Chris Chafin – Music Like Before

Chris Chafin – Music Like Before – Album Review

There are many aspects of the story behind the making of this record that made me wanna cheer for Chris Chafin.  A ton of you out there will likely find it quite relatable yourself, and if you ever get the opportunity to check it out, I highly recommend you give it a read.  It’s forty some-odd pages at the current time of writing this review…but set aside some time and you’ll learn about how Chris went from one of those people that kept music completely on the backburner throughout his years as a dude stuck in the IT department.  You’ll learn about his first band Longshot from back in his high school days, the first guitars he ever played…how the effects of life come along and our interests change over the years, and how some of the things we love to do never really leave us.  For years it would have seemed like there was never going to be a Chris Chafin album, because that simply wasn’t his focus.  Flash forward to the man buying a guitar for his own daughter at age seven, and realizing he’d need to be the one to teach her, in 2006 Chris started to play again…and from what I gather, that’s really the main moment & inspiration that seems to spark the journey to where he’s at today.  I mean, he did have a kickass job working for Gibson for years too, during which time he started up one seriously badass collection of guitars…so…you know…we are what we surround ourselves with, are we not?  Once a musician, always a musician, whether we realize it or not.  Chafin seemed to almost be oblivious to the fact that music would come back to claim him one day, which it did around early 2022 when he decided to write his first song…and from there, y’all know the story…you creative types get it & you know how it goes – inspiration takes hold, ideas blossom, and we find a way to turn what was once only a dream into our daily reality.  Chris would go online and scour the internet in search of studio aces and musical guns for hire to get the additional players he needed to create Music Like Before…and after what sounds like it was only about a nine month period of writing and recording, his debut album now exists for all time.

He ain’t expecting this endeavor to make him rich…heck, at the time of writing this review, he’s made all of sixty-seven cents on this record, and he should be proud of every one of’em.  He had a dream, he followed through on the work it would take to make it real, and he achieved it – that’s priceless y’all.

And though the man can get downright technical in a way that would make most of your eyes glaze over with the details of all the different guitars he has access to and can play, you gotta admire the real passion and interest that Chris has for the instrument and the appreciation he’s developed for the role it has played in bringing him back to makin’ music after all these years.  You regular readers know I don’t have a technical bone in my body…I just know what sounds good, and I know the kind of artists out there in this scene of ours that are worth paying some extra attention to.  Stories like Chafin’s are the ones that get me outta bed every day…I’ll never get tired of finding another tale of someone that felt like they never should or never could, only to go on to beat the odds & prove to themselves that they can, and in cases like this one here, did.  Never say never dear readers, dear friends…this is a story that could happen to you one day too!  Good on ya for gettin’ it done Chris, you should be proud of all this.

Just by the title alone, I had an idea of what I’d be in-store for with a guitar-based Rock record.  We’re talkin’ treble UP tunes, all resembling pieces of our musical history…Music Like Before…that old time Rock N Roll, you dig?  To hear the Van Halen-esque tones roarin’ away as “No More Heroes” started up the album, I had to smile…Chris ain’t here to recreate the wheel y’all…the goals are different than that.  He was looking to conquer his own personal “Mount Everest” and see if it was even possible to make music and create an album!  He was looking to write the kind of tunes that he grew up loving, that would make him wanna turn up the amplifiers, and here we are – that’s exactly what he’s done on Music Like Before.  I’ve always said you don’t have to go into this music thang with the mindset that you have to be a game changer – just be passionate about what you do, and ready for that moment when you push record as best you can be…that’s what’ll lead you to victory.  Believe me when I tell ya, it won’t even take ten seconds into “No More Heroes” before you’ll recognize the level of engagement in the musicianship and the interest in the material by everyone involved…Chris and his cohorts execute on a genuinely professional level.  The instrumentation on “No More Heroes” stands out for sure, and he’s found a great singer in Scott Foster Harris that clearly understood the specific vibe that Chafin was going for on this opening track.  The harmonies are great, the hooks are strong, the lyricism is sincere…there’s not a hair outta place, and of course, the guitar solo is killer…I can think of thousands upon thousands of folks that would love this.

