Just before the pandemic I saw Chase Rice play a sold-out show. Signed to a major label, he seemed to be riding the crest of a wave.
There was, if I recall, social media footage of him at Manchester City’s ground with the players, and he was everywhere, every inch the star.
Now (through choice it must be said) he releases his music through his own label, and looking at the cover of “Eldora” – Rice in his own space, petting his dog – you instantly pick up the vibe.
“Cowboy Goodbye,” the opener, makes you ask yourself: is he a much more authentic artist now? The sense of regret, the sense of a life well lived, comes through brilliantly.
There’s still a party to be had. Kashus Culpepper (arguably the best name in recorded music) and Elvie Shane appear on “Tall Grass,” a funky little thing but one with a message: “You want freedom? Get out and cut your grass.”
“Namin’ Horses” is idyllic – a celebration of the small town, gentle and calm, at odds with the tumult of the world right now.
This belongs in its home. And it’s proud to be there. The title track is perfect: the late-night thoughts of a road dog. One who knows it’s great to be playing live, but it’s better to be home.
“Two Tone Trippin’,” featuring Wyatt McCubbin, is the kind of classic honky-tonk fun that The Cadillac Three would be delighted to have.
“Mr Coors” is reflective, the fiddle wailing as it celebrates the beer of Rice’s choice.
“Circa 1943” takes the name of his grandparents, though Rice himself reckons that’s the only part of the story that’s true. Nonetheless, the story – and the song – is marvellous.
Madeline Edwards adds some glorious harmonies to “Country And Western,” a superb piece of writing that underlines the growing maturity in Rice’s craft.
“Cottonmouth” ups the pace slightly to celebrate youthful indiscretions, and its flip side is “The Good Side Of Gettin’ Older.”
The acoustics of “One Drink Long” offer a glimpse of what Rice could have been if he’d gone down the full troubadour route, but the beauty of the record lies in its welcoming nature. “Sunsettin’” still can’t find the “one,” but it seems to have found its place in the world.
The same is surely true of Chase Rice himself. “Eldora” has that writ large.
Rating: 8.5/10
