a country jig, fiddle included, which takes us nicely to the banjo plucking of, 'Geraldine' which is a slow lament of a song. It's the simplicity of this that works so well. 'Do You Pray' is a song that sounds like you might have learnt it at school it's that catchy in a traditional way. It's sing-a-long lyrics and foot-tapping beat laced with harmonicas and fiddles; it's for sipping cider and swinging your gal too!
I'm the first to normally harp on about big beats and thick guitar riffs, but here the gentle strumming over gentle melodies from folk instruments is almost a simple pleasure that you have forgotten. 'Don't Cry' is another fine example of this, whereas there is more than a nod towards Johnny Cash on the fantastic ballsy country rock of, 'Between The Lines'. We have more harmonica with the deep song, 'Hearts Of Stone' before church organs in 'The Grove', adding the subtle accompaniments that add without overshadowing the lyrics of the song, before 'Do What You Do' closes the album leaving you to think about things for longer than you will realise, like the end of a good movie, whilst Chuck has been thoughtful in recording the sounds of waves for around seven minutes to help you contemplate life..
Chuck Ragan has shouted, screamed and blasted out lyrics for a number of years in the hard-rocking band, Hot Water Music, and although many people seem to want to have a dig at the handful of rockers that want to go back to basics with the more thoughtful and gentle music, I think that they should be applauded for making quality music and switching to a more thinking man's genre.
I loved Chuck's live album, but like most off-the-cuff live albums it was rough around the edges, albeit full of more enthusiasm with the background noise and crowd appreciation, however with, 'Feast Or Famine', you get a polished album full of foot-tapping songs that will make you want to learn how to play the guitar. This is music that will always be around because of the simplistic nature and the goodtime feeling that you can have without the need of electricity but with a guitar and a couple of traditional instruments. Good earthy eco rock folks! Got to love it!