Lukky Sparxx comes in to do vocals on the album’s title track right afterwards, and gives the sound of what we hear on the microphone more of a bend towards the Aerosmith direction.  Which is a little closer to my own personal taste…I spent years in the Aerosmith catalog, as opposed to a few days here & there trying to find something I wanted to listen to in Van Halen.  We all like what we like and love what we love…I don’t judge people for what they like or what inspires them to make their own music, I’m simply grateful that they discover their passion however it finds them.  “Music Like Before” has a highly vibrant sound to it…very performance-minded stuff, yet very respectful of the space too – Chris has a great feel for the guitar, but the writing also stands out for all the right reasons.  It’s very true to the era that he’s grown most attached to for sure…but that’s really what a song like “Music Like Before” is all about.  Philosophically, I practically don’t have a choice but to disagree with some of the song’s core sentiment about how music would have been any better at one point over another…but I get where he’s coming from and I hear it all the time.  I loved listening to all the lyrical details of “Music Like Before” and how Chafin’s bond to music began…that’s where the beauty in this second cut truly lies.  I think we all understand nostalgia…I think we all connect with the era we love most, which is probably the same one we grew up listening to in the headphones…Sparxx gets the right melody and emotion into the words of “Music Like Before” and reveals how universal the feeling we get from listening to music is.  Doesn’t matter what you dig…we all know what it’s like to listen to songs that have us reaching over to turn the volume UP…”Music Like Before” is a tributary track that highlights that special connection.

Look…let’s be real here…nine months is actually a remarkably short timeframe to create an album, let alone a debut that boasts the quality in the writing, performances, and production you’ll hear on Music Like Before.  What was amazing to me, was listening to a track like “I’m Back,” which from what I’ve read, was actually the first song written for the album…before an album was even what Chris had in mind really.  And you know something?  I freakin’ GET IT y’all.  I can only imagine what it would be like to stumble onto something this significantly special…”I’m Back” is very much the kind of song that you’d have to recognize as a tune with the potential to make someone change course.  “I’m back with a purpose and a reason to be,” is a line that hits ya right in the soul.  According to the story behind the scenes, it’s a song that was written for a friend struggling with addiction – but it’s amazing how a line like that can draw parallels in so many ways.  As in…think of how that applies to a person like Chafin and the making of a record like this one after so many years…it’s every bit as relevant to him, for what I’m sure are entirely different reasons.  Dude can PLAY too y’all…listen to that solo around the three-minute mark and you’ll know what I’m talkin’ about.  Start to finish though, this is an exceptional tune without a doubt, and there’s real single-worthy potential to be found here too.  Never underestimate the track that gets the rest of a record rolling along; that can often be some of our most powerfully inspired work.

Shout-outs to Glenn Welman too…this dude’s a warrior on the drums, and if he’s made a mistake along the way somewhere, I personally never heard it.  Scott Foster Harris returns to the mic on “Common Ground” and our man Lukky Sparxx grabs an axe to contribute some lead guitars to this fourth tune, along with the main star of the show, respectively.  This is another quality cut if you ask me…you could still easily pin this vibe to the late 70s-80s style & sound…but it’s also genuinely timeless when it comes right down to it…you could cite acts like the Zac Brown Band that would still be making a sound like this relevant today.  It’s Rock in its somewhat purest form…tried, tested, and true…yet also with that real musician’s edge to it…like it could double as both a single that would please the masses, but also would remain a favorite for those actually playing the song as well…which is way more rare than you’d think.  I’d put this right up there with my favorites on the album though, and I’m tempted to give it some true bonus points considering it’s got one of the toughest spots in the lineup to make an impact from, coming after the undeniable greatness of a song like “I’m Back.”  Chris & Co. played it right though – “I’m Back” is a melancholy, internalized ballad of sorts, where “Common Ground” radiates energy and a much more spread out, universal vibe.  Which is exactly what it needed to have when you consider the lyrics and theme driving this song…”Common Ground” is very much about finding the things in life that we can agree on to heal the divide that has been savaging this planet for the past who knows how long at this point.  But you get it…one of the things we can all happily agree on is turning up tunes we love.

