Cole Chaney’s Hard Work & Dedication Pays Off Big On Debut “Mercy”
Photo Credit: Rick Potter
Early January 2020 I got a message from a guy that I frequently talked music with on Instagram. It was a message I see pretty often running a country music page that has developed somewhat of a following, a link to a YouTube video filmed in said person’s house, so I clicked it. The first strum of the guitar set the tone and when he began singing I could tell there was something special there. A song that had an amazing story accompanied by a voice that sends chills running down your spine. Come to find out this was the first real song this kid had written...writing 5 min songs that go into detail about something they didn’t personally experience and dragging the listener into the story with them, that’s the mark of a master poet. Coalshooter was the name of the song and Cole Chaney was the name of the kid. I say kid because Cole was only 19 at the time, even though he writes and looks like he’s 30+ years old. But who’s to say that wasn’t a one time thing? Maybe he put all of his eggs in that basket and just so happened to nail it directly on the head. Turns out it wasn’t a one time thing, actually it turns out that it’s a God given gift, that seems to be showing favor to those Eastern Kentucky mountains, and Cole was not holding anything back. This is Appalachian Country music at its finest, accompanied by only an acoustic guitar or beautiful bluegrass instrumentation as his debut album, “Mercy”, has shown.
The album, featuring members of Wolfpen Branch and the king of bluegrass fiddle Michael Cleveland, is a beautiful mix of the sounds that make the region so rich with musical tradition. Cole’s stellar guitar playing and voice are enough to grip any listener, but being accompanied by a veteran group of bluegrass musicians adds those elements to his sound that will keep the listener discovering new things they love about each song.
Recorded at BlueLava Audio the production does everything it needed to do and nothing it didn’t. Cole’s voice sounds the same as it does in a crowded bar and the instrumentation only takes center stage when it needs to, allowing Cole’s voice and storytelling to be the main focus of this piece of work, and man does that storytelling shine. I’ve often said that “Cole Chaney doesn’t write songs, he writes epics” and that’s really the only way I know how to describe the rarely below four minute, and often over five, songs that he has steadily churned out since that first one he sent me a year and half ago. Songs that go into detail about the subject, but don’t seem forced and full of fluff. I would imagine that will change over time, but I hope those vividly clear pictures he paints will continue to pour from his soul for many years to come no matter how long he decides it will take to express them.
Photo Credit: Madylin Goins
This album is for genuine music connoisseurs, now that’s not to say that it isn’t chock full of catchy hooks; hell even the verses are written and sung in a way that stick in your head and have you singing along rather quickly. Another Day in the Life has been one of my favorites since Cole first premiered it and there’s not a line in that song that doesn’t have me joyfully singing along to it. It might be the track that benefitted the most from having the excellent instrumentation layered into it, with Chris Shouse’s mandolin adding a fun intro. You’ll hear Chris’ mandolin playing sprinkled throughout the record, it’s the most notable addition along with Cleveland’s fiddle playing that is woven beautifully into each song, adding eerie tones to Ill Will Creek & Coalshooter especially. Silver Run & The Air Between are love letters to the young lady that has backed Cole through this dream of playing music for rooms of strangers around the region and it does a great job of giving subtle details of the life that has had them grow together over the time they’ve shared over the course of a couple of years. Back to Kentucky, Flood, & Mercy exudes with the love he has for his homeland and the issues that have plagued the region, issues that breed a tight knit community, but scream for help from the outside world that just seems to not quite understand. While Fever Dream, Leave, Wishing Well, & Humble Enough to Hear really bring a introspective tone to the album. The latter, written with Arthur Hancock, is a motto we should all learn to live by in this crazy world we’re living in. Wishing Well delves deep into some of the issues we’re facing as a society learning to deal with expressing ourselves and how we deal with others who do the same, with strong lyrics and one of the more powerful vocal moments of the entire album it’s able to deliver its powerful message.
I find that I tend to overwrite a bit when I’m passionate about something, but I feel it’s the only way I can truly express how I much I care about something and I really care about Cole as a person and artist and I believe this album deserves to reach every set of ears it’s meant to reach. Twelve songs that register just under an hour and each one a master class in poetry, song structure, and musicianship. A little over a year ago he was writing songs, but unsure of how to really get booked or noticed by anybody, so he went out and surrounded himself by some of the best people in the Kentucky music scene and worked his ass off for this moment. That’s who Cole Chaney is and that’s the type of people Cole Chaney sings about.
