Chuck Ragan

Ole Diesel [7 inch] (2007)

Brian Shultz

Chuck Ragan's Ole Diesel 7" is a UK-only release on RatPatrol Records featuring yet another two songs from the prolific songwriter. He may be back doing sporadic dates with Hot Water Music in a few months, but the plethora of material released this year should hold one over.

On Side A is the main feature and title track: "Ole Diesel," a head-swaying acoustic piece with Ragan singing hushedly over its first part before a big, bold harmonica solo, which precedes Ragan heartily howling over the chords to close it out. He really embraces his singer/songwriter folk roots here, moreso than usual.

"The World Turned Upside Down" is on the flipside and marches forward in a fairly similar structure, though there's not much of a climax here. Ragan shuffles along the guitar strings in a picturesque manner, though, as it's easy to imagine him playing out of the boxcar of a train rustling along the tracks.

Tidy; recommended for fans of the man's recent work.

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Ole Diesel

[No U.S. distribution has been presently announced.]