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Eric Church


Chief
HHEAD15



  • CD1: 1. Creepin’
  • CD1: 2. Drink In My Hand
  • CD1: 3. Keep On
  • CD1: 4. Like Jesus Does
  • CD1: 5. Hungover and Hard Up
  • CD1: 6. Homeboy
  • CD1: 7. Country Music Jesus
  • CD1: 8. Jack Daniels
  • CD1: 9. Springsteen
  • CD1: 10. I’m Getting Stoned
  • CD1: 11. Over When It’s Over

Chief

Eric Church is on a mission. You might expect someone coming off of their first two Top Ten country singles and an ACM Award for “Top New Solo Vocalist” to lock down the formula and go for more of the same, but with third album, Chief, Church is trying something bolder and using the opportunity provided by his success to push his music even further.

 

Church’s 2006 debut album, Sinners Like Me, established him as one of the most acclaimed new songwriters in country music. The follow-up, 2009’s Carolina, includes the singles “Love Your Love the Most” and “Smoke a Little Smoke,” which Church to the top ranks of today’s country stars. Although “Smoke” was peaking on the charts, Church decided to take a step back to give some thought to his next creative direction.

 

The songs that resulted illustrate Church’s impressive range. Some of the titles like “Drink in My Hand” or “Hungover & Hard Up,” instantly show that he’s still comfortable with the expectations of his rowdy live audience. Other songs, like the ambitious “Springsteen” or “Like Jesus Does,” reveal complicated emotions and sophisticated song structures. Perhaps the bravest track on Chief is the first single, “Homeboy,” a provocative appeal from one brother to another to get back on track and make peace with his family.

  

Though Eric Church’s focus is on looking forward rather than looking back, he does acknowledge that the surprising success of “Smoke a Little Smoke” allowed him to explore and experiment with his new songs. Church explains, “This was the first time I picked a single because of the reaction on the road and it paid off.”

 

The desire to capture the intensity of his live show on record is indicated right in the title of the new album. "‘Chief' was my grandfather’s nickname, and it has become my nickname on the road," Church reveals.

 

If there is one thing country music needs more of, it’s the attitude that is driving Eric Church, the approach behind every song on Chief, the fearlessness that lets an artist swing for the fences and try to leave a mark on history. “There were safer choices I could have made for sure, but I just can't feel that helps anybody,” he says. “If you have any respect for the music, you'll use each chance you get to try to be one of the ones who moves the flag.”

Complete List of Eric Church Albums