When you read the words ‘rip-off’, the assumption is that whatever is being described is a butchery of something that has already been done. For that reason, Chuck Ragan’s latest solo record, ‘Till Midnight’ is best described as a tribute rather than a rip-off. One song in and hints of Bruce Springsteen are rife. Fortunately, while such comparisons are tricky to avoid, Ragan makes just the right amount of hints in that direction to make these comparisons favourable.
‘Till Midnight’ is not necessarily the most groundbreaking record ever written, but what Ragan does, he does well. From the energetic opening track, ‘Something May Catch Fire’, to the more subdued, country-tinged, ‘Wake With You’, the whole record showcases the work of a talented songwriter. Though simply structured for the most part, the instrumentation making up each song is diverse and subtly complex. There is enough going on between fiddles and organs to keep it interesting, but not so much that the record just sounds like a clumsy collection of Southern clichés. Although ‘Till Midnight’ is officially a “solo” release, and Ragan may well have written all the parts himself, he definitely benefits from his eclectic backing band.
The only thing that really disappoints (unless you really hate country music), is that every song that seems to be building up to something hefty ends somewhat abruptly, leaving you hoping for more from each subsequent song. Of course, this can work sometimes if the record eventually provides, like it does for the balladesque album closer ‘For All We Care’. However, even this ends on an uncertain note, which leaves ‘Till Midnight’ feeling a little unfinished. It is a bit like getting into a show on Netflix only to find that the powers-that-be felt like uploading all seventeen seasons EXCEPT the last one – regardless of how gripping the rest of it is, you don’t get any real closure from it.
That said, regardless of whether Chuck Ragan is entirely original or not, ‘Till Midnight’ is certainly the work of a natural songwriter and on the whole, he balances dynamics and complexity exceptionally well. What his latest record may lack in novel ideas, it makes up for in execution, and the result is a rounded and polished effort. If folk/country rock is your thing, you will enjoy it, and even if it isn’t, there is definitely no reason not to enjoy it.
CHRIS MIFSUD