Maurice Hope – April 26, 2016 at 07:58AM
Tags:_AMERICANA
Singer-songwriter Charlie Hager is a new name to me, but immediately I placed American Sage into the slot I was drawn to his simple, straight as an arrow, sharp as a knife style of music (and lived-in vocals). It certainly helped that his opening cut was the Cajun warmed tune “Way Down Low”, backed up by strong story-ballad “These Days”. This as he speaks of the loss of originality, and how a certain boy (Elvis Presley) from Tupelo, Mississippi wouldn’t have made it today. For today we don’t give someone the chance to prove them selves like they used to)
Son of West Virginia bluegrass musician James Bernard Hager, Hager Jnr has honed his craft for 25 years, and though still to make it big his heart and soul is steeped in roots Americana of the purest kind, the type of guy from whom the lyrics move you. His observations of the human condition and the working kind are keen, strong and unyielding as he shoots across the bow without a care for his actions against a political correct world. In Benjamin Jason Douglas he has the perfect foil (rustic vocals, electric guitar) on “Isn’t It Strange” and with an vintage old-time gospel warmed feel “Still With Me” (w/ Ryan Dishen on lead guitar, harmony vocals), fiddle and keyboards the combination is of the kind to move timber construction as well as the heart of those given to songs of the ilk. Superb, and it came totally unexpected. “Sounds of Our Home” is a sombre ode as he struggles with loneliness, but through matching vocals from Jenny Anne Nooe he builds something rigged and strong.
Such the diversity of Hager; he certainly isn’t a one-trick pony, although the track suits him a great deal better than “Here Comes The Flood” which follows it in the running order. As for title-track “American Saga” it is nuts and bolts roots Americana with no quarter given as he speaks of ‘living in fear and of playing out an American sage and of how we are making the same mistakes. A familiar theme but nevertheless one of note and to which Hager is well suited. American Saga is his first record of original material (no shame in that) let’s hope he is now ready to move forward and not take too long in hitting us with another record but only better!
Maurice Hope
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