November 3, 2024

Chuck Ragan, Till Midnight album review

I have never been disappointed by Chuck Ragan.

Everything from his vocal cords of barbed wire, to his genuine appreciation of everything in life, is, and always will be a constant source of amazement and inspiration to me. ‘Till Midnight’ is absolutely no exception!

Bursting open with the upbeat, fiddle driven melody of “Something May Catch Fire” the whole album is a magnificent addition to Chuck Ragan’s repertoire.

Although the album as a whole lacks the kind of raw grittiness that was present in it’s predecessors (possibly owing to the expansion of the instrumentation featured on the album, giving it a more polished feel) the songs retain their traditional commentary on life, love and society, and indeed the album as a whole, has a wiser, more worldly feel to it.

The dynamic and flow of the album is excellent, from the upbeat melodies of “Something May Catch Fire” through “Vagabond”, “Revved” and “You and I Alone” to “For All We Care” with it’s both delicate and explosive structure, seeping emotion all the way and drawing the journey to a close. The simplicity of the songs and the fact that they are instantly relatable make ‘Till Midnight’ a stunning collection of songs.

Picking out the gems on this album would be an impossible task, however; ‘Vagabond’, ‘You and I Alone’ and ‘Whistleblower’s song’ are definitely worth checking out!

 

Written by Tom Godlington

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