Song: "Hearts Of Stone"
Artist: Chuck Ragan
Album: "Feast Or Famine"
Year: 2007
Place Of Origin: Gainesville, Florida
Years Active: 1993 - present
WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:
"Hearts Of Stone" appears to be a song about someone who has turned cold to those around them and really, the world in general. Almost a lost soul to be sure. The vocalist seems like he wants to encourage this person to find some kind of purpose to breathe new life into them before it's too late and the person goes from isolation to death. Would suck to die alone.
CHUCK RAGAN DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):
2007 - Feast Or Famine (SideOneDummy Records)
2007 - Los Feliz (SideOneDummy Records)
2008 - Bristle Ridge (w/ Austin Lucas) (Ten Four Records)
2009 - Gold Country (SideOneDummy Records)
2011 - Covering Ground (SideOneDummy Records)
2014 - Till Midnight (SideOneDummy Records)
2014 - Live At Skaters Palace (Uncle M Records)
2016 - The Flame In The Flood (Ten Four Records)
2016 - The Winter Hall Live (w/ The Camaraderie) (Ten Four Records)
CURRENT STATUS OF CHUCK RAGAN:
Chuck Ragan got his start in the music world back in 1993. Of course, he is most known for being a vocalist/guitarist for the Gainesville, Florida punk band Hot Water Music. That band has gone on to release eight studio albums, three compilations, a couple live albums and have been part of a slew of split singles and EP's. Around 1998, Chuck Ragan and fellow Hot Water Music bandmate Chris Wollard formed an acoustic side project called Rumbleseat. While this project was short-lived, The wheels were in motion for Ragan to pursue an acoustic solo career. There were rumors of a rift between Ragan and his Hot Water Music bandmates around the time of him working on his solo project. The other members of Hot Water Music actually formed a new band called The Draft. Those rumors quieted down when Ragan and Hot Water Music remained together to record new music and tour, which still is true to the current day. But, back to Ragan's solo career. His debut album was released in 2007, called "Feast Or Famine" In 2008, he collaborated with Austin Lucas for the album "Bristle Ridge". It was the very same year when Ragan put together his very first "Revival Tour". This tour was a vision Ragan had for like-minded artists to showcase their talents, both with solo performances as well as collaborations with all of the artists on the tour. These tours which went on till 2012, featured such artists as Ragan, Laura Jane Grace (Against Me!), Brian Fallon (The Gaslight Anthem), Tim Barry (Avail), Dave Hause (The Loved Ones) and Dan Andriano (Alkaline Trio) to name a few. In 2009, Ragan released "Gold Country" and in 2011, the album "Covering Ground" dropped. All of these releases featured basically Ragan with his acoustic guitar and a harmonica. For his 2014 release, "Till Midnight", Ragan set out to have a full band sound while maintaining that folksy, bluesy feel. In 2016, Ragan wrote the music and songs for the soundtrack of a video game called "The Flame In The Flood". 2016 also saw Ragan release a live album with that very same band that helped record "Till Midnight". That album was called "The Winter Hall Live" and that band had their own name now, The Camaraderie. Chuck Ragan's a beast, plain and simple. He's great in Hot Water Music, but I don't know if you fully grasp the power of his vocals until you've heard his solo stuff. This dude's voice is insane!! Think if Springsteen went all folk/punk. Ragan is a really good songwriter as well. I'd say that he's at the forefront of the whole punk rock lead singers going acoustic phase. If you like the music of Tim Barry, Brian Fallon, Dave Hause, Tony Sly or Dan Andriano In The Emergency Room, then no doubt, you'd like Chuck Ragan. He's still out there doing solo shows but a lot of his focus lately has shifted back to Hot Water Music, which definitely is a bad thing either!
TEN CHUCK RAGAN SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:
1. Meet You In The Middle
2. Symmetry
3. For Broken Ears
4. Something May Catch Fire
5. Nomad By Fate
6. Cover Me Gently
7. The Flame In The Flood
8. Hearts Of Stone
9. Bedroll Lullaby
10. Let It Rain
No comments:
Post a Comment