I don’t know how I felt about “No More Heroes (Reprise)” being added in here if I’m being real with ya.  Part of me digs the fact that a great song can lead multiple lives…part of me still thinks that the common elements that this cut shares with the opening track make it much more similar than I think Chafin might realize, despite the differences you’ll find in this variation.  There are distinctions that can be made for sure…like, you’ve got Lukky taking on the lead vocals this time around for instance, and there different solos & whatnot…but even with a unique perspective in the lyricism, the main hooks are largely intact.  Obviously, on those initial spins through Music Like Before, that’s no issue at all…in fact, it’s a welcome thing because we’re all gonna love what we find in the chorus of a song like this…but over time, there’s no doubt that tracks like “No More Heroes” and “No More Heroes (Reprise)” will eventually experience more wear & tear than the majority of the set-list will…2x quicker than the rest in fact, that’s the basic math on including a song twice.  Don’t get me wrong…I can hear the changes that have been made for sure – but I can also hear that what gives “No More Heroes” its main allure might not objectively change enough for most listeners to make the distinction between’em for a while before they’re really listening intently…and that’s where the risk of including it twice & both songs burning out two times as fast comes in.  That being said, if you loved the first, I can’t see ya not loving “No More Heroes (Reprise)” too – and more of a good thing can certainly become a great thing in many circumstances too, you know?  At the end of the day, in either of its forms, I feel like Chris and his cohorts have continually gotten to the heart of this song and brought out the best in its potential…which ain’t easy to do on two versions.

I love artists like Chris Chafin that are getting their shot later on in life, because they can really be massively unpredictable in how inspiration directs their choices…which in turn, gives an album a uniqueness that you couldn’t script, you follow me?  Like…check out what a complete trip a song like “Retribution (Jason’s Song)” is from the notes I received with this album… “Much to the surprise of a few friends this song is not autobiographical nor is it about anyone that I personally know.”  I know what you’re thinking – doesn’t it say that it’s “Jason’s Song?”And you’re right – it does!  So WHO is Jason, right?  Well…buckle up compadres…check this out:“I narrowed it down between Forrest Gump and Jason Vorhees of Friday the 13^th fame.”  Because if there’s one universal truth we all understand on this planet, it’s that there’s only the slightest degree of what separates a man like Forrest Gump from Jason Vorhees, am I right?  You see what I’m sayin’ y’all?  You can’t make this stuff up – this is what actually inspired “Retribution (Jason’s Song)” behind the scenes, and I’m freakin’ here for randomness like this!  As you can see from the song’s title, we know which fictional character he ended up going with overall, and I’d still readily tell ya that “Retribution (Jason’s Song)” doesn’t quite measure up against the strengths we discover in the album’s first five tracks…but…from a songwriting aspect, it’s clever for sure.  I’ve told ya countless times on these pages of ours that we all gotta write about something, right?  Ain’t no clearer example than what you’ll find on “Retribution (Jason’s Song).”  What can often happen in the case of tracks that get super specific, is that the songwriting/lyricism can often become the priority – which is no problem at all if people are listening for those elements.  Where it becomes problematic is that most don’t tend to…and with the main hooks being less of a priority, you can see the conundrum.  “Retribution” is an achievement in many ways in terms of pushing himself creatively, but also the first track that seems almost out of place by comparison to the rest as well, both thematically & sound-wise.  Or maybe I feel that way just because I was always more of a Michael Myers fan.

