Release Date: 20th March 2020

Label: Amberly Chalberg Music

Formats: CD / DD (Digital Download) / DSP (Digital Streaming Platform)

Listening to most country music today I always feel that it is overproduced and lacking in the subtlety that good country music provides. But Amberly Chalberg’s album should be regarded as a benchmark for what good country music should sound like.

The production of every song is spot on, with each instrument perfectly balanced and clear, Yes you can actually hear the bass. On this album, the bass deserves its prominence with some outstanding bass runs which are never overpowering. As an ex bass player in a country group, I would love to play bass in Amberly’s sensitive, meaningful and tuneful songs. Her desire to produce something special for her father to hear is certainly fulfilled and he must have been extremely proud of his daughter’s efforts.

The album opener, The Whisky Song, sets up  the mood  as her songs  cover most of the expected themes of country music, loneliness, regret, drinking, hope and joy of satisfying love.  

Whether she choses to be melancholy or upbeat these are songs of high quality and even if the country sound doesn’t appeal to you I think  anyone could enjoy these songs.

Amberly employed the talents of Americana artist and producer Todd Adelman, who recorded and produced the album at his studio, Mountain House Studio in Nederland, Colorado. For musical talent, bassist Taras Prodaniuk and drummer Jim Christie who had been the rhythm section for Merle Haggard support guitarists Eben Grace and Joe Mazza to complete the ensemble with some co-operation of friends and vocalists Andy Palmer and Jessica DeNicola .

“In my wildest dreams, I couldn’t have imagined a better group of people to be partners in this art, nor a better place to create it. Mountain House is magic,” she says.

The album was recorded live to tape on all-analog gear, which gives a natural wholesome flavour.

The tracklist  provides all the clues to what this album is all about, straightforward, no nonsense  music. 

The Whiskey Song

Everything I Wanted

Crazy Bout You

Lil Bit Country

I Apologise

One Last Time

Tell Me We’re Gonna Make It

Slippery Slope

Family’s Just Wor

Supermoon

Wishing Well

Speaks for itself doesn’t it!

Amberly’s voice is never strained but is easy on the ear yet the lyrics and style have intensity and sincerity; not an insipid ‘dead dog ‘ song in hearing distance. If this is the first full album in this guise there will be even better to come and it will be good.

Amberly Chalberg: Official Website / Facebook