Release – Troubadour, punker and fly fisherman Chuck Ragan has released “Love And Lore,” his latest album, via Rise Records.
“This album is simply another collection of reflections and stories, day-to-day life, and realizations that we all come in contact with in one time or the other,” Ragan said. “The creation is usually the most exciting part of the process and being able to share the songs is always a blessing.”
His latest single, “Aching Hour,” is a new classic with melodic hooks anchored by Ragan’s trademark chorus, all delivered with an earnestness that bleeds through his gravel-punctuated vocals.
“My goal in songwriting is to find the path or crack the code to the point where I put the hair up on the back of my neck or my arms,” he said about his songwriting process.
“Understand that I’m not talking about getting the chills because the song is good or not,” he said. “I would like to think that I thought it was good. Otherwise, I should be doing something else. But when we’re talking about a song being good in general, that judgment isn’t mine to have.”
Writing and recording for the album began in 2016 with studio work beginning in 2019, but with impending Covid protocols, “Love And Lore” had been bottled while he focused on his family life and his fly fishing business in Grass Valley, CA.
“We got serious about making this album again in 2022, but I didn’t have a ton of time to devote to it between being physically exhausted and having a toddler,” he said. “It was just chaos.” (This includes a tree falling on guitarist/pedal steel/multi-instrumentalist Todd Beene’s house.) Eventually, “Love And Lore” was recorded in early 2023. Stream or purchase here.
Check out the video for ‘Aching Hour’ here: