The third solo album from Chris Shiflett sees him let his hair down outside of the mothership of the Foo Fighters, his always compelling material given free rein here. Tapping into his love of Country and Punk, Lost At Sea is a stylish and buoyant release that puts him again firmly in the spotlight.
Chris Shiflett – Lost at Sea (Snakefarm)
Release Date: 20 October 2023
Words: Paul Monkhouse
Recorded and produced in Nashville by Cadillac Three’s Jared Johnston, the ten tracks here capture all the spirit of the pulsating performances witnessed on his UK tour earlier this year and add just the right level of polish to make everything sing.
Shiflett and Johnson are way too savvy and true to go down the diamond-encrusted country route where rhinestones gleam brighter than soul, the two creating something full of love and a blue-collar spirit.
Lost At Sea is as much about drinking at a bar on a Friday night with your friends as it is wide open panoramic vistas across desert highways, the touches of sunshine shot through with a grittiness. Certainly a good time album, perfect for parties or road trips, this is also something to be absorbed, the nuances thoughtfully and perfectly placed so that subtleties come through.
Starting off with the swinging Honky Tonk jukebox feel of Dead And Gone, this is country with bite, the guitar shimmering and wiry. This is Hank Williams Jr, as seen through The Clash, the rawness and grit underpinning the bounce.
Elsewhere, other influences make themselves known, and the chiming Americana that Tom Petty built his career on can be felt in Overboard. There are even touches of reggae that bring a sunkissed spring into Damage Control, Shiflett’s fretwork dancing beautifully throughout, and the riff that drives the rocking Black Top White Lines has distinct echoes of The Eagle’s Life in the Fast Lane.
Amongst the rough-edged stomps like Where’d Everybody Go and Carrie Midnight Texas Queen, there’s also more plaintive fare. Shiflett displays his warm, honeyed whiskey voice in I Don’t Trust My Memories Anymore.
With the riotous Parties closing things with a rush, this is an album that might upset some purists but to most this fresh injection of Outlaw Country will see Stetsons purchased and tipped in fulsome greeting.
Whilst the Foos might absorb most of his energies, any time spent doing his own material is always a treat to hear and Lost At Sea is his finest yet.
