Chuck Ragan

Chuck Ragan's bracing new release Till Midnight once again confirms what the iconoclastic singer-songwriter's fans have known all along: that he's a deeply compelling songwriter and an effortlessly charismatic performer, as well as a true believer in music's ability to illuminate and inspire. Till Midnight's ten typically impassioned new Ragan compositions embody the artist's trademark mix of eloquent lyrical insight and catchy, forceful songcraft. The album's formidable blend of head and heart is reflected on such new tunes as "Something May Catch Fire," "Vagabond," "Non Typical," "Bedroll Lullaby" and "Wake With You," on which Ragan applies his distinctively raspy voice and sharp melodic sensibility to vividly expressive tunes that reflect both his early grounding in traditional American music and his deep affinity for rock n' roll. "There's a lot of love songs on this one," notes Ragan, whose work has always shown a knack for addressing individual concerns as well as societal ones. "I love to write love songs because it's the most powerful emotion. It's what grounds us to this Earth and makes us want to fight to make the world a better place. "I always just try to write from the heart and make the music as genuine as I possibly can," he continues. "By doing that, I'm usually writing about whatever's going on in my life. And when you're living your life by wearing your heart on your sleeve, there's not a lot to hide behind." In a musical life that spans close to three decades, Chuck Ragan has consistently worn his heart on his sleeve, and carved out a musical niche in the process. First with post-hardcore trailblazers Hot Water Music and subsequently on his own, he's built a large and singularly powerful body of work whose honesty, immediacy and warmth have won the loyalty of a fiercely devoted international fan base that's supported him through his various musical incarnations. Till Midnight benefits from sensitive production by multi-instrumentalist and Bli