Ragged Union can answer to many things – alt/sleaze/Americana/country-rock and being from the Deep South (of the UK) they know a thing or two about creating those ‘slice of life’ narrative tunes with only three chords and the truth.
Their second release, E.P Lay My Ghost To Rest has all the characteristics of a good country-fringed compilation, combining rockier moments with ballad-style songs, melancholic tales of love and life, without giving in to becoming a Nashville cliché.
Opener Lay To Rest is an easy listen, rambling along like a well-oiled motor, while Here For You is sweet and sentimental, pleasingly without sap, before things get ramped up with the southern-rock centred Writing’s On The Wall. We’re treated to some country-rap in Days Like These with light-hearted lyrics and an emotive outing for the harmonica that completes the sunset porch-swinging image this conjures.
Finally, Another Lover is a break-up song with attitude. Fuelled by a frustrating situation, the lyrics are uplifting, heartfelt and delivered with sincerity.
The key changes and chord progressions match the moods you will experience when listening to this well-crafted package of delights. Ragged Union know what they want to say and how to say it, it’s just a case of finding the right listeners. With a ton of live dates and festivals coming up this year, including a spot at Planet Rockstock, there’s plenty of chances to show support for an unsigned act who deserve more than a few hundred attentive ears.
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