Thematically, a track like “One And Done” is stellar.  Raw, real, honest, direct, and vulnerable too, this song is actually all about the many folks we THINK that we can rely on as creative types, only to learn we truly CAN’T.  If you haven’t been through this personally, count yourself amongst the lucky ones, because it SUCKS to find out the people we assume will be there for us become shockingly absent.  “One And Done” is all about Chris seeking out a little guidance, affirmation, and the opinions of those closest to him, only to discover a whole bunch of radio silence and people that clearly didn’t know what to say.  I suppose that’s where folks like myself come in…I’m one of the folks in this life that gets to tell Chafin he’s loaded with natural talent, and that the songs on this record authentically sound great…that all the effort and time he’s put in was well worth it.  I don’t know that I’d go as far as to say “One And Done” is quite as potent or as memorable as the album’s first four tunes in my opinion, but at least I’m willing to share my thoughts with Chris, you dig?  This man is KIND y’all…he’s still maintained a friendship with all those that abandoned him at a time where he needed them the most, whereas I would have been “One And Done” with anyone like that…which is why I spend each and every day of my life ALONE AF.  For real though y’all…please take the essence of the message at the core of this song to heart – creative artists need encouragement & support, especially as they’re just getting going or doing something new for the first time.  Nurture that!  Don’t get all ghosty about it.  Sometimes a simple ‘hey that sounds great’ can go a long, long way…and more often than not, your honest opinion will count for even more.  Love it or hate it, the creative community thrives even more with the slightest bit of sincere feedback, trust me.  Anyhow.  Chafin’s friends are lucky he’s a good guy with a big heart…I’d have told the silent ones to go pound sand for certain…and I’ve got a whole wealth of examples where I’ve happily done exactly that.

Chris deserves a whole lot of credit for the different choices he’s made throughout this lineup of songs, up to and including deciding to sing “Reunion.”  By his own admission, he is “not in any stretch of the imagination a singer” – but in truth, he’s being a bit harder on himself than is probably necessary.  Did I notice a difference as we shifted out of Lukky and Scott, into this track driven by Chafin on the microphone?  Of course!  You betcha!  It’s one of the first things you’ll notice without a doubt in listening to this record’s set-list…you couldn’t miss it.  He’s really not as rough as he might make it seem though.  I’ll certainly admit it’s not an area where he displays the same confidence he can play guitar with, but we all have our thing right?  Chris knows where his strengths are…but more importantly, he also knows when to step up and try something.  The lyrics of “Reunion” are highly personal to him, so he felt like he was the right choice to sing this one…and rightly so!  Trust me when I tell ya, if he was horribly off the mark, I’d be the first to let you know…but he’s fine.  If you want REAL honesty from me, I’ll tell ya about all kinds of guitar virtuosos like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani that have had far worse turns on the mic over the course of their careers.  That being said, I still respect the attempts they make too.  There can be all kinds of reasons that YOU might or might not be the right person to sing songs that YOU wrote…the key is recognizing what the situation calls for, and being ready to step up when the moment calls for ya to do so, like Chris did here on “Reunion.”  Surrounded by the extraordinarily beautiful voices in the Epoch House Choir, Chafin has all the right backup to be successful in the court of public opinion.  His performance is grounded & humble…and ultimately, considering the theme behind “Reunion,” that’s what the song really needed.  Does it get a bit on the preachy-side of his songs?  Sure!  But I ain’t here to hate on those that believe.  As long as you’re stayin’ true to yourself and who you are, that’s all that ever matters to me.  “Reunion” is all about Chafin’s own concept & picture of what heaven will be like…and it’s a beautiful thing.  In my heart of hearts, I think we’d all be truly lucky to be in-store for such a wonderful version of the afterlife.

