Chase Pagan – Bells & Whistles [Review]
Sumptuous - The adjective that comes to mind when Chase Pagan’s upcoming album Bells & Whistles comes whirring to life on your CD player.
But instead of asking why the hell I still use CD players, you should ask yourself why you’ve never heard of Chase Pagan. His second release is a fun, bouncy pop rock wonder that shows off Pagan’s tremendous range without, well, showing off. What makes Bells & Whistles a truly special work is that Pagan’s range is so broad that the listener never even considers whether he is reaching too far.
While he can hardly contain his affinity for instrumental flourish in this 13-track album, Pagan always has the good sense to break each song down to the bare-bones melodies and sing-songy rhyme patterns that form the base of any good rock album. Even better, his lyrics are interesting.
Son/ where ya going in that dress/ who’s your lover and whats their sex?/ is it a boy?
Darling can’t you see you’re a boy/ you shouldn’t play with those pink toys/ they should be blue/
…
alright son lets just sit down and have a talk/ man to man/ you’re a boy who should like women/ just like your mother
The single best element of this album isn’t the meld of old-timey instrumentation and modern gadgetry, but that most of Bells & Whistles sounds like entries in Pagan’s journal, with the music cast as the haze of thought. If anything, it is a reminder that good music never has to be immaculately poetic, just carry a ring of truth. And this album is laced with a folksy twang befitting Pagan’s Arkansas roots.
Bells & Whistles isn’t especially challenging or groundbreaking, just a fun and fresh listen from an artist who seems certain to be a star in the future if his work ethic matches his talent. Chase Pagan has found a sound that’s palatable to casual music fans with the layering to satisfy most any audio buff. What more can you ask for, really?
The album will not be released in stores until June 9, so we’ll be sure to remind you when the time comes.
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