Another day, another Chuck Ragan record. However, I shouldn't complain - there's a reason I keep buying them and that's because I do love his music. Gold Country is his second solo record which I bought after nearly two years of excessively playing Feast or Famine. I picked this up when I saw Chuck play live for the second time, which was in TJ's in Newport and on the last day of my job. I'd been working in Cardiff for nearly two years and I'd first seen Chuck shortly after I arrived in the city, just before I started said job. It felt like an excellent way to book-end my time there, especially given how much I'd listened to his music in between.
I think the album had been out a short while before the show, but I knew it would just be easier to buy it at the gig. They also had the Live in Zurich LP (on a lovely white and blue splatter vinyl) there that night and I bought both for £16. I'd heard Glory before on the split 7" he released with Brian Fallon and it remains to be one of my favourite songs on the record. Others have grown on me over time, but that is still the highlight for me.
I wasn't as instantly into Gold Country as I had been with Feast or Famine. The years have treated it well though and now there are loads of songs I think are great. For Goodness Sake is a great opener, The Trench and Let it Rain are great too. There are also some lovely slower moments too, like Don't Say a Word, Ole Diesel and Get 'Em All Home. All in all, a pretty excellent album.
Format: 12", picture sleeve
Tracks: 12
Cost: £8 new
Bought: gig
When: 26/08/09
Colour: Black
Etching: Side A: "Mind the forked tongue" Side B: "Or wake up missing one"
mp3s: no
