I’m often wary of old punks who decide to explore their “americana” side, but I’ll be damned if some of them weren’t born for it. If you’re familiar with Chuck Ragan’s long history with Gainesville stalwarts Hot Water Music or the fantastic acoustic trio Rumbleseat (with Chris Wollard and Samantha Jones and the origin of the song “California Burritos”), you’d know that his brand of gritty vocalization and evocative lyrics are tailored perfectly for more traditional genres of music.
“Feast or Famine” isn’t just good “for this kind of music,” as many punks like myself have been heard to say in the past, but can easily be seen as a standard bearer or roadmap for anyone looking to break free of some of the trappings of our beloved punk rock. To this end, songs like “For Broken Ears,” “It’s What You Will,” and “Don’t Cry” manage to defy genre by bleeding a pure and timeless power while remaining both overtly political and deeply personal all at once. “Feast or Famine” proves that songs don’t always have to sound punk to be punk, a hard fact a lifer like Chuck understands better than most.
James is a writer, record collector, wrestling nerd, and tabletop gamer living with his family in Asheville, North Carolina. He is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the North Carolina Film Critics Association, and contributes to The Daily Orca, Razorcake Magazine, Mountain Xpress, and Asheville Movies.