Chatham Rabbits – Be Real With Me
The lead off song of this new collection seems to be rooted in an ethereal guitar mode with folky banjo notes & rich harmonic voices that float through the melody. It’s a lively inception & imaginative. Nothing new, but something that isn’t necessarily applied to often by others. In the early 60s there were even hits that were similar to this – the Rooftop Singers’ “Walk Right In” comes to mind.
The 9 expressive cuts on this 4th album Be Real With Me (Drops Feb 14/KungFu Nation/32:30) was produced by Saman Khoujinian (synth/keys) & Austin McCombie (lead vocals/acoustic & electric guitars/drums/percussion/harmony).
There’s always a nice contrast between the voices & this set balances the lead vocals with articulate songs that are extremely tuneful & well-crafted. It isn’t the type of performance that is The New Seekers, the Seekers or Curved Air. Sarah McCombie’s voice is smooth & has finesse, but her tone is not as warm as the late Sandy Denny. Nonetheless, Chatham Rabbits is a unit that doesn’t follow a traditional folk idiom. They aren’t wholly mainstream, but their sound is fresh & has good melodic chemistry.
The liveliest is “Gas Money” where Sarah’s voice shines like a beacon — with its energy spilled generously from a Fairport Convention (“Walk Away”) & Fotheringay (John Babbacomb Lee”) tradition. The music is all constructed with little special effects & gimmicks. It’s assured ensemble playing that is performed with spirit.
Adding a little cornball country accent to her voice & the proceedings vocalist Sarah unravels the wonderfully indelible “Childhood Friends,” with pedal steel & upbeat thrust. The song itself doesn’t maintain a country feel throughout but does blend it evenly with a folky nostalgic aesthetic. It’s like dark chocolate & salted potato chips.
Instrumentals are a little harder to sell but the traditional atmosphere laid down in “Big Fish, Small Pond” is delivered with musical assurance. Simplistic yet memorable & a nice interlude between songs. The vocal contrast returns strong on “Did I Really Know Him?” which is the most accessible tune on the album. Plaintive guitar strums & passive melody with pensive vocals.
This is more of a listening album than a dance album. The words work with the music & voices & together. Everything is stylistically admirable.
Highlights – “Facing 29,” “Gas Money,” “Childhood Friends,” “Big Fish, Small Pond,” “Did I Really Know Him?” & “Pool Shark’s Table.”
Musicians – Sarah McCombie (lead vocals/banjo/harmony), Ryan Stigmon (pedal steel/octave mandolin), Casey Toll & Alex Bingham (bass), Joseph Terrell & Mario Arnez (electric guitars), Aleah Rose Walsh (flute), Riley Calcagno (fiddle) & Vivian Leva (harmony).
Color image courtesy of Todd Roeth. CD Bandcamp & https://www.chathamrabbits.com/
Enjoy our previous coverage here: Song Premiere: Chatham Rabbits “Matador“
