With the release of the singles ‘Echo the Halls’ and ‘Wild In Our Ways’ it’s safe to say that the new album ‘LOVE AND LORE’ (release date: October 29th via Rise Records) takes a big step aside from what you’d expect from ultimate folk troubadour, punk pioneer, and fly-fisherman extraordinaire Chuck Ragan. His already robust command of Americana and folk gets a boost of adrenaline, propelling him into craggy indie rock territory. But what isn’t lost is that mythical and “Chuck Ragan element” that is deeply embedded in his music that sets him apart. His authenticity and that gritty, instantly recognizable voice are intact, as can be evidenced by the brand new single ‘One More Shot’ which is released today.
‘One More Shot’ finds Chuck expanding his wings again, this time with a strong honky tonk flavor. Recruiting Paige Overton (of outlaw country band Paige and the Overtones) to share the microphone, the duet is a new wrinkle for him. Though he has shared vocals in his legendary punk band Hot Water Music and during his Revival Tour collaborative jamborees, this is a first in his studio output. A song about heartbreak and standing on that stubborn precipice between stubbornness and apology, he sings, “Hear me begging for mercy / I’d trade all the diesel in the world for you / And just one more shot.”
“There’s so much heartbreak that comes with this life and I’m not just talking about myself, I’m talking about the people around me,” Chuck explains. “As someone who spends a lot of time away from my loved ones, there’s a lot of darkness at times and a lot of questions—and a lot of these songs are very much reflective of that and very much about therapy and finding peace and solace in nature, on the water and with loved ones.”