Previously, Chance Wiesner had been a member of the band Nodding Tree Remedies, but, with a little help from a few friends from the scene in Oregon which he's a part of, he's just released his debut solo album 'Takin' a Chance On Love', an eclectic, exotic, summery, versatile and fun album that shows many sides to his songwriting skills and also many sides to his broad musical taste. There are songs here that aren't quite like anyone else. The idea was to give the album a DIY sound, but not to make a lo-fi record, more to capture the essence and spontaneity of a live performance. So it was recorded with very few overdubs and so on, and the desired effect was achieved.
Two highlights from the record are 'Wandering One', a song with a cinematic feel that's part Western movie and part reggae. How the two worlds manage to merge so perfectly is remarkable and shows a unique vision. The vocals and lyrics are pure old-school movie style, but the beat and the instrumentation is a little more tropical. You'd expect a song called 'Malibu' to exhibit these kind of qualities even more so, but you'd be wrong. The piano-led number is closer to some of the idiosyncratic and oddball British singer-songwriters of the late '60s and early '70s. You could easily imagine this song on a Kevin Ayres album, or even a Gorky's Zygotic Mynci album for a more up-to-date reference. It's that same mixture of experimentation, inventive writing and off-kilter touches. There are probably several ways to describe the music that Chance Wisener makes, but we're certain that all of them would be highly favourable.
Free download: 'Wandering One'
(Click to stream, right click, save as to download)
Free download: 'Malibu'
(Click to stream, right click, save as to download)
Chance Wiesner's website
Buy the album
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