Chris Chitsey Releases New Music
I’m impressed with how it takes Texas’ Chris Chitsey exactly 180 seconds to conjure up echoes of George Strait, Alan Jackson, and Merle Haggard without ever outright imitating any of them and infusing his new single with his own distinctive personality. “Life Is Hard, Whiskey Is Easy” states its case with economical clarity that you don’t often hear from modern country, a genre renowned for its brevity, and the straightforward strengths of the track are refreshing. It sweeps over listeners with unimpeachable sincerity. You won’t doubt that Chris Chitsey has tasted the comforts of a strong whiskey after a draining day or week.
He puts that feeling across for me without ever relying on the same tired histrionics that his inferiors make their stock-in-trade. It’s an unqualified pleasure to hear how thoroughly Chitsey’s voice compliments the instrumental accompaniment and vice versa with the sort of effortlessness that virtually every performer aims for, yet all too few achieve. There isn’t a single misstep along the way.
The lyrics are conversational and focused. They lean on listeners’ familiarity with branding a little too much, but others may say that Chitsey knows his audience well. I don’t hear him asking listeners to make any massive leaps. His phrasing is a critical factor in the song’s success. He glides confidently from one verse into the next and I hear the tone of an old friend in his voice rather than the traditional divide between performer and listener.
The assertive pedal steel and fiddle playing present throughout the cut is its musical keys. There’s steady drumming anchoring it all, it accentuates every dramatic turn in the arrangement, but the aforementioned instruments lead the way. The guitar, in particular, provides gritty emotional weight to the performance that helps elevate it several rungs and testifies to the thorough grounding Chitsey has in this style of music.
I believe he deserves kudos as well for a three-minute running time that guarantees the song never overstays its welcome and has maximum impact on listeners. The utter lack of self-indulgence or sideshows reflects well on the sense of genuine craftsmanship that Chitsey brings to his music, but it helps shape a song such as this while never losing its spontaneous inspiration. “Life Is Hard, Whiskey Is Easy” captures Chris Chitsey in full creative flight without ever overwhelming listeners.
It’s a song that holds up after assorted plays as well. Most songs of this stripe are one-and-done affairs, but the full-throated songwriting defining the track, the musicality of Chitsey’s accompanying musicians, and the inexorable movement pushing the song forward to its inevitable conclusion bathe it in posterity’s light rather than consigned to the clicjed darkness.
We’re fortunate to have such a special performer rising up through the ranks.
His ear for outstanding material serves him well here. We can expect it to continue doing so. Chitsey has a clear vision for his music that songs such as this communicate to all interested parties. “Life Is Hard, Whiskey Is Easy: hits the spot and leaves us craving more.
Zachary Rush