Review:

on 2008-03-13 joechuck_norris Said:

Chuck Ragan becomes the traditional folk singer/songwriter on "Feast or Famine," and he does a damn good job of it. Modern acoustic (or side project/solo) albums have become a quiet and intimate view of the artist; as is the case with "Feast or Famine," but there is an incredible sense of urgency throughout the entire piece. The opening track, "The Boat," is all about opening up and wailing. Lyrically, Ragan is defiant, uncompromising, and loving. Instrumentally, Ragan goes punk/folk/Irish jig that just adds to his catalog of diversity he's already established with Hot Water Music. There are slowly picked banjos, sliding lap steels, and wide swung violin bows accented with female vocal harmony.
The downside to this album is that for every individually powerful song, there are two bare bones hind-sight songs. And while he does do both well, with a voice that makes one think his belly is burning from whiskey, I'd prefer the faster drinking songs.
Rating: 7/10