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“One More Shot” finds Chuck expanding his wings, this time with a strong honky tonk flavor. Recruiting Paige Overton (of outlaw country band Paige and the Overtones) to share the microphone, the duet is a new wrinkle for him. Though he has shared vocals in his legendary punk band Hot Water Music and during his Revival Tour collaborative jamborees, this is a first in his studio output. A song about heartbreak and standing on that stubborn precipice between stubbornness and apology, he sings, “Hear me begging for mercy / I’d trade all the diesel in the world for you / And just one more shot.”
“There’s so much heartbreak that comes with this life and I’m not just talking about myself, I’m talking about the people around me,” Chuck explains. “As someone who spends a lot of time away from my loved ones, there’s a lot of darkness at times and a lot of questions—and a lot of these songs are very much reflective of that and very much about therapy and finding peace and solace in nature, on the water and with loved ones."
This honesty and vulnerability while still maintaining his integrity is trademark Chuck Ragan™ and why his fanbase has been intensely loyal despite long stretches of time between solo records (his previous studio album Till Midnight was released in 2014; his videogame soundtrack The Flame In The Flood in 2016). "Love And Lore" was conceptualized in 2016 with studio work beginning in 2019, progress was halted due to that ol’ dreaded COVID, "Love And Lore" was posited on the shelf while he focused on his fly fishing operation in Grass Valley, CA to provide for his family. “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 admits. “It was just chaos.” (This also includes a tree falling on guitarist/pedal steel/multi-instrumentalist Todd Beene’s house.) Eventually "Love And Lore" was recorded in early 2023 and the result is an album that showcases Chuck’s further transcending the “folk” label to create a collection of songs that see him stretching out as a songwriter to fearlessly explore new sonic territory.