If I have ever felt slighted in my entire life over whether or not there’s enough song in the song that I’m listening to, it’s with “Epilogue!”  THIRTY-EIGHT SECONDS?  Chris…this is NOT okay brother-man.  The dude will not abide this.  I NEED a whole lot MORE of “Epilogue,” and somewhat feel like we might have just glossed over & flown past what could be a truly groundbreaking moment in music if this idea got expanded into a full song.  I’m not even remotely kidding…”Epilogue” is stunning, fascinating, and profoundly gorgeous from start to finish…and YES, I want more!  It’s quaint, welcoming, friendly, inviting…thought-provoking and evocative too.  According to the notes I’ve got here, Chris wrote this when he “was feeling a bit down” – and I think we can feel that a bit as we listen…but there’s also something powerfully beautiful about this song that we can’t take our ears off of either.  So again…I’ll say it loud for the folks in the back – THIRTY-EIGHT SECONDS?  No sir, I won’t have it Chris!  Back to the studio lab I say!  Keep noodling on this one, ‘cause there’s something significantly special brewing here.

“Thirty Years” is regarded as a “cd extra,” as opposed to being a part of the official lineup I suppose…but we all know how things work…if it was on the record as you experienced it, then it’s every bit as much of a part of it for those listening.  I get “Epilogue” being a good track to wrap things up…in theory…but for the fact that Chris has tortured me with just a mere THIRTY-EIGHT SECONDS of it, I’m all for having a couple other tracks at the end of Music Like Before to soothe the burn.  Jenna Cogan comes in to handle the lead vocals, and I felt like she did a superb job in doing so.  Chris also unloads the rest of the budget for this track too from the looks of things…he’s got more players on this one tune than on any other cut from the album along the way.  Does that make it better?  Not necessarily.  I certainly think it’s a solid tune, and there’s a whole lot of uniqueness in this tune in comparison to the rest of the lineup as a result of having so many stellar musicians appearing on it & the additional instrumentation you’ll find.  It’s a well-realized song that offers something different than the rest of the set does, and I certainly think there is value in that.  “Thirty Years” is still cohesive enough to fit for sure in my opinion, more-so than say, “Retribution (Jason’s Song)” did earlier on, which makes it even stranger that that latter track ends up being the last one we hear on Music Like Before, appearing a second time as an unplugged tune to finish off the album.  Notably, Chris wrote “Thirty Years” from the perspective of his wife, reflecting on the thirty years they’ve spent together – how awesome is that?  I’ve got a lot of love for that for sure, and I’m sure many of you out there do too.  I’m approaching nineteen years into the time I’ve spent with my wife, and I’d definitely love to be able to claim a whole thirty one day down the road, or achieve sixty years by the end if we’re lucky enough.  “Thirty Years” is a strong song…concept, execution, melody, message, performance…it’s all there, 100%.

Luke Palma Harper apparently created a whole digital orchestra to go along with the unplugged version of “Retribution (Jason’s Song)” at the very end of Music Like Before.  Does that make it any less of an odd fit into this lineup?  Heck no!  But that’s okay…Chris ain’t here to satisfy what I do or don’t like – the only responsibility he’s got is to himself as an artist, and if he’s into “Retribution” in either of its forms, or presumably both, then all the power to him as far as I’m concerned.  There will be plenty of folks out there that’ll happily agree with him in that assessment, and I’m more than cool with that.  Like I said earlier on…we like what we like, and we love what we love…it’s our differences that make the world go ‘round, as they say.  The bottom line is, Chris didn’t let himself down with any of the performances you’ll find on this record, which in turn gives every track a legitimate shot of being someone’s favorite tune.  I still appreciate the writing and the performance of “Retribution” overall, it’s just lacking a bit of that magic that turns a song from good to great, or the stuff that makes a track memorable in my personal opinion…if you feel differently about it, you’ll get nothing but a high five & a nod of approval from me.  What’s more crucial to point out, is that this IS still a debut album…and the quality in everything you’ll hear is nothing short of outstanding; it’s only by comparison to the high standards Chafin & Co. have set along the way that a track like “Retribution” might pale a bit…but ultimately, that speaks volumes on behalf of what Chris has achieved throughout the entire length of this record.  I’d definitely be encouraged to make another if I was Chafin…he’s supplied every reason he should need to want to continue, and I sincerely hope that he does.

Find music by Chris Chafin at his official page at Soundcloud here:  https://soundcloud.com/user-893660207-709935073

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