Chuck Ragan - Covering Ground

I have to say that start to finish that "Covering Ground", the new Chuck Ragan album is one of the finest releases of this or any recent year.  Having released several fine acoustic albums of modern folk music over the past number of year, the Hot Water Music singer has made what is, for me at least, a classic.  Now this isn't folk music in the traditional sense, in fact it owes more to Bruce Springsteen than Bob Dylan or Arlo Guthrie, but it is nothing short of spectacular.  This is folk music to drive your car to...fast.

Ragan is accompanied by some fine folks including Brian Fallon of Gaslight Anthem, but it is Jon Gaunt and his ever present fiddle that puts this disk over the top.  The instrumentation is perfect for songs of the road and the price that it places on all who take up the journey.  There is a strong sense of loss here in the songs, but one never feels down hearing them.  These songs are just so strong and played so well that I have the feeling that this will find its way onto my turntable for years to come.  This is good stuff folks.  Check out meet me in the Middle with Brian Fallon.



I am going to put a couple more videos at the end but this should give you the idea how good this one is. I tend to be partial to singers that sound like they smoke too much and drink whiskey far too often (Ben Nichols anyone) but this release moves beyond that little niche. Chuck Ragan has made a classic modern folk/Americana album. Hell this is a great rock album and it gets my overwhelming Oldrockr1 Seal of Approval. Go buy this. Now!