Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
It shouldn’t be a surprise that some people have their first real musical experiences while attending church. It’s the kind of environment that has the potential to enlighten and inspire, both personally and communally.
Although the real surprise would be that those people don’t move onto country or gospel music. Why? It’s a stereotype.
Cory Chisel isn’t a stereotype. One, he’s from Appleton, Wisconsin. Two, he’s from Appleton, Wisconsin. I know what you’re thinking. Appleton might be one of those small rural cities far from urban society, but be stunned because it’s only about forty miles from Green Bay.
That might be an understatement, but it helps you realize that Cory grew up with both urban and non-urban (I’m hesitant to call it rural) roots, which makes his music more diverse and real.
Named after his family’s Elco, Wisconsin cabin where his debut EP was recorded with his band The Wandering Sons, Cabin Ghosts has the kind of down-to-earth sensibility that allows you relax and appreciate the world around you.
Much of the music offers opportunities for reflection. There’s the humbling emotional bare-all, “So Wrong For Me” (“Your love is so wrong for me / I just keep on trying / To pull a pin from the page / To pull the words from my mouth in a cold fit of rage”). And then, there’s the other humbling emotional bare-all, “On My Side” (“All I can say when the band begins to play / There’s no angel on my side / And I will need you on my side”). Balancing these out, is the love-assuring “It Won’t Be Long” (“I’ll take you with me wherever I go / Singing your sweet songs I know so well / Halfway to heaven, still halfway to hell / I’m going home to you now, home to you now / Oh it won’t be long”).
To be honest, Cory has a bit of country in him, albeit the less twangy and more folky sounding country. In some instances Cory does amazing Colin Hay impersonations, while at other times he reveals his inner Bruce Springsteen. Either way, his passion and spirit cannot be missed.
