Chris Shiflett’s third solo album, ‘Lost At Sea,’ is a wildly absorbing, energetic rocking country album giving us a kaleidoscope of music; on every listen you’ll hear something new, whether it’s a well-placed harmony, a get-lost-into guitar riff or drift-away keys.
Shiflett over Nashville, there’s a new Chris in town, bringing a three-decade, music-making, Grammy-winning, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee career behind him. You may know Shiflett as guitarist for the Foo Fighters; you may have heard his previous solo work. You’ll now know him as a solo artist to pay attention to, with killer strings and songwriting, of course.
Shiflett opted for a life in music as a teen, being a member of several bands in his early ‘20s including the punk-rock band No Use For A Name, which he quit to join the Foo’s in 1999. Incidentally, a lad called Dave Nassie replaced Shiflett, and if you’ve heard his name before it’s because he joined Kip Moore’s band in 2017 (and you’ve possibly seen him leap in the air with his guitar at The Long Road, C2C or Highways Festival). I would love to see the crowd reaction to Shiflett and his brand of country at one of the UK festivals, alongside a tour of his own. Full band, please.
The heavy guitars and drums of the first two albums have been joined by a more polished sound on Lost At Sea, which sharpens the stories, spotlights the vocals with cracking harmonies and still retains that quality of musicianship that will satisfy any guitar-driven music fan, from California to the Carolinas. Jaren Johnston’s bat-like production and music skills, songwriting co-credits from Kendell Marvel, John Osborne and Cody Jinks, alongside guitar support from Osborne, Charlie Worsham, Tom Bukovac and Nathan Keeterle place this album firmly in Nashville on that sweet southern rocking scale. An element of ‘90s California punk rock beats at the core of the album.
And on an album of ten perfect tracks, to find a favourite meant I had to listen to the whole 40 minutes several times on repeat (it’s almost as good as playing guitar for a living). But the literal driving force that is ‘Black Top White Lines’ won the accolade. Released as a single earlier in the year, this revenge story is pure Nashville meets Texas and you have to stop what you’re doing for three minutes and sixteen seconds of pure sonic joy. Unless you’re Jimmy.
‘Damage Control’ has a beautiful island vibe sound, with gentle steel drums that just make you feel good. However, the lyrics kick in a juxtaposition, from the opening expletive statement to the imagery of being damaged. Every listen offers a different insight and a different perspective to the character.
‘Weigh you down’ offers a unique approach to acknowledging another year around the sun; “don’t worry about numbers, they don’t mean nothing here.” Life and death feature throughout the album’s lyrics, two unavoidable and eternal themes, whether acknowledging lost friends or celebrating birthdays; the knife-edge between the two are a blistering six-string party.
‘Lost At Sea’ is mainly up-tempo, with ‘Where’d Everybody Go’ and album closer ‘Parties’ absolute belting rock and roll numbers. ‘Carrie Midnight Texas Queen’ is a high-energy honky-tonk song of nostalgia. However, there’s also room for an incredible ballad, ‘I Don’t Trust My Memories Anymore’ and a controlled mid-tempo breather in ‘Overboard’, the song which features the album’s title.
If you’re looking for a Californian rock-edged, punk-rock alt-country sound, you need the unapologetically loud ‘Lost at Sea.’ Perfect for fans of Brothers Osborne, Steve Earle and rock and roll.
Track list: 1. Dead and Gone 2. Overboard 3. Black Top White Lines 4. Damage Control 5. Weigh You Down 6. Burn The House Down 7. Where’d Everybody Go 8. I Don’t Trust My Memories Anymore 9. Carrie Midnight Texas Queen 10. Parties Record Label: Snakefarm Records Release Date: 20th October 2023 Buy Lost At Sea here
This article contains an affiliate link. Purchases through this link may result in us earning a commission.
