ALBUM REVIEW: Chelle Rose "Ghost Of Browder Holler"
With a hard-edged Americana sound and tight production (courtesy of Ray Wylie Hubbard), Chelle Rose bursts back onto the country and Americana music scene with a 12-song selection of fresh tracks that will quench the thirst of music lovers tired of pre-fab country pop on her new album titled "Ghost Of Browder Holler."
The album begins with the terrific "Browder Holler Boy," which has cool Lucinda Williams meets Chris Knight vibe that fires on all cylinders. Chelle Rose's seasoned vocal performance is pitch-perfect, and the slide-guitar instrumentation also deserves special mention.
The sparse and bluesy "Caney Fork Tennessee" continues the album's dark theme with winning results, and the memorable melody works. However, Chelle Rose is ready for a party, and it begins on the rockin' third cut "I Need You." Rose and her band have produced a track that will make even the least musical person on the planet start to tap his toes and groove to the beat.
However, the mid-tempo Americana song "Weepin Willow On The Hill" emerges as a contender for the album's best song. Indeed, Rose's intense and restrained vocal performance lends credence to the sincerity of the lyrics.
The biggest surprise on the album is the sing-a-long cut "Leona Barnett." The lyrics and music allow Chelle Rose to perform with an infectious and unbridled energy. Rose is definitely at the top of her game here, and "Alimony" has much of the same charm.
The restrained "If I Could" just barely beats "Weepin Willow On The Hill" as the best song on "Ghost Of Browder Holler." Describing the pure joy of this delicate track is almost indescribable, and radio program directors should take notice of this understated Americana gem, which offers a Grammy-worthy performance from Chelle Rose.
Speaking of radio, programmers should also seek out the insanely hummable "Rattlesnake In The Road" and the next to last track "Shady Grove Gonna Blow." The album ends on a quiet and winning note with "Wild Violets Pretty," which is a sparse and beautiful cut.
"Ghost Of Browder Holler" will ease the mind of country and Americana music fans who sometimes lose faith in the overly commercial pop sounds of many artists on country/Americana radio today. Yes, there is an alternative to the forgettable sound of a progression of popular but uninspiring artists. Her name is Chelle Rose, and Ray Wylie Hubbard has produced an album that won't let you forget it. CountryChart.com
The sparse and bluesy "Caney Fork Tennessee" continues the album's dark theme with winning results, and the memorable melody works. However, Chelle Rose is ready for a party, and it begins on the rockin' third cut "I Need You." Rose and her band have produced a track that will make even the least musical person on the planet start to tap his toes and groove to the beat.
However, the mid-tempo Americana song "Weepin Willow On The Hill" emerges as a contender for the album's best song. Indeed, Rose's intense and restrained vocal performance lends credence to the sincerity of the lyrics.
The biggest surprise on the album is the sing-a-long cut "Leona Barnett." The lyrics and music allow Chelle Rose to perform with an infectious and unbridled energy. Rose is definitely at the top of her game here, and "Alimony" has much of the same charm.
The restrained "If I Could" just barely beats "Weepin Willow On The Hill" as the best song on "Ghost Of Browder Holler." Describing the pure joy of this delicate track is almost indescribable, and radio program directors should take notice of this understated Americana gem, which offers a Grammy-worthy performance from Chelle Rose.
Speaking of radio, programmers should also seek out the insanely hummable "Rattlesnake In The Road" and the next to last track "Shady Grove Gonna Blow." The album ends on a quiet and winning note with "Wild Violets Pretty," which is a sparse and beautiful cut.
"Ghost Of Browder Holler" will ease the mind of country and Americana music fans who sometimes lose faith in the overly commercial pop sounds of many artists on country/Americana radio today. Yes, there is an alternative to the forgettable sound of a progression of popular but uninspiring artists. Her name is Chelle Rose, and Ray Wylie Hubbard has produced an album that won't let you forget it. CountryChart.com