Personality Crash, Chucky's River

Chucky’s River

Personality Crash

Angela Macari O’Looney

Chucky’s River, an interesting trio of musicians are excited about the launch of their debut album, which will be released next month, followed by a nationwide tour.

Diarmuid Comerford – Vocals, Cupie – Bass/ Vocals and Conor Stafford – Drums have worked intensely since forming, to produce an original sound, with excellently structured songs and a driving ambition to find willing ears and gather a following.

This album which is a short and sweet collection of Indie /Alternative rock songs, was produced by Pete Meighan (Dave Couse and the Impossible The Monkey Pole - Hybrasil), mastered by Jon Astley (Led Zeppelin, Ash, Damien Dempsey).

I feel that these songs require more than one listen, to really appreciate the skilful guitars, complex rhythms and powerful delivery of deep thinking lyrics. But for a band that are only a short time around, they do each number justice and certainly have something new to offer.

Personality Crash – The title song of this album explodes into being, with a strange beat.
This song is aptly named, with its choppy defunct impact. Energetic guitar chords and riffs take you into an array of discords in the melody line for the verse which works well. Harmony is splashed here and there, with impressive twin guitars, distortion infused chord combinations and barely noticeable keychanges. Diarmuid’s exciting outburst of vocals I really like. He has fire in his belly for sure!
A sax solo (James McCafferty) lifts the mood a little for the middle eight and adds spice to the overall track, along with Cowbell and tambourine supplied by Spud Murphy.

My favourite number on this album is track 2, This Ship. Guitars are absolute magic, particularly the bit in the chorus, where one guitar seems to answer the other with a refrain. In general, lead guitar is really catchy.
The baseline is superb a la Cupie, harmonies sweet even though they are never overpowering and lyrics as in all songs have a message. I feel the mood in there reflects the current social and financial climate, with the lyrics I know this ship it is going down!

The Town Warp

Choppy rhythm, gorgeous chords and melody line, harmony delicious and Diarmuid’s lead vocals punchy and loaded with conviction.
I love the way the intro consists of trickling acoustic guitar in a slow ballad like tempo, to suddenly change for the verse. There’s a hint of keyboards (Pete Meighan) for only a short spell, combined with what sounds like clarinet, creating a wonderful combination of instruments. As the song winds down the trickling intro returns and I feel it gives the song a sense of completion. This is one brilliantly composed, cheerful piece!

Johnny Finance

Typical of the mindset of most eighteen year old males are the lyrics in this song I just turned 18. All I want is a fast car. I just can’t believe the power beneath my feet.
I love the sliding guitar riff in the intro, the baseline and very effective spurts of distortion laden grunge guitar in the chorus and throughout. This emphasizes the mood of bravado expressed by Diarmuid who puts the song across so well. He has quite a range too, going from a lower octave right up to a higher one.

The Very Same

Sporadic, distortion packed intro!
Bass delicious and harmony yet again excellently placed. I adore the way they fool the listener once again, with a complete change of pace later on in this song. Not quite sure what to make of the lyrics, but the guitars and most especially the lead speak volumes to me. Stop start style chords for the verse are cool.

Is it Zeppelin, Bowie, Rollin’ Stones or just a little bit of everything that’s rock?
Well whatever sound Chucky’s River set out to accomplish, they undoubtedly make you sit up and take notice. I did!
Cover art depicts the head of a doll being caught in a fishing hook, dripping water pouring from the startlingly detached neck. She has an evil looking black symbol painted beneath her right eye. Like the music on the CD, she combines the sweet and beautiful with a twist of irony and a touch of mayhem!