BR549 lead’s first solo album
Chuck Mead’s first solo album doesn’t stray far from the country, rock and blues he’d mixed and matches successfully as guitarist, vocalist and songwriter with BR549. With the band having run through a number of record labels and transitioned through key personnel changes, they now seem to be on hiatus, leaving Mead time to record and tour his first solo album. His originals sound as if they could have been worked up by BR549, though a looser rhythm section and the addition of horns adds new flavor. Ten originals and a cover of George Harrison’s Beatles-era “Old Brown Shoe†should tide BR549 fans over, but may also signal the launch of a full-time solo career. Either way, Mead’s roadhouse rockers, back-porch blues, and country-rock offer a fine balance of humor and sincerity as he crafts dance floor burners, thoughtful ballads, and novelty titles. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com] 