CHUCK LEMONDS – THE RIVERS CALL
2013 –
Live-In-Trees-Music
Perhaps I’m being naïve but it has always struck me as strange how talented people such as Chuck Lemonds seem to fly well below the mainstream radar (unless of course they are too far above it!) with albums such as this always carrying an element of experimentation, something that is anathema to the mainstream music industry but most welcome to those of us that like something just a little different. For sure, if you live in Austria you are probably not going to get too much promotion in the U.S. but credit should be given to a man who is true to himself and follows his muse wherever it takes him.
Having lived in Austria for many years but hailing from St. Louis, Missouri via the Appalachians and Wisconsin it’s no wonder that Chuck Lemonds ploughs a unique musical furrow. It is probably best categorized as roots music, despite the fact that even this all encompassing term is incredibly limiting, certainly in his case! He was one of eleven children born to a musically talented mother who because of motherhood never got to fulfill her musical dreams but not fulfilling those dreams is probably what enabled her enthusiasm and talent to rub off on her children.
The whole of this album is thematically, lyrically and musically inventive with plenty of diversity in story lines as well as tempo’s and instrumentation as befits a man who has experienced a varied life and a long career, this being his ninth album. If this recording echoes the quality of the previous eight they will be well worth seeking out.
He is an excellent vocalist with a warm, expressive, versatile voice that is able to draw the listener into the musical pictures he paints regardless of genre. All of the music and lyrics were written by Chuck with the exception of The Letter Home, for which Chuck wrote the music to go with poems by John Weir and Petra Schaller and Top of the World, which came from the pen of Patty Griffin. Chuck produced the album himself and whilst the instrumentation, like everything else on this excellent album, is varied, it is always tight and controlled with a lovely balance between the vocals and music. The harmonies of Mary Gaines and Chris Wagoner are always excellent and used to their full effect on the songs; and the instrumentation, which contains bass, drums and various guitars, is often supplemented, but never overwhelmed by, Wurlitzer, mandolin and steel guitar.
The album opener, Let’s Go Down Stream is a really good funky ‘New Orleans’ influenced song. It rolls along at a nice mid tempo, with a terrific lead vocal from Chuck and harmonies courtesy of Mary Gaines and Chris Wagoner that along with keyboards and drums creates a perfect swampy, sultry atmosphere. To Bee Or Not To Bee starts with a deep mournful bowed upright bass sound that gives a dark almost avant garde jazzy feel before being joined by a melodic acoustic guitar and angelic chorus leading to Chucks lead vocal on a song that couldn’t be much more topical in pointing to the plight of the bees and ultimately us! Title track The Rivers Call is a gorgeous song caressed on it’s way by a lovely steel guitar on a musically easy going country song of confusion, followed by the excellent and cleverly conceived The Letter Home. This is the song on which Chuck blended the two poems with his music and tells the atmospheric and intensely sad tale of just one personal tragedy caused by war, in some ways given further emphasis by the lovely melodic guitar. Finally, Put A Good Word In For Me is yet another excellent song, supported by a lovely National steel guitar on an excellent bluesy, jazzy tale that tells the story of someone showing concern for where he is going to spend the hereafter!
It is easy to say there is very little that is new or original in music, but albums such as this with their diversity of styles and arrangements, albeit with enough control to avoid any disjointedness, really do breathe a little fresh air into the roots music genre. I am, on the strength of this album, looking forward to investigating some of Chuck’s previous offerings. I suspect that if you give this recording a few listens, you will too.
http://www.chucklemonds.org/
Perhaps I’m being naïve but it has always struck me as strange how talented people such as Chuck Lemonds seem to fly well below the mainstream radar (unless of course they are too far above it!) with albums such as this always carrying an element of experimentation, something that is anathema to the mainstream music industry but most welcome to those of us that like something just a little different. For sure, if you live in Austria you are probably not going to get too much promotion in the U.S. but credit should be given to a man who is true to himself and follows his muse wherever it takes him.
Having lived in Austria for many years but hailing from St. Louis, Missouri via the Appalachians and Wisconsin it’s no wonder that Chuck Lemonds ploughs a unique musical furrow. It is probably best categorized as roots music, despite the fact that even this all encompassing term is incredibly limiting, certainly in his case! He was one of eleven children born to a musically talented mother who because of motherhood never got to fulfill her musical dreams but not fulfilling those dreams is probably what enabled her enthusiasm and talent to rub off on her children.
The whole of this album is thematically, lyrically and musically inventive with plenty of diversity in story lines as well as tempo’s and instrumentation as befits a man who has experienced a varied life and a long career, this being his ninth album. If this recording echoes the quality of the previous eight they will be well worth seeking out.
He is an excellent vocalist with a warm, expressive, versatile voice that is able to draw the listener into the musical pictures he paints regardless of genre. All of the music and lyrics were written by Chuck with the exception of The Letter Home, for which Chuck wrote the music to go with poems by John Weir and Petra Schaller and Top of the World, which came from the pen of Patty Griffin. Chuck produced the album himself and whilst the instrumentation, like everything else on this excellent album, is varied, it is always tight and controlled with a lovely balance between the vocals and music. The harmonies of Mary Gaines and Chris Wagoner are always excellent and used to their full effect on the songs; and the instrumentation, which contains bass, drums and various guitars, is often supplemented, but never overwhelmed by, Wurlitzer, mandolin and steel guitar.
The album opener, Let’s Go Down Stream is a really good funky ‘New Orleans’ influenced song. It rolls along at a nice mid tempo, with a terrific lead vocal from Chuck and harmonies courtesy of Mary Gaines and Chris Wagoner that along with keyboards and drums creates a perfect swampy, sultry atmosphere. To Bee Or Not To Bee starts with a deep mournful bowed upright bass sound that gives a dark almost avant garde jazzy feel before being joined by a melodic acoustic guitar and angelic chorus leading to Chucks lead vocal on a song that couldn’t be much more topical in pointing to the plight of the bees and ultimately us! Title track The Rivers Call is a gorgeous song caressed on it’s way by a lovely steel guitar on a musically easy going country song of confusion, followed by the excellent and cleverly conceived The Letter Home. This is the song on which Chuck blended the two poems with his music and tells the atmospheric and intensely sad tale of just one personal tragedy caused by war, in some ways given further emphasis by the lovely melodic guitar. Finally, Put A Good Word In For Me is yet another excellent song, supported by a lovely National steel guitar on an excellent bluesy, jazzy tale that tells the story of someone showing concern for where he is going to spend the hereafter!
It is easy to say there is very little that is new or original in music, but albums such as this with their diversity of styles and arrangements, albeit with enough control to avoid any disjointedness, really do breathe a little fresh air into the roots music genre. I am, on the strength of this album, looking forward to investigating some of Chuck’s previous offerings. I suspect that if you give this recording a few listens, you will too.
http://www.chucklemonds